This article is part of a directory: Hollow Knight: A Complete Guide
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Hollow Knight is a game full of charm, wonder, and lots and lots of mystery. The game is as narratively complex as The Lord of the Rings, as difficult as Dark Souls, and as beautiful as any hand-drawn 2D platformer has any right to be. The sprawling world of Hallownest is home to friends and enemies of all kinds, no area more so than Kingdom's Edge.

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Kingdom's Edge is located at the eastern-most part of Hallownest, and is home to the Colosseum of Fools, the King's Brand, and a number of secrets and lore tidbits that hint at the area's grander history. The area appears misty, forgotten even, but it's the site of some of the most important events in the history of Hallownest.

10 The Cast-Off Shell Was Once The Pale King's

Cast Off Shell Kingdoms Edge Hollow Knight

The cast-off shell is located far, far to the east in Hallownest beyond a lengthy room and a fight with Hornet. Inside the cast-off shell, the player finds the King's Brand which allows access to The Abyss and unlocks various dialogue options with many characters.

The cast-off shell was actually the Pale King's shell before he molted and took the form he appears as in-game. When the Pale King first came to Hallownest he appeared as a great Wyrm, and the cast-off shell is the last fragment of that form.

9 ...And The Falling White Ash Is Wyrm Molt

White Ash Kingdoms Edge Hollow Knight

Kingdom's Edge is a unique zone visually because of the falling ash that constantly showers from above in most areas within the zone. The white ash is not snow or ice or anything like that: it actually molt residue from the cast-off shell.

The Pale King took a Wyrm form before arriving in Hallownest and took on a bug-like appearance in Kingdom's Edge to match the nearby inhabitants. Upon collecting the King's Brand the cast-off shell will disintegrate, implying that it was the source of the ash all along.

8 The Giant Geo Deposit

Geo Deposit Kingdoms Edge Hollow Knight

In Kingdom's Edge, there is a gigantic Geo deposit that every player should visit in their playthrough of Hollow Knight. Close to Nailmaster Oro's hut, there is a tunnel that leads all the way down to the Ancient Basin through three separate zones.

The player must break into this tunnel, then fall to the bottom where they will find an absolutely gigantic Geo deposit. Break it for a massive boost to your Geo reserves!

7 The King's Brand Can Be Acquired Early

Kings brand Kingdoms Edge Hollow Knight

To find the King's Brand, the player is usually required to have acquired the Monarch Wings. However, there is an exploit that allows the knight to get up and into the area before getting the Monarch Wings, and it involves a Primal Aspid.

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A Primal Aspid flies in between the Knight and a normally unreachable area in Kingdom's Edge that leads to the King's Brand. The player should jump up and over the Aspid, strike down to hit the enemy, then use the trajectory of their jump to make it over the high cliff.

6 You Can See The Exterior Of The Hive

Kingdoms Edge Hive View Spot Kingdoms Edge Hollow Knight

In several areas at the south-west of Kingdom's Edge, the player can look underground to find a pretty neat visual cue: the Hive! The Hive is accessible through two places at the beginning of the zone, but the Hive can be still be seen in areas where it is not accessible.

When at the bottom of Kingdom's Edge, pan the camera down slightly by crouching and look for yellow. If you see hexagons, you've found it!

5 Kingdom's Edge Was Originally Part Of Deepnest

Deepnest Kingdoms Edge Hollow Knight

In the original plan for the game, Kingdom's Edge was meant to be part of Deepnest. Deepnest is the western-most area in the finished game that's home to a tram route and the Distant Village, but originally it was supposed to be much larger.

The area was split into two once another area, the Boneforest, was removed. The eastern part was moved and eventually renamed Kingdom's Edge.

4 The Colosseum Of Fools Is Built Into An Ancient Bug Corpse

Colosseum of Fools Kingdoms Edge Hollow Knight

The Colosseum of Fools is a part of the game that was only added once a fundraising goal was reached with the original Kickstarter for the game. It's an arena of champions, where the Knight can prove their mettle against several enemies, and it has a major secret.

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Next time you go to the Colosseum, pay attention to the exterior and the appearance of the entrance. The entire Colosseum is built into a gigantic bug corpse – a fitting arena for blood sport!

3 ...And Was Developed Before The Fundraising Goal Was Met

Kingdoms Edge Hollow Knight Promo

Many elements of Hollow Knight were changed during development to meet different in-game needs. The Colosseum of Fools, however, was such an exciting addition to the game that the team actually started working on it long before the Kickstarter goal was met.

In a Reddit AMA, Team Cherry said that the Colosseum of Fools Kickstarter goal was reached months after the Kickstarter lost steam, thanks to repeating PayPal backers.

2 There's A Secret Training Dummy Near Nailmaster Oro

Nailmaster Oro Kingdoms Edge Hollow Knight

Behind Nailmaster Oro's hut to the east, there is a Great Hopper enemy impaled on a stick. Nailmaster Oro dressed the Hopper up in Nailmaster attire and the player can use this enemy as a training dummy for testing new moves.

If the training dummy is hit 25 times two Hoppers will fall from the ceiling and attack the player. However, there might be something more to this scarecrow than meets the eye.

1 The Training Dummy Has Hidden Dialogue

Stronger Brothers Kingdoms Edge Hollow Knight

If the player hits the training dummy near Nailmaster Oro's hut with the Dream Nail, it utters the dialogue, "Stronger... Brothers..." This line has led a lot of fans to speculate over who the dead Hopper really is – and if it could be the fourth Nailmaster brother's corpse.

The Nailmasters are all brothers and the other two keep a distance from Oro for an unspecified reason. If the training dummy is indeed the corpse of the fourth Nailmaster, not only would it be one of the darkest elements in the game, it would also reveal much about the Nailmaster family.

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