0:00:00.480,0:00:10.839 I [br]first talked about the Grimm Troupe 3 years 0:00:10.839,0:00:13.139 ago back in 2017. 0:00:13.139,0:00:16.270 But anyone who has followed this channel for[br]a while knows that I have been on quite the 0:00:16.270,0:00:17.970 character arc. 0:00:17.970,0:00:20.740 Back in 2017, I was but an ignorant fool. 0:00:20.740,0:00:25.330 But now I’m older, wiser, I’ve read Judith[br]Butler. 0:00:25.330,0:00:26.330 Twice. 0:00:26.330,0:00:30.940 All of these things have obviously helped[br]me better appreciate Hollow Knight lore. 0:00:30.940,0:00:34.239 With that being said, I think it’s time[br]to check back in on the Grimm Troupe and see 0:00:34.239,0:00:37.039 what new lore we can uncover. 0:00:37.039,0:00:41.230 When the Grimm Troupe content pack first dropped,[br]I was a little annoyed at how it seemed like 0:00:41.230,0:00:45.530 Team Cherry was just throwing new characters[br]at us without really expanding on the characters 0:00:45.530,0:00:46.969 who were already there. 0:00:46.969,0:00:51.580 But looking back, the Grimm Troupe does more[br]for Hollow Knight worldbuilding than I realized. 0:00:51.580,0:00:55.629 For example, we now have a new Higher Being[br]to examine. 0:00:55.629,0:00:59.760 The lore of the Grimm Troupe all starts with[br]an entity known as the Nightmare Heart. 0:00:59.760,0:01:03.809 Seer gives us a very cryptic bit of dialogue[br]regarding the Nightmare Heart. 0:01:03.809,0:01:07.250 And of course, she has to do it in poetry[br]form. 0:01:07.250,0:01:12.180 The expanse of dream in past was split,[br]One realm now must stay apart, 0:01:12.180,0:01:15.760 Darkest reaches, beating red,[br]Terror of sleep. 0:01:15.760,0:01:17.190 The Nightmare's Heart. 0:01:17.190,0:01:19.280 Let’s take this bit by bit. 0:01:19.280,0:01:22.090 We know that there is a dream realm in the[br]world of Hollow Knight. 0:01:22.090,0:01:23.530 It’s where the Radiance is. 0:01:23.530,0:01:25.900 It’s where the Pale King’s corpse is. 0:01:25.900,0:01:29.900 And even the Lifeblood creature appears to[br]inhabit some kind of dream realm, given the 0:01:29.900,0:01:32.360 appearance of dream catcher particles in this[br]room. 0:01:32.360,0:01:37.740 It’s not really clear if these are all different[br]Dream Realms, or branches off of one big Dream 0:01:37.740,0:01:38.740 Realm. 0:01:38.740,0:01:43.470 The Dream Realm where the Dreamers and Radiance[br]are look very different from the Pale King’s 0:01:43.470,0:01:46.220 which also looks very different from Bretta’s[br]dream. 0:01:46.220,0:01:49.840 If there is a distinction between these areas,[br]it’s vague. 0:01:49.840,0:01:54.100 However, we do know there is one special,[br]very different realm called the Nightmare 0:01:54.100,0:01:58.170 Realm which was completely split off from[br]the main Dream Realm. 0:01:58.170,0:02:02.350 While regular dreams are made up of Essence,[br]the Nightmare Realm is made up of a different 0:02:02.350,0:02:07.040 type of burning Essence, which Grimm describes[br]as the “flame in dream”. 0:02:07.040,0:02:11.060 For simplicity's sake, I’ll call this different[br]Essence Nightmare Essence. 0:02:11.060,0:02:13.800 But what exactly caused this split? 0:02:13.800,0:02:16.680 These kinds of splits are common in creation[br]stories. 0:02:16.680,0:02:20.980 Like how Zeus, Poseidon and Hades split up[br]the heavens, seas and underworld. 0:02:20.980,0:02:24.980 Or how the world of Dark Souls went from a[br]grey, unchanging world, to one divided up 0:02:24.980,0:02:26.520 by Lords. 0:02:26.520,0:02:30.100 Even our own scientific understanding of the[br]universe starts with a theory that three of 0:02:30.100,0:02:34.569 the fundamental forces of the universe were[br]unified, but eventually split apart from one 0:02:34.569,0:02:35.569 another. 0:02:35.569,0:02:38.909 So lazy writing like this is kinda just how[br]creation stories go. 0:02:38.909,0:02:42.450 But that doesn’t really help us answer why[br]the Nightmare Realm has to stay apart from 0:02:42.450,0:02:43.450 the Dream Realm. 0:02:43.450,0:02:47.489 A pretty common theory is that the Radiance[br]somehow caused this separation. 0:02:47.489,0:02:50.030 But there really isn’t any evidence for[br]this. 0:02:50.030,0:02:52.310 Maybe if Grimm actually commented once on[br]the Radiance. 0:02:52.310,0:02:56.530 But he really doesn’t seem to give two shits[br]about any of that unfortunately. 0:02:56.530,0:03:00.720 So whether this split was natural or caused[br]by the action of some higher being, chances 0:03:00.720,0:03:02.349 are we’ll never know. 0:03:02.349,0:03:06.170 Anyway it seems like the Nightmare Heart is[br]the main Higher Being who resides in this 0:03:06.170,0:03:09.969 Nightmare Realm, and its design stands in[br]stark contrast to the other Higher Beings 0:03:09.969,0:03:11.120 we see in Hallownest. 0:03:11.120,0:03:17.629 We’ve got a moth, a worm, a plant, a slug,[br]and a giant heart made of patchwork with dozens 0:03:17.629,0:03:18.909 of eyes on it. 0:03:18.909,0:03:22.969 At the very core of it, the Nightmare Heart[br]appears to be made of Nightmare Essence, similar 0:03:22.969,0:03:26.709 to how the Radiance is composed of a light[br]similar to Essence. 0:03:26.709,0:03:30.550 And while the Nightmare Heart may seem different[br]from other higher beings on the surface, it 0:03:30.550,0:03:32.420 does have one thing in common with them. 0:03:32.420,0:03:37.519 It really likes to mess around with regular[br]bugs, pulling them into its service. 0:03:37.519,0:03:41.860 In order to survive, the Nightmare Heart needs[br]to conduct a ritual involving the Grimm Troupe 0:03:41.860,0:03:45.099 so that it can feed off the flames of ruined[br]civilizations. 0:03:45.099,0:03:50.810 Basically, ancient, abandoned kingdoms like[br]Hallownest or Disney Land are a goldmine for 0:03:50.810,0:03:56.110 Nightmare Essence, so the main way the Nightmare[br]Heart feeds is by using the Troupe to find 0:03:56.110,0:03:58.750 these kingdoms and harvest the Essence for[br]itself. 0:03:58.750,0:04:04.739 And this ritual happens over and over as an[br]endless cycle the Heart uses to cheat death. 0:04:04.739,0:04:09.689 Of course, finding kingdoms is the first step[br]in this process, which brings us to this corpse 0:04:09.689,0:04:11.480 in the Howling Cliffs. 0:04:11.480,0:04:15.980 This bug is wearing a makeshift mask that[br]has a similar design to the masks other Grimm 0:04:15.980,0:04:17.640 Troupe members wear. 0:04:17.640,0:04:22.420 Dream nailing this bug brings a device called[br]the Nightmare Lantern into the physical world. 0:04:22.420,0:04:26.470 This lantern seems to act as a sort of anchor[br]for the Grimm Troupe, and lighting it is what 0:04:26.470,0:04:29.440 causes the Grimm Troupe to arrive in Hallownest. 0:04:29.440,0:04:35.440 If we dream nail the corpse again, it says[br]“Master... my role.... apart from you... 0:04:35.440,0:04:36.980 apart from kin. 0:04:36.980,0:04:38.570 It pains me so.” 0:04:38.570,0:04:40.500 God, what a simp. 0:04:40.500,0:04:44.820 This bug apparently has some kind of job that[br]involved it leaving the Troupe and traveling 0:04:44.820,0:04:46.250 to Hallownest. 0:04:46.250,0:04:50.430 So it seems like the Grimm Troupe actually[br]designates certain bugs to travel to different 0:04:50.430,0:04:51.430 kingdoms. 0:04:51.430,0:04:52.810 Once they get there… well… 0:04:52.810,0:04:54.290 I’m not sure. 0:04:54.290,0:04:56.880 Do they just die once they reach a kingdom? 0:04:56.880,0:05:00.410 Or did this particular bug die before it could[br]set up the lantern? 0:05:00.410,0:05:02.970 We have to dream nail the lantern out of it. 0:05:02.970,0:05:06.890 Maybe this is a litmus test for anyone who[br]would help the Grimm Troupe, requiring them 0:05:06.890,0:05:09.360 to have some access to the Dream Realm. 0:05:09.360,0:05:12.400 Otherwise they probably wouldn’t be able[br]to interact with any of the Grimmkin in the 0:05:12.400,0:05:13.610 first place. 0:05:13.610,0:05:17.480 Now we don’t know if these bugs are just[br]sent off in a random direction, or if they 0:05:17.480,0:05:19.730 know how to reach these kingdoms. 0:05:19.730,0:05:24.050 The Godseeker and Quirrel mention that the[br]winds carry them to Hallownest. 0:05:24.050,0:05:25.060 Which is odd. 0:05:25.060,0:05:28.210 How the hell is the wind blowing towards one[br]specific spot? 0:05:28.210,0:05:32.940 Oddly enough, the Pale King does have some[br]other weird connections to wind. 0:05:32.940,0:05:38.300 The Monarch Wings and the King’s Brand also[br]blow wind throughout Hallownest for some reason. 0:05:38.300,0:05:41.950 But Wind Lore in Hollow Knight is a whole[br]other can of worms we’ll have to save for 0:05:41.950,0:05:42.950 later. 0:05:42.950,0:05:47.400 Anyway, the Godseeker also detected the Pale[br]King’s afterglow while traveling to Hallownest, 0:05:47.400,0:05:51.840 but I personally don’t think the Grimm Troupe[br]bug could have done that, considering it doesn’t 0:05:51.840,0:05:54.410 appear to have a Godtuner device like the[br]Godseekers. 0:05:54.410,0:05:59.210 Instead, I’m guessing a large amount of[br]these bugs just wander around aimlessly until 0:05:59.210,0:06:03.530 they can find civilizations that could be[br]harvested for their Nightmare Essence. 0:06:03.530,0:06:08.310 So the Grimm Troupe emphasizes just how barren[br]the world of Hallownest really is. 0:06:08.310,0:06:12.980 The Nightmare King’s Dream Nail dialogue[br]in Godhome hints at this with the line “Scattered 0:06:12.980,0:06:14.210 lands… 0:06:14.210,0:06:15.870 Nightmare binds all.” 0:06:15.870,0:06:19.630 This implies that the Grimm Troupe uses the[br]Nightmare Realm as a way to reach different 0:06:19.630,0:06:23.100 kingdoms, which is what we see when we light[br]the Nightmare Lantern. 0:06:23.100,0:06:27.460 I don’t think it would be a stretch to say[br]that the Grimm Troupe is well traveled. 0:06:27.460,0:06:30.970 And as it turns out, the Grimm Troupe might[br]give us our best look into what the world 0:06:30.970,0:06:33.710 outside Hallownest really looks like. 0:06:33.710,0:06:37.370 Hidden within the Grimm Troupe’s tent is[br]a secret room that can only be accessed through 0:06:37.370,0:06:39.470 some tricky wall jumps. 0:06:39.470,0:06:43.940 In this room we can see some chests, a pile[br]of masks and this strange contraption. 0:06:43.940,0:06:47.740 Now there are a few theories as to what this[br]might be. 0:06:47.740,0:06:52.030 At the very least, we know it’s important[br]because there is a seal protecting it. 0:06:52.030,0:06:55.990 One idea is that it is some kind of device[br]that can move the tent between the real world 0:06:55.990,0:06:57.580 and the Nightmare Realm. 0:06:57.580,0:07:02.300 Or it could somehow be related to Grimm’s[br]performance with all the spotlights and other 0:07:02.300,0:07:03.300 stuff. 0:07:03.300,0:07:07.760 But if we look at the ingame art files, the[br]assets for this device refer to it as a “chart”. 0:07:07.760,0:07:12.010 So I think this device is actually supposed[br]to be a map of some kind. 0:07:12.010,0:07:17.700 Now of course, an art file name is by no means[br]canon, but our only option here is to speculate 0:07:17.700,0:07:20.700 anyway, so let’s just have some fun with[br]this. 0:07:20.700,0:07:23.920 But bear in mind this is by no means conclusive. 0:07:23.920,0:07:28.260 So is this thing a chart of the real world[br]or of the Nightmare Realm or what? 0:07:28.260,0:07:30.530 Unfortunately, none of that is clear. 0:07:30.530,0:07:34.640 But these balls are possibly points of interest[br]for the Grimm Troupe, so these might be the 0:07:34.640,0:07:37.820 various locations they have traveled to over[br]the years. 0:07:37.820,0:07:41.700 Sort of like web addresses that point to specific[br]domains on the internet. 0:07:41.700,0:07:50.570 Like twitter.com/mossbag69, or discord.gg/mossbag[br]or mossbag.com. 0:07:50.570,0:07:54.080 And I’m sure you’ve already noticed that[br]there are 19 of these ball things. 0:07:54.080,0:07:58.660 So does that mean there are at least 18 other[br]civilizations that the Grimm Troupe has visited? 0:07:58.660,0:08:01.030 What other crazy world could be out there? 0:08:01.030,0:08:02.330 Water World? 0:08:02.330,0:08:03.520 Moon World? 0:08:03.520,0:08:04.670 New Jersey? 0:08:04.670,0:08:08.960 However, if this really is supposed to be[br]a chart of where the Grimm Troupe has been, 0:08:08.960,0:08:10.680 it’s really weird looking. 0:08:10.680,0:08:14.880 Why does the world of Hollow Knight vaguely[br]look like a cock and balls? 0:08:14.880,0:08:20.220 It honestly looks more like some kind of planetary[br]model as opposed to a topographical map. 0:08:20.220,0:08:21.850 Which might make sense. 0:08:21.850,0:08:24.490 These kingdoms could all be deep underground. 0:08:24.490,0:08:27.070 We aren’t even sure if Hallownest is on[br]the surface. 0:08:27.070,0:08:32.900 It appears to be, but we can’t see any stars[br]or direct evidence of such. 0:08:32.900,0:08:36.539 Maybe the Land of Storms is on the surface[br]considering there is rain and thunder, but 0:08:36.539,0:08:39.950 maybe these weather patterns were created[br]by the gods of thunder and rain that were 0:08:39.950,0:08:41.579 once there already. 0:08:41.579,0:08:44.880 So a three dimensional map like this could[br]make sense in this world. 0:08:44.880,0:08:48.459 It’s not like they would have a map on a[br]piece of paper or a globe or something. 0:08:48.459,0:08:52.060 And it’s not that big of a stretch to assume[br]that the Grimm Troupe would have some kind 0:08:52.060,0:08:54.420 of map to help them navigate around. 0:08:54.420,0:08:58.230 And if this is actually a chart of the Nightmare[br]Realm then it doesn’t really have to look 0:08:58.230,0:09:00.430 like anything to be believable. 0:09:00.430,0:09:05.420 But at the end of the day, there really isn’t[br]much to go off of here, so for now, the definitive 0:09:05.420,0:09:08.079 answer to what this thing is eludes us. 0:09:08.079,0:09:12.670 Getting back to the Nightmare Lantern, whoever[br]lights this thing gets entwined into a contract 0:09:12.670,0:09:16.399 with the Grimm Troupe, all without so much[br]as a terms and conditions. 0:09:16.399,0:09:20.100 The Grimm Troupe is summoned to Dirtmouth[br]where they set up their tent and prepare Hallownest 0:09:20.100,0:09:22.689 to be harvested of its Nightmare Essence. 0:09:22.689,0:09:27.519 The Grimm Troupe of course has a troupe master,[br]known as Troupe Master Grimm. 0:09:27.519,0:09:32.740 Grimm has a unique aesthetic, which has made[br]him pretty popular in the Hollow Knight fandom. 0:09:32.740,0:09:35.680 He looks like a Gen 7 Starter Pokemon. 0:09:35.680,0:09:38.670 Like can he even be considered a bug of any[br]kind? 0:09:38.670,0:09:42.389 I’ve heard some people say that he’s supposed[br]to be a vampire moth. 0:09:42.389,0:09:44.700 Looks absolutely nothing like that to me. 0:09:44.700,0:09:49.379 Might as well say he’s a Caterpillar MD6250[br]Rotary Drill. 0:09:49.379,0:09:53.980 No, Grimm and his troupe appear to be a hodgepodge[br]of horror tropes. 0:09:53.980,0:09:57.980 Regardless of what kind of bug Grimm may be,[br]he definitely draws from Dracula. 0:09:57.980,0:10:03.660 He’s got the long flowing cape, he can explode[br]into smaller winged creatures, and his moveset 0:10:03.660,0:10:07.910 seems to borrow quite a lot of concepts from[br]the Castlevania Dracula fights. 0:10:07.910,0:10:11.510 And you’ve got the whole creepy traveling[br]circus thing. 0:10:11.510,0:10:14.160 Although, it’s not a very good circus. 0:10:14.160,0:10:17.100 They just set up a tent and then expect the[br]visitors to perform. 0:10:17.100,0:10:20.189 Kinda the opposite of how that’s supposed[br]to work, I think. 0:10:20.189,0:10:24.529 When the Knight first talks to Grimm, he gives[br]it the rundown on what the Troupe is doing. 0:10:24.529,0:10:28.240 Well, he gives a very brief, very vague explanation. 0:10:28.240,0:10:32.240 He gives the Knight the Grimmchild charm and[br]tells it to seek out the Grimmkin, who have 0:10:32.240,0:10:35.170 been collecting Nightmare Essence throughout[br]Hallownest. 0:10:35.170,0:10:39.480 Using the Grimmchild, the Knight will be able[br]to find Grimmkin, kick their asses, and store 0:10:39.480,0:10:41.290 the Essence inside the Grimmchild. 0:10:41.290,0:10:46.189 Once returned, the Grimmchild then evolves[br]into its second of four different forms, implying 0:10:46.189,0:10:49.879 that the Grimmchild might have fed off these[br]flames to become stronger. 0:10:49.879,0:10:53.209 But it’s not just the flames of Hallownest’s[br]Nightmare Essence that the Grimmchild feeds 0:10:53.209,0:10:54.209 off of. 0:10:54.209,0:10:59.110 According to Grimm, it can also feed off the[br]heat of a passionate dance, or in other words, 0:10:59.110,0:11:00.839 the Grimm boss fight. 0:11:00.839,0:11:05.430 There is also one other way the Grimmchild[br]can feed: by consuming the Nightmare King 0:11:05.430,0:11:06.430 himself. 0:11:06.430,0:11:10.870 Yes, like most things in Hollow Knight, it[br]all comes back to vore. 0:11:10.870,0:11:15.339 The Nightmare King can be fought after collecting[br]three sets of flames from the Grimmkin scattered 0:11:15.339,0:11:17.339 all throughout Hallownest. 0:11:17.339,0:11:21.269 Once this is done, Grimm can be found sleeping[br]in the far side of the tent. 0:11:21.269,0:11:24.249 Dream nailing Grimm takes the Knight to the[br]Nightmare Realm. 0:11:24.249,0:11:28.439 There we can find the Nightmare Heart, surrounded[br]by Grimmkin Nightmares. 0:11:28.439,0:11:33.069 We then see the Nightmare Heart suffer from[br]a pretty severe myocardial rupture as the 0:11:33.069,0:11:35.470 Nightmare King emerges from inside. 0:11:35.470,0:11:39.589 The Nightmare King is basically just a much[br]faster version of the Troupe Master Grimm, 0:11:39.589,0:11:41.670 but with more flame on his attacks. 0:11:41.670,0:11:46.920 According to more poetry, the Troupe wants[br]to burn away the Nightmare King and feed it 0:11:46.920,0:11:48.529 to the Grimmchild. 0:11:48.529,0:11:52.470 Once this is accomplished, the Grimmchild’s[br]eyes will burn brightly with the flame of 0:11:52.470,0:11:53.540 the Nightmare Heart. 0:11:53.540,0:11:56.199 And everyone involved with the Grimm Troupe[br]will disappear. 0:11:56.199,0:11:58.949 Well, almost everyone, but we’ll get to[br]that. 0:11:58.949,0:12:03.740 So basically, we dream nailed into Grimm,[br]found the Nightmare Heart, killed the Nightmare 0:12:03.740,0:12:09.670 King inside it, and then that got fed to Grimm[br]Jr. Grimm was a vessel for the Nightmare Heart, 0:12:09.670,0:12:14.300 and now the heart has been transferred over[br]into a fresh, new vessel, the Grimmchild. 0:12:14.300,0:12:18.360 From here, we can assume that the Grimmchild[br]will grow into the new Grimm, and start his 0:12:18.360,0:12:24.449 own troupe, and move away and never call home[br]again. 0:12:24.449,0:12:30.000 Now that’s cool and all but it raises some[br]interesting questions. 0:12:30.000,0:12:32.579 What is the rest of the Grimm Troupe doing[br]now? 0:12:32.579,0:12:35.819 Do they just sit around and wait for the grown[br]up Grimmchild to show up? 0:12:35.819,0:12:40.350 Also, if this little guy is the new Grimm,[br]what happens if we take him into the Temple 0:12:40.350,0:12:41.709 of the Black Egg. 0:12:41.709,0:12:43.680 Will Grimm be trapped with us in there forever? 0:12:43.680,0:12:47.279 Does he get completely destroyed in the Dream[br]No More ending? 0:12:47.279,0:12:49.839 And then of course we have the Embrace the[br]Void ending. 0:12:49.839,0:12:55.430 Does Grimm just get completely consumed by[br]the Shade Lord, lost forever in a sea of void? 0:12:55.430,0:12:59.319 The point is, the Knight is probably the last[br]creature Grimm would want to be stuck with 0:12:59.319,0:13:00.810 in charm form. 0:13:00.810,0:13:04.940 Cuz there really aren’t any endings that[br]go well for the Knight’s physical body. 0:13:04.940,0:13:08.970 But of course, there is more to the Grimm[br]Troupe than just Grimm himself. 0:13:08.970,0:13:12.649 We also have the Grimmkin, as well as characters[br]like Brumm and Divine. 0:13:12.649,0:13:16.839 We get the best insight into Grimm’s entourage[br]from Confessor Jiji. 0:13:16.839,0:13:19.589 Perhaps you suspect that they hide their true[br]appearance? 0:13:19.589,0:13:20.619 You'd be right. 0:13:20.619,0:13:25.149 They favour projection over truth, shrouding[br]themselves in forms dreamed. 0:13:25.149,0:13:26.149 Best be careful. 0:13:26.149,0:13:30.980 Assisting them might benefit you, but who[br]knows what suffering it may cause? 0:13:30.980,0:13:34.790 Digging into this dialogue, we can see two[br]different types of Grimm Troupe members. 0:13:34.790,0:13:38.600 You’ve got the Grimmkin who appear to be[br]more like ghosts. 0:13:38.600,0:13:41.259 They can teleport around and even show up[br]in the Nightmare Realm. 0:13:41.259,0:13:46.079 Then you’ve got bugs like Brumm, Divine,[br]and the Grimmsteeds who appear to be like 0:13:46.079,0:13:47.209 normal bugs. 0:13:47.209,0:13:50.610 And I’m using the phrase “normal bugs”[br]loosely. 0:13:50.610,0:13:54.759 The one thing all these characters have in[br]common are the masks they wear. 0:13:54.759,0:13:58.749 Even the bug outside the kingdom is wearing[br]a Grimm Troupe mask, although this one looks 0:13:58.749,0:14:02.769 more like a third rate cosplay than an actual[br]Grimm Troupe wardrobe. 0:14:02.769,0:14:06.100 Now I have talked about masks a lot on this[br]channel. 0:14:06.100,0:14:12.139 My Mask Maker video, my King’s Pass Video,[br]Godmaster, Colosseum of Fools, even my review 0:14:12.139,0:14:14.939 of The Mask starring Jim Carrey mentions them. 0:14:14.939,0:14:16.819 But that’s no surprise. 0:14:16.819,0:14:20.499 Masks are very mysterious and important to[br]the world of Hollow Knight. 0:14:20.499,0:14:23.579 But Jiji doesn’t actually mention the masks[br]outright. 0:14:23.579,0:14:27.889 Instead she says that the Grimm Troupe prefers[br]projection and to hide themselves in forms 0:14:27.889,0:14:28.889 dreamed. 0:14:28.889,0:14:32.800 This could be referring to how Grimmkin are[br]literally dream creatures. 0:14:32.800,0:14:37.279 They come in three forms: Novices, Masters,[br]and Nightmares. 0:14:37.279,0:14:41.600 It seems that as they become more devoted[br]to Grimm, they become more nightmare-like 0:14:41.600,0:14:43.149 in their appearance. 0:14:43.149,0:14:48.300 But from what we see in the Grimm Troupe tent,[br]these masks appear to be real physical objects. 0:14:48.300,0:14:53.160 This might imply that the Grimmkin use masks[br]as conduits to project their dream forms into 0:14:53.160,0:14:54.439 the real world. 0:14:54.439,0:14:57.139 Perhaps that is even the case with Grimm himself. 0:14:57.139,0:15:01.600 But that claim is pretty speculative, so don’t[br]hang your hat on that being true. 0:15:01.600,0:15:05.519 There are plenty of ghosts that don’t have[br]anything physical to them, but still interact 0:15:05.519,0:15:07.059 with the real world. 0:15:07.059,0:15:11.540 But what is clear is that these masks do have[br]an effect on living bugs, and we can see this 0:15:11.540,0:15:13.410 pretty clearly with Brumm. 0:15:13.410,0:15:19.170 During the last phase of harvesting Essence,[br]the Knight can find Brumm hidden away in Deepnest, 0:15:19.170,0:15:21.260 far away from the eyes of Grimm. 0:15:21.260,0:15:25.450 Brumm laments the never ending cycle of the[br]Grimm Troupe and asks the Knight to aid him 0:15:25.450,0:15:27.959 in banishing the Troupe from Hallownest forever. 0:15:27.959,0:15:31.860 If the Knight goes through with this request[br]and uproots the Nightmare Lanturn in the Howling 0:15:31.860,0:15:36.480 Cliffs, Grimm’s tent disappears from Dirtmouth[br]and next to the bench we can find a very different 0:15:36.480,0:15:40.009 looking Brumm, under a new name, Nymm. 0:15:40.009,0:15:44.290 Nymm gives us a very clear look at how the[br]mask Brumm was wearing affected him. 0:15:44.290,0:15:49.110 As Brumm, he had no memory of his past life,[br]and his demeanor was very constrained. 0:15:49.110,0:15:53.089 As Nymm, he is more carefree and has forgotten[br]his time in the Troupe. 0:15:53.089,0:15:57.769 More surprisingly, however, Nymm has also[br]physically shrunk down in size. 0:15:57.769,0:15:59.189 That’s rough, buddy. 0:15:59.189,0:16:03.649 The mask itself appears to be transformed[br]in the Carefree Melody charm, which grants 0:16:03.649,0:16:05.980 protection to anyone who wears it. 0:16:05.980,0:16:09.839 We can see that the mask still radiates with[br]the power of the Grimm Troupe by the flames 0:16:09.839,0:16:12.220 that come off the Knight when it activates. 0:16:12.220,0:16:17.009 So that sort of ties the masks to having a[br]dream like quality of sorts, similar to what 0:16:17.009,0:16:18.860 Confessor Jiji mentioned. 0:16:18.860,0:16:22.800 Nymm’s experience also closely parallels[br]a line from Mask Maker. 0:16:22.800,0:16:26.010 To change a face; to conceal it fully within[br]another... 0:16:26.010,0:16:30.100 A powerful protection that is, but one with[br]sad consequence. 0:16:30.100,0:16:34.399 The original mind is destroyed, though those[br]of striking will may still retain a sliver 0:16:34.399,0:16:35.910 of that concealed self. 0:16:35.910,0:16:41.000 Nymm’s mask made him bigger and connected[br]to the Troupe, but his original mind was lost, 0:16:41.000,0:16:44.800 and it only came back because he fought back[br]against Grimm’s wishes, remembering that 0:16:44.800,0:16:47.259 he used to be more than just a vessel. 0:16:47.259,0:16:51.569 So it seems like these masks basically brainwash[br]members of the Troupe into serving the Nightmare 0:16:51.569,0:16:52.679 Heart. 0:16:52.679,0:16:56.509 Maybe these bugs were all forced to serve[br]the Troupe, and that might be what Jiji is 0:16:56.509,0:17:00.860 referring to when she mentions those who would[br]suffer by completing the ritual. 0:17:00.860,0:17:03.369 This gives us an interesting contrast. 0:17:03.369,0:17:08.579 Mask Maker says he makes masks for those who[br]ask, and says it is a gift for a world deserving. 0:17:08.579,0:17:13.319 But the Nightmare Heart uses it as a way to[br]control bugs and make them work towards its 0:17:13.319,0:17:14.610 own goals. 0:17:14.610,0:17:18.740 Of course, working as a slave under the Heart[br]might beat the alternative of trying to survive 0:17:18.740,0:17:23.980 in the wasteland that covers much of the world,[br]but it’s still kind of a dick move. 0:17:23.980,0:17:27.659 And since I talked about Brumm so much, I[br]should at least mention Divine. 0:17:27.659,0:17:32.860 Her job within the Grimm Troupe is to… well,[br]I’m not really sure why she’s here. 0:17:32.860,0:17:36.940 She talks about how she can smell something[br]in Hallownest, referring to the Fragile Charms 0:17:36.940,0:17:38.540 that Leg Eater sells. 0:17:38.540,0:17:42.080 You can give her these charms which she will[br]then turn into unbreakable charms by eating 0:17:42.080,0:17:43.630 and shitting them out. 0:17:43.630,0:17:44.630 Yeah… 0:17:44.630,0:17:47.490 I’m not sure why Grimm keeps her around. 0:17:47.490,0:17:50.580 Divine doesn’t even leave with the Grimm[br]Troupe if you complete the ritual without 0:17:50.580,0:17:53.970 finishing her side quest. 0:17:53.970,0:17:56.370 I mean, from a gameplay perspective it’s[br]nice. 0:17:56.370,0:17:58.919 But lore wise it doesn’t make any sense. 0:17:58.919,0:18:03.049 I guess Grimm just doesn’t really care if[br]she is around or not. 0:18:03.049,0:18:07.840 Also I guess she has more autonomy than Brumm[br]because she is only wearing half a mask. 0:18:07.840,0:18:11.529 Instead you need to get all the unbreakable[br]charms, then talk to Leg Eater so he will 0:18:11.529,0:18:13.320 seek out Divine. 0:18:13.320,0:18:15.559 Which well… that doesn’t go well for him. 0:18:15.559,0:18:20.049 However, if you choose to banish the Grimm[br]Troupe, Divine leaves for good and if you 0:18:20.049,0:18:24.010 didn’t get the unbreakable charms, then[br]you're just shit out of luck. 0:18:24.010,0:18:25.940 And then we have the Grimmsteeds. 0:18:25.940,0:18:30.890 These bugs appear to be the same species as[br]Willoh, but are also wearing masks. 0:18:30.890,0:18:34.789 Some people have pointed out that Willoh’s[br]tent is a shade of red, implying that she 0:18:34.789,0:18:39.460 might have been a part of the Grimm Troupe[br]at one point, but… come on. 0:18:39.460,0:18:44.200 It’s clearly just red because it’s covered[br]in the blood of her numerous victims. 0:18:44.200,0:18:48.930 In conclusion, the Grimm Troupe is a traveling[br]band of bugs who all serve a Higher Being 0:18:48.930,0:18:50.960 known as the Nightmare Heart. 0:18:50.960,0:18:54.430 They use the Nightmare Realm to fast travel[br]between the different ruined kingdoms of the 0:18:54.430,0:18:59.040 world, harvesting Nightmare Essence to prolong[br]the Heart’s existence. 0:18:59.040,0:19:03.770 Masks are perhaps used to keep these bugs[br]in line and connected to the Troupe. 0:19:03.770,0:19:07.970 But despite that, some bugs are able to fight[br]against this control, and it’s up to the 0:19:07.970,0:19:11.649 player to decide what fate should befall these[br]poor bugs. 0:19:11.649,0:19:15.510 Of course, most likely the player won’t[br]have any idea what’s going on at all and 0:19:15.510,0:19:18.610 that decision is made completely arbitrarily. 0:19:18.610,0:19:23.490 One final thing to note is that Grimm is known[br]by the White Lady, despite being from so far 0:19:23.490,0:19:24.820 away. 0:19:24.820,0:19:29.230 And while Jiji finds Grimm unfamiliar, she[br]is still able to pick up on what is really 0:19:29.230,0:19:31.210 going on with the Troupe. 0:19:31.210,0:19:35.529 This helps us realize how learned these characters[br]are, which might not be a surprise for the 0:19:35.529,0:19:38.520 White Lady, but more so for Jiji. 0:19:38.520,0:19:41.840 This character has a lot going on that we[br]just don’t know about. 0:19:41.840,0:19:43.010 And so there you have it. 0:19:43.010,0:19:48.071 I felt bad leaving the Grimm Troupe mostly[br]out of my main lore video, but man, there 0:19:48.071,0:19:50.279 was a lot to discuss here. 0:19:50.279,0:19:54.650 As for future Hollow Knight content, I know[br]many of you are worried and think that I am 0:19:54.650,0:19:57.440 somehow starved for content. 0:19:57.440,0:20:00.110 But that couldn’t be further from the truth. 0:20:00.110,0:20:02.740 There are plenty of other lore things I could[br]talk about. 0:20:02.740,0:20:05.390 I could make another Zote video. 0:20:05.390,0:20:08.630 And there is some more stuff to talk about[br]regarding Zote. 0:20:08.630,0:20:13.529 And I really want to do a deep dive into the[br]political side of Hollow Knight, particularly 0:20:13.529,0:20:15.430 whether or not Zote is a liberatarin.