Hollow Knight Radiance: 10 Easy Steps to Beat the True Ending

Introduction: The Light, The Infection, The Ultimate Test

Hollow Knight is already a brutal game, but if you thought regular bosses were tough, just wait until you meet the Hollow Knight Radiance. She’s not just another boss—she’s the final showdown, the source of the Infection, and the goddess of forgotten dreams. Basically, she’s here to ruin your life (and your controller).

The catch? You don’t just walk into this fight. You’ve got to jump through a few hoops, survive the Hollow Knight battle, and then fight a glowing nightmare that throws everything at you.

In this guide, I’ll break down 10 steps to get you ready for Radiance: from unlocking the true ending, to picking the right charms, to surviving her insane attack patterns. I’ll also explain some lore (why she’s even mad in the first place), how she compares to Absolute Radiance Hollow Knight, and whether she might make a sneaky comeback in Silksong.

The Lore of the Forgotten God: Radiance vs. The Pale King

The Ancient Beef: Light vs. Consciousness

So who is Radiance, anyway? Once upon a time, the Moth Tribe worshiped her as their goddess of light and dreams. Life was simple—bugs prayed in their sleep, Radiance got her clout, and everyone was happy.

Then the Pale King showed up. He rolled into Hallownest, gave bugs conscious thought (yeah, he basically upgraded their brains), and suddenly Radiance wasn’t the hot ticket anymore. The moths ditched her to follow their new king.

Naturally, Radiance wasn’t thrilled. In true vengeful god fashion, she unleashed the Infection—that creepy golden plague—to drag everyone back into dreamland worship where she reigned supreme.

The Pale King’s Countermove

The Pale King wasn’t having it. His idea? Lock Radiance away in a Vessel with no mind, no feelings, no personality—just pure emptiness. That’s where the Hollow Knight came in.

But here’s the problem: the Hollow Knight wasn’t as hollow as advertised. He still had little bonds with the Pale King, and those tiny cracks gave Radiance the chance to leak out. Cue your role as the Knight, a tiny void-powered bug designed to end this fight once and for all.

Unlocking the True Ending: How to Challenge the Radiance

Getting to Radiance is kind of like unlocking the VIP room—you need the right setup.

Grab the Void Heart.
- First, collect two White Fragments: one from the White Lady and one from the Pale King’s corpse in the White Palace.
- Fuse them into the Kingsoul.
- Head into the Abyss with Kingsoul equipped, and boom—it transforms into the Void Heart.
Take down the Dreamers.
Beat Monomon, Lurien, and Herrah to unlock the Temple of the Black Egg.
Fight the Hollow Knight.
Go through the fight like normal. When he’s almost done for, Hornet shows up to hold him down.
Use the Dream Nail.
Instead of stabbing him for the win, whack him with the Awoken Dream Nail. This zaps you straight into Radiance’s dream realm for the real fight.

⚠️ Pro tip: Die to Radiance, and you’ll have to refight the Hollow Knight first. Painful, but fair.

Recommended Charms and Strategic Prep

The hollow knight radiance fight is a skill check, so you’ll want to go in loaded.

Spell-Focused Setup

Shaman Stone: Boosts your spell damage like crazy.
Spell Twister: Reduces Soul cost, so you can spam more.
Soul Eater / Grubsong: Keeps your Soul bar happy.
Abyss Shriek: The MVP—stand under Radiance and melt her health bar.

Nail/Melee Options

Unbreakable Strength: +50% Nail damage. No-brainer.
Quick Slash: More swings = more damage windows.
Longnail / Mark of Pride: A little extra reach keeps you safe.

Defensive Charms

Quick Focus: Faster heals (you’ll need it).
Fragile Heart: Extra masks to stay alive longer.
Joni’s Blessing / Lifeblood Charms: Nice health cushion.
Hiveblood: Slow regeneration—great for long attempts.

Phase-by-Phase Battle Strategy

Alright, let’s talk survival.

Phase 1: Ground Attacks

Flat arena. She spams swords, orbs, and beams.
Dash into homing orbs last-second, Shade Cloak through light walls, and save Abyss Shriek for her beam burst.

Phases 2 & 3: Spike Floors

Half (or both ends) of the ground turns into spikes.
Stick to the safe zones, dodge like your life depends on it (because it does), and heal during cutscene transitions.

Phase 4: Floating Platforms

No ground now—just platforms. And black fog rises up to fry you.
Prioritize movement. Monarch Wings are a lifesaver. Use Descending Dark as a panic button for invincibility.

Final Phase: Vertical Climb

It’s literally a climb up platforms while she blasts light beams at you.
Focus on dodging, not damage—you just need one final Nail hit at the top to end it.

Radiance vs. Absolute Radiance: The Godmaster Nightmare

Think the Radiance is bad? Wait until you meet Absolute Radiance in the Godmaster DLC. She’s faster, meaner, and lives in an arena designed to crush your soul.

Feature	Radiance (Base Game)	Absolute Radiance (Godmaster)
Difficulty	Final boss	Hardest boss in the game
Speed	Normal pace	Way faster
Phases	5 phases	Extra phases, nastier attacks
Arena	Normal platforms	Tiny platforms of doom
Requirement	Void Heart + Dream Nail	Clear all four Pantheons first

Tips:

Practice Pantheon fights until you can do them half-asleep.
Bring Hiveblood for free heals.
Minimize input lag—seriously, you’ll need every millisecond.

Radiance’s Legacy and Silksong Speculation

The Radiance isn’t just a boss fight—she’s a story about forgotten gods and desperate revenge. Fans see her as a metaphor for dogma and abandoned faith.

Will she show up in Silksong? Nobody knows, but considering Hornet’s new story, a lot of people think echoes of the Infection might follow her around. Even if Radiance herself doesn’t return, her influence probably will.

FAQs

Q: Radiance vs. Absolute Radiance—what’s the deal?
Radiance is the base game’s true final boss. Absolute Radiance is her DLC nightmare mode—extra fast, extra phases, extra suffering.

Q: Is Radiance really evil?
Not pure evil. More like “angry and desperate ex-goddess.” She just wants her worshippers back.

Q: Best spell for the fight?
Abyss Shriek + Shaman Stone. Get under her and watch the health bar disappear.

Conclusion: Light Out, Void Wins

Beating the Hollow Knight Radiance is one of the hardest flexes in gaming. It’s all about patience, timing, and learning her patterns until they’re second nature. If you can take her down—and survive Absolute Radiance Hollow Knight—you’ve officially conquered one of the nastiest challenges ever put in a Metroidvania.

Do it, and you’re not just finishing a game—you’re earning bragging rights for life.