Hornet's Cloak Removal in Silksong Sparks Fan Theories

Yesterday, IGN unveiled that Hollow Knight: Silksong will be playable at an Australian museum in September 2025 and shared a sprite sheet from this eagerly awaited game. This revelation caused a stir online.

On a Reddit thread analyzing the sprite sheet, one user questioned, "In what situation [is] making a sprite of naked Hornet necessary?" The sheet features numerous images of Silksong's protagonist, Hornet, in various poses, both combat-ready and relaxed. One particular sprite, however, shows Hornet casually carrying her cloak under one arm, sparking a flurry of reactions.

A close-up of the controversial sprite, located on the right-hand side of the original image.

"What kind of situation in-game calls for her to remove her cloak and hold it like she's an exhausted dad returning from work? This is cursed," remarked one Redditor. Another user expressed disbelief, "Is this real???? There’s no way this is a sprite that is going to be in Silksong. Is that just what she looks like????" while another exclaimed, "IN WHAT KIND OF SITUATION WOULD THEY EVEN NEED THIS SPRITE?"

The discussion took a playful turn with comments like, "So, we don't have to bother making a mod," and "We're going straight to ESRB 18+ for this one." Some users were more critical, with one saying, "HORNET PUT YOUR CLOAK BACK ON THAT'S SO INDECENT WHAT THE HELL," and another responding, "This looks so wrong," and "this is completely unnecessary." Another simply stated, "I do not like this."

While the purpose of this sprite remains unclear, one theory suggests it might relate to upgrading or changing Hornet's cloak. Until more is revealed, fans are left to speculate and enjoy the anticipation.

Hollow Knight: Silksong 2025 Screenshots

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Hollow Knight: Silksong, developed by Team Cherry, remains one of the most anticipated games globally, consistently topping Steam's wishlist charts. The game made a brief appearance at Nintendo’s Switch 2 Direct last month, and Team Cherry confirmed a 2025 release window, much to the delight of its patient fanbase. With the game set to be playable at Australia’s national museum of screen culture, ACMI, starting September 18, speculation about a potential August launch has begun, though nothing is confirmed yet.

Silksong will be part of the Game Worlds exhibition at the Melbourne museum, which will also feature displays exploring the game’s design and artistic direction.