Hollow Knight: Silksong has five secret or hidden bosses across its three acts, plus one encounter exclusive to Steel Soul Mode. The game does not use “secret boss” as a consistent official category, so this guide separates encounters explicitly called secret from those described as hidden or optional. Spoilers follow.
Secret and hidden bosses at a glance
The list below includes encounters guides identify as secret or hidden. “Required” means an item, ability, or quest trigger needed to reach the encounter—not that the boss is required to finish the game.
| Boss | Act and region | What you need | Reward | Progression note |
| Phantom | Act 1 — Exhaust Organ | Reach the area via the western path of Sinner’s Road and The Mist. | Cross Stitch Tool | Offers an alternate route into the Citadel that bypasses the Last Judge. |
| The Unravelled | Act 2 — Whiteward | Surgeon’s Key | Silk Heart | Optional encounter. |
| First Sinner | Act 2 — The Slab | Key of the Apostate | Rune Rage | Found in a cell; optional encounter. |
| Watcher at the Edge | Act 3 — Sands of Karak | Silk Soar and the Needolin | Grey Memento | Hidden arena reached through a concealed passage. |
| Crawfather | Act 3 — Greymoor | Craw Summons, which appears after the Dark Heart quest. | Craw Memento and Crawbell | Optional gauntlet and boss encounter at Craw Lake. |
Act 1
Phantom — Exhaust Organ
Phantom is an explicitly secret, optional boss. Look for the route through the western side of Sinner’s Road and The Mist to reach Exhaust Organ. Beating Phantom earns the Cross Stitch Tool and opens an alternate way into the Citadel, avoiding the Last Judge for now. Taking that route does not lock you out of the Last Judge; you can return and fight later.
Act 2
The Unravelled — Whiteward
The Unravelled is a secret optional boss in Whiteward. You need the Surgeon’s Key to unlock the encounter. The reward is a Silk Heart.
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- Discover the fallen insect kingdom of Pharloom! Explore mossy grottos, gilded cities and misted moors as you ascend to the shining citadel at the top of the world.
- Engage in lethal acrobatic action! Wield a huge suite of deadly moves as you dance between foes in swift, beautiful combat.
- Craft powerful tools! Master an ever-expanding arsenal of weapons, traps, and mechanisms to vanquish your enemies and explore new heights.
- Solve shocking quests! Hunt down rare beasts and solve ancient mysteries to grant the wishes of the downtrodden and restore the kingdom’s hope.
- Face over 200 ferocious foes! Beasts and hunters, monsters and knights. Defeat them all with bravery and skill!
First Sinner — The Slab
Search for a cell in The Slab. The Key of the Apostate unlocks First Sinner’s encounter, and defeating the boss rewards Rune Rage.
Act 3
Watcher at the Edge — Sands of Karak
This hidden boss is easy to miss because reaching it involves both traversal and a specific wake-up trigger. In the concealed area of Sands of Karak, use Silk Soar to pass through the hidden passage. To reach it, hit the yellow orbs to raise platforms, then use Silk Soar through the opening. At the destination, play Elegy of the Deep on the Needolin to wake the Watcher at the Edge. The encounter rewards a Grey Memento.
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- Hollow Knight: Silksong is the epic sequel to Hollow Knight, the award winning action-adventure.
- Journey to all-new lands, discover new powers, battle vast hordes of bugs and beasts and uncover secrets tied to your nature and your past.
Crawfather — Greymoor
Crawfather is not simply waiting in the open. Complete the Dark Heart quest, then watch for the Craw Summons to appear by benches. Take the summons to the house at Craw Lake and use it to start a Craw enemy gauntlet; Crawfather is the final encounter. The listed rewards are the Craw Memento and Crawbell.
Steel Soul-only boss
Summoned Saviour
Summoned Saviour is an optional encounter exclusive to Steel Soul Mode. It is at the end of the “A Vassal Lost” Wish, behind a broken wall southwest of Bonegrave. If you are playing an ordinary save, you will not find this boss there—and you can complete the game without encountering it.
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- Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings.
- Tightly tuned 2D controls. Dodge, dash and slash your way through even the most deadly adversaries.
- Explore a vast interconnected world of forgotten highways, overgrown wilds and ruined cities.
- Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward.
- Evolve with powerful new skills and abilities! Gain spells, strength and speed. Leap to new heights on ethereal wings. Dash forward in a blazing flash. Blast foes with fiery Soul!.Equip Charms! Ancient relics that offer bizarre new powers and abilities. Choose your favourites and make your journey unique!.An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation..
An easily missed optional duel: Garmond and Zaza
Garmond and Zaza’s roof encounter above Whispering Vaults is an optional friendly duel, not a confirmed secret boss. Once the shortcut to the roof is open, Garmond offers a fight that you can accept or decline. If you win, the pair later help with the High Halls gauntlet.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What “secret boss” means here
The label varies between guides: Phantom, The Unravelled, and First Sinner are explicitly described as secret bosses, while Watcher at the Edge and Crawfather are called hidden or hidden optional encounters. Summoned Saviour is separated because it is mode-exclusive. This is a practical guide list, not an official Team Cherry classification.
Quick Recap
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![Hollow Knight - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51nXCF+sf5L._SL160_.jpg)
- Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings.
- Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward.
- Evolve with powerful new skills and abilities! Gain spells, strength and speed. Leap to new heights on ethereal wings. Dash forward in a blazing flash. Blast foes with fiery Soul!
- Equip Charms! Ancient relics that offer bizarre new powers and abilities. Choose your favorites and make your journey unique!
- An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation.
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