Hollow Knight Silksong: Unlock Twisted Bud, Cursed Ending & Cure

Unveiling the Twisted Bud and Cursed Ending in Hollow Knight: Silksong

Hollow Knight: Silksong, the highly anticipated Metroidvania sequel, offers players a myriad of secrets, challenges, and branching narrative paths, including a peculiar item known as the Twisted Bud and a hidden Cursed Ending. This guide will delve into how to acquire this ominous item, navigate the debilitating curse it bestows upon Hornet, and ultimately unlock the game's secret "Twisted Child" conclusion, or alternatively, how to seek a cure.

Essential Prerequisites for the Twisted Bud Questline

Before embarking on the quest to find the Twisted Bud and potentially trigger the Cursed Ending, players should ensure they meet several key requirements:

• Pollip Hearts Quest Completion: The "Pollip Hearts" quest, initiated by the NPC Greyroot in Shellwood, must be completed first. Greyroot is integral to progressing with the Twisted Bud.
• Key Abilities Unlocked: Essential traversal skills, specifically the Clawline Grappling Hook and the Faydown Cloak Double Jump, are absolutely mandatory for reaching the Twisted Bud's secluded location.
• Pharloom's Crown - Threefold Melody: Completing this quest is crucial as it grants access to the game's final boss, a necessary component for the Cursed Ending.
• Prior Final Boss Experience (Recommended): While not strictly required, defeating the final boss at least once to achieve the normal ending is highly advisable. This familiarity with the boss's patterns and mechanics will be invaluable when attempting to defeat it under the curse's severe limitations. After receiving the normal ending, the game typically returns you to your last used bench, allowing for continued exploration.

Locating the Twisted Bud

The Twisted Bud is a peculiar and foreboding item, described as a "contorted mass of ashen vine that cries out incessantly." It can be found deep within the Bilewater region, accessible through a hidden route.

Part 1: Traversing the Whispering Vaults

The journey to the Twisted Bud begins in the Whispering Vaults. Near the location where a Mask Shard can be discovered, a hidden exit awaits in the top-right corner of the chamber. To access this path:

1. Strike the large, seemingly impenetrable blocks to create climbable ledges.
2. Hit the adjacent wall to reveal a hidden passage.
3. Navigate through the subsequent section, which is fraught with spinning cog traps that must be meticulously avoided.
4. Proceed until you encounter a gaping chasm, which serves as the entry point leading directly down into Bilewater.

Part 2: Deep in Bilewater

Upon descending from the Whispering Vaults, you will find yourself in Bilewater, a treacherous area notorious for its infestation of gunk, plague, spiked walls, and maggot pools that quickly deplete Hornet's stamina.

1. Follow the winding corridors, striking through the dense vines that frequently obstruct your path.
2. Exercise caution around the spiked walls and maggot-infested waters. The Faydown Cloak, while not strictly necessary for this segment, significantly aids in avoiding the hazardous maggot pools.
3. Eventually, this path will lead you to a secluded nook where the glowing Twisted Bud awaits collection.

Initiating the Rite of Rebirth: The Curse of the Twisted Bud

Once acquired, the Twisted Bud remains dormant in Hornet's inventory, emitting a constant, unsettling cry. To activate its latent power (and curse), you must return to Greyroot in Shellwood, the same NPC who assigned the "Pollip Hearts" quest.

Interacting with Greyroot while possessing the Twisted Bud will present the option to hand it over. Doing so triggers the "Rite of Rebirth" wish, initiating a series of events that culminate in Hornet being severely cursed. This action should only be taken if you are fully prepared for the ensuing challenges.

Effects of Hornet's Curse

The Rite of Rebirth inflicts a profound curse upon Hornet, dramatically altering gameplay by imposing significant restrictions:

• Impaired Healing: Hornet will be unable to heal using her binding spells. Health can only be restored by resting at a bench.
• Limited Silk Energy: Silk energy will be severely constrained, often providing barely enough to cast essential skills.
• Unequipped Tools: Access to Hornet's crest is revoked, meaning all tools, including the invaluable Compass, will be unequipped. Players must rely on their familiarity with Pharloom's geography.

These restrictions remain active until the curse is either cured via the "Infestation Operation" quest or the Cursed Ending is achieved.

Unlocking the Cursed Ending: Twisted Child

The Twisted Child ending is a unique, secret conclusion in Hollow Knight: Silksong that can only be unlocked by confronting and defeating the final boss (Grand Mother Silk) while Hornet remains afflicted by the Twisted Bud's curse.

To achieve this:

1. Reach the Final Area: Navigate to the Terminus lift in the game's final region. Travel from Shellwood to the Citadel, then proceed to the Terminus section.
2. Prepare (Cautiously): While resting at a bench in Terminus will fully restore Hornet's HP, remember that in-combat healing via binding spells is still impossible.
3. Defeat Grand Mother Silk: Engage the final boss with the curse active. This encounter is significantly more challenging due to the imposed restrictions.
4. Witness the Ending: Should you successfully defeat Grand Mother Silk under these conditions, the "Twisted Child" ending cutscene will play. Upon reloading your game from the main menu, Hornet will still be cursed, typically appearing back at the Terminus bench, allowing an opportunity to cure the affliction.

Important Considerations for the Cursed Ending

The Twisted Child ending is missable, a crucial detail for completionists:

• Timing is Key: You must obtain this ending before curing Hornet's curse or progressing to Act 3, which is triggered by the "Snared Silk" ending path. Curing the curse is a permanent action that prevents obtaining this ending in the current playthrough.
• New Playthrough: If the curse is removed prematurely or Act 3 is entered without first securing the "Twisted Child" ending, the only way to experience it and unlock any associated achievements is to start a completely new game.
• Preparation Advice: To increase your chances, it is recommended to have at least 8 or 9 Masks (Hornet's health segments) and three Needle Upgrades. Resting at the bench in Terminus ensures you begin the final fight with full health.

Curing the Curse: The Infestation Operation Quest

Should you wish to remove the Twisted Bud's curse from Hornet after experiencing the "Twisted Child" ending, or if you simply prefer not to deal with its effects, the "Infestation Operation" quest offers a remedy.

Starting the "Infestation Operation" Quest

1. Seek Guidance in Bellhart: Return to the settlement of Bellhart. Speak with NPCs like Pavo (the bug near the bench) and the Bell Hermit under the Bellhart Bellway station. They will direct you to a physician residing in Greymoor.
2. Find Yarnaby: Travel to the Greymoor fast travel point. Proceed to the upper-left section of the zone until you locate a locked bellhome. Knock repeatedly until the physician, Yarnaby, answers.
3. Receive the Quest: Speak with Yarnaby, who will initiate the "Infestation Operation" quest.

Acquiring Steel Spines

Yarnaby requires specific materials to cure Hornet: Steel Spines. These can be obtained from the duo Crull and Benjin in Sinner's Road.

1. Travel to Sinner's Road: From the middle area of Greymoor, take the top-right exit to enter Sinner's Road.
2. Locate Crull and Benjin: Continue into the chamber featuring hanging cells on the map. A small hut will be visible at the top.
3. Purchase Steel Spines: Crull and Benjin will sell the Steel Spines for a cost of 260x Rosaries. Ensure you have the necessary currency before approaching them.
4. Return to Yarnaby: With the Steel Spines in hand, make your way back to Yarnaby in Greymoor and present her with the items. A cutscene will unfold, signifying the removal of the curse.

Quest Reward: The Witch's Crest

Upon successfully completing the "Infestation Operation" quest and having the curse lifted, Hornet will also receive the Witch's Crest. This valuable item provides 1x white, 1x red, and 1x blue charm slots by default, with additional slots unlockable by utilizing Memory Lockets.

By following these detailed steps, players can navigate the intricacies of the Twisted Bud, face the ultimate challenge of the Cursed Ending, and ultimately restore Hornet to her full capabilities.