The culmination of Hornet’s journey in Pharloom is a battle against a being of pure power and grace: Grand Mother Silk. This is not a test of brute force, but a final exam in patience, pattern recognition, and evasion. This guide will provide the strategy you need to survive her relentless onslaught and witness the ending of Hollow Knight: Silksong.
Table of Contents
Grand Mother Silk: Boss Philosophy
This fight is a marathon, not a sprint. Grand Mothersilk attacks with a beautiful but deadly ballet of needles. Your primary goal is survival. Damage is a secondary objective that you execute only during the safest, most predictable windows.
Attempting to rush or greedily land too many hits will result in a quick defeat. Prepare for a long, patient battle.
Phase 1: The Needle Barrage
The entire fight revolves around dodging a constant, evolving wave of projectile attacks.
- Needle Storms: Needles will rain down from above, shoot in from the sides, and arc towards you from diagonals. The patterns are complex and require constant movement.
- White Attacks: In between the needle barrages, Grand Mother Silk will unleash other “white attacks.” These are telegraphed and must be avoided, adding another layer to the defensive puzzle.
- The Strategy – DEFENSE FIRST: Your focus must be 90% on dodging and 10% on attacking. Do not even think about attacking until you have successfully navigated a full wave of needles and identified a clear opening.
Phase 2: The Escalation
As the fight progresses, the difficulty ramps up significantly.
- Ground Needles: Eventually, needles will begin to emerge from the ground beneath you. This removes the arena’s safe zones and forces you to be in constant motion.
- Unavoidable Damage: Grand Mother Silk has several abilities that are nearly impossible to avoid completely. You will take damage. This is inevitable. The goal is to minimize it as much as possible through expert dodging.
How to Win: The Winning Strategy
The key to victory is a disciplined, repetitive loop.
- Dodge: Focus entirely on evading the endless waves of needles. Use your full movement kit: jumps, dashes, and glides. Look for gaps in the patterns and always be moving to the next safe spot.
- Identify an Opening: After surviving a major attack sequence, there will be a very brief moment of respite.
- Strike Once: During this opening, swiftly move in and aim for her belly. Land a single hit.
- Retreat Immediately: Do not get greedy. Do not go for a second hit. Disengage and immediately return your full focus to step one: dodging.
- Repeat: This cycle of Dodge -> Single Hit -> Retreat must be repeated consistently for the entire fight.
Preparation & Mindset
- It’s a Marathon: The fight will take approximately 8-9 minutes of flawless execution. Do not panic if it feels long; this is by design.
- Patience is Everything: Acceptance is key. You will take damage. Stay calm, find your healing windows when they appear (usually after a very complex pattern is finished), and stick to the plan.
Upon finally defeating Grand Mother Silk, you will be treated to a stunning ending sequence, credits, and beautiful Hollow Knight-style art, concluding Hornet’s epic adventure in Pharloom.
Good luck, and enjoy the finale. You’ve earned it.
- Hollow Knight: Silksong – How to Beat The Giant Mole Boss (Secret Beast Shard Guide)
- Hollow Knight: Silksong – How to Unlock the Pogo Jump
- Hollow Knight: Silksong – How to Beat Great Conch Flies Boss
- Hollow Knight: Silksong – How to Beat Moore Wing Boss
- Hollow Knight: Silksong – How to Beat The Widow (Phase 1 & 2 Strategy Guide)
- Hollow Knight: Silksong – How to Beat Savage Beastfly Boss (Easily)
- Hollow Knight: Silksong – How to Beat Sister Splinter (Easy Strategy Guide)
