#''radi is the evil one and pk was just doing what he had to''

[carnographix]

HK fandom when you tell them neither The Radiance nor Pale Wyrm are wholly in the right/wrong

[take-a-bug]

I do hope I'm not a burden with my theory. From Soul Master dream nail,we can see PK strongly opposed soul experiments and his actions.Yet,in vessels we see ability to manipulate souls on SM level.SM was affected by Radi at that point,he was not at fault.PK wouldn't create vessels if he was not desperate.Moths,according to Seer,were fickle,they deflected peacefully to PK,he didn't steal them.Radi,on other hand is stealing Unns followers-Mosskin.PK might care about people more than Radi.

Hey bro I’m all for theories so never feel burded.

With Pk being apposed with the experiments I think it’s not so much the ise of soul itself but waste of reasorces for something that wouldn’t work.

Soulmaster blaims Pk’s jealously for him stoping it in his Soul Tyrant version. While Soul Tyrant isn’t in his best mind I would imagine he would say something like his “fear” if Pk stopped it out of dislike of the experimants themselves.

For the vessels being able to use soul I don’t think it’s something he did on purpose either way. Vessels being the kids of higher beings, who have special powers with soul, can use it.

The moths going peacefully to Pk I think is because they forgot Radiance existence for the most part. The whole reason the Radiance is pissed is because Pk made eveyone forget her and took over what was once her kingdom. For the moths then where else would a bunch of scentiant bugs go? Most are peaceful so bot the mantice tribe of course. Deepnest? Spiders eat moths! The hive is a bunch of bees I doubt they are taking anyone in. Maybe Greenpath with Unn? Ya I can see actually.

But I’m not sure they really intergrated very well with Hollownest anyway. There is a specific tribe of moths and moths alone. I’m sure they were apart of Hollownest but not as well meshed with other bugs because while they still have this unique area.

Radiance though? Ya I totally agree she stole followers afterwards. She not only stole some from the mosskin but also from the mantis tribe when the infection go going. And you need to remember these are those who are willingly infected. Nearly every bug you fight are people who’s lives were destroyed and stolen by the Radiance. No matter which side of the good or evil side you believe Pk to be on you cannot change the fact that Radiance desimated an entire Kingdom and the people without thought. It’s stated in game that the more you fight the infection the worse it is. You become infected no matter your individual choice.

Pk needed to do something about this. His kingdom was in ruins and none of his solutions so far were working. Soulmasters plans kept failing and his response was he needed more soul, sealing of the City of Tears didn’t work, putting the Radiance in the dream realm didn’t even work. He needs to do something or everyone will die.

Void eats and destroys life. He sees this in the bugs who die in the abyss and he has learned to harness it in his gaurds. But if he makes a mistake this is something that would have horrible consequences. And he can’t exactly just chuck her into the abyss so the best he has is making a vessel. A perfect vessel because remember, anything goes wrong and hundreds will die.

He uses his own children. Maybe not the moral thing but of he just used a Kingsmold they aren’t really powerful. Plus, with the collector it’s entirely likey they have a mind of their own. They could be infected too. Probably not easy but if the entire Radiance is trapped then she has all of her attention on just one thing. And what else would he use? His people are already becoming infected, using the last of his people wouldn’t be very ideal since if they all die what kingdom will he have left? No survivors then and it was all kinda pointless since the people he wanted to save are all kinda dead and/or void creatures.

Hundreds of thousands of his children die. It a tragic loss of life but the alternative of letting a Kingdom doe isn’t good either. No cost to great because if he doesn’t pay it he’ll lose everything he worked so hard. All of his people will die and everything he worked so hard to make will be gone. It’s even effecting un realated parties such as Deepnest and The Hive. How far will this infection spread if nothing stops it?

A perfect vessel is finally made. The people may not know who this Hollow Knight is but they are still alive because of it. Pk could take all the credit of curing this infection but he doesn’t. He decides to errect a statue for all to see of not just the knight but the dreamers to. They may not know who this knight is but they are reminded of their sacrifice in the center of the most magnificent city in Hollownest.

But the vessel isn’t pure and the Radiance seeps out. The infection is spreading once again and eventually leaves. We don’t know why. Maybe out of guilt for all he has done, fear of the Radiance, hope that if the source of her anger leaves she will leave too? We just don’t know because it’s never said in game.

With so many ways to interpret things and so much left unknown there is no definite way to see Pk.

I personally believe he had a deep love for his Kingdom and it’s people for a variety of reasons. He made it so of course there is pride of his creation but also because this is a Kingdom of unique bugs with free will.

Saying he’s an evil egotistical person who murdered his kids for no reason is such a disservice to what he could be and outright ignores the gravity of the situation he was in. He could be such an interesting and complex character yet he’s so often reduced to “#1 worst dad” at best in the fandom.