Hollow Knight: Silksong – How to unlock Act 3

Everyone knows the simplicity of the three-act structure, but normally it’s not so difficult to find the start of the third act. Hollow Knight: Silksong pulls a similar trick to the first game in that what it initially presents as the final boss is, in fact, anything but. If you defeat Grand Mother Silk, you’ll get an ending cutscene and the credits will roll, but it’s a bad ending, and the true ending is still a long way off.

Before you can get there though, you’ll need to unlock Act 3. So we’ve put this guide together to explain all the requirements to reach the end of the game.

How to unlock Act 3 – HK: Silksong

To unlock Silksong Act 3, you need to meet the following requirements:

• Fully restore Bone Bottom, Bellhart, and Songclave. This requires completing most of the wish board activities and completing their stories.
• Own the Bellhome in Bellhart
• Progress the Flea Caravan to its final location in Putrified Ducts (this requires finding 22 out of 30 Lost Fleas)
• Complete the Silk and Soul quest

How to complete Silk and Soul – HK: Silksong

The Silk and Soul quest will appear on the Bellhart wish board after all the other requirements have been met, asking you to go talk to the Caretaker in Songclave. They will explain a plan to ensnare Grand Mother Silks instead of forcing Hornet to Bind her.

You’ll need to visit four weavers from across Pharloom. They are:

• Maiden’s Soul – Chapel Maid in Bone Bottom, by the Ruined Chapel entrance
• Hermit’s Soul – The Hermit who lives below Bellhart
• Seeker’s Soul – A hut next to the Groal the Great arena in Bilewater
• Snare Setter – Found in Weavenest Alta, a secret area behind the Needolin door in Moss Grotto.

With all four, return to the Caretaker, and the trap will be assembled.

Now, return to Grand Mother Silk and defeat her one more time. Only this time, when she’s beaten, use your Needolin instead of binding her. This will unlock the Snared Silk ending, which is a bad ending, but necessary to unlock Act 3. Once the credits have rolled, load up your save again, and Act 3 will have begun.