History Characters / HollowKnightNPCs

* SmallNameBigEgo: He's convinced that he's the most awesome guy around, but the truth is that he's a complete weakling. When he returns from the Colosseum of Fools, he proudly displays a trophy from his triumphant victory there... a helmet from the first standard enemy you fight at the beginning of the first trial in the Colosseum. He is only a challenge as his dream self, which is based on how he presents himself to Bretta.

A mysterious, stark white creature that replaces Confessor Jiji if you play the HarderThanHard Steel Soul Mode. Since Rancid Eggs aren't useful in a Permadeath mode, Jinn buys them with geo instead.

* BizarreAlienBiology: After saving all the grubs, getting the rewards, and resting at a bench, it's almost alarming to find the Grubfather [[spoiler:bloated and sitting in the middle of the room, having apparently ''eaten'' all 46 other grubs whole. They're still alive -- and happy, apparently. The Grubberfly's Elegy charm suggests that this is the next natural step in a Grub's life, and the Grubfather is simply acting as a protective cocoon of sorts for their development. The charm's image itself depicts the Grubfather with 8 wings.]] Even so, for an insect this is is a strange sight. It should be noted that the Grubs aren't the only insects in the game that do this, either; see the [[spoiler:Gruz Mother]].

* MrExposition: The [[MonsterCompendium Journal]] that he gives you would also contain his own musings and expositions for a lot of the creatures that you can encounter. Occasionally, some of the Hunter's expositions also include information on his own backstory and adventures. This trope also overlaps with FlavorText since the additional information is placed below the initial description, and majority of them are only unlocked after you kill more of the creatures.

* GentleGiant: Zig-zagged. First, do you think that [[spoiler:place where you meet him is a cave? Nope, that's his ''head'', and he's actually a giant, capable of holding the Knight at one palm]]. Second, he wasn't initially that gentle unlike the other examples of the trope, as the Hunter is a BloodKnight. He did turn out to be gentle during the current times, willing to give the Knight his journal, detailing his comments on every creature, and rewarding the Knight once the journal is completed.

** The Hunter doesn't know what a soul is, and why Soul Sanctum Scholars are obsessed with it. He only thinks that soul is what makes freshly-killed meat to taste best.

* HorseOfADifferentColor: He works as a living transport carrying passengers across the stagway tunnel network. Oh, and did we mention that his back is modified to look like a carriage, complete with chairs?

* AllThereInTheManual: According to the official manual, Vespa used to grow so large in size, hence her inability to leave the Hive.

* MeaningfulName: Vespa is theword for wasp in several languages, such as Italian and Portuguese.

* GhostAmnesia: When they notice that you've obtained their charm, Joni lampshades this trope. They know that their memory is hazy, but will assume that thye gave the charm to you, when fact, you just looted their corpse.

--> "The bugs of Hallownest sometimes wondered whether there were other, older, stranger Kingdoms deep below them. What strange fancies they had. That's probably why they were always so distracted and easy to kill."

A mysterious, bloodthirsty bug warrior who's obsessed with battle and war. He tasks the Knight with cataloging the many monsters that infest the ruins of Hallownest, promising rewards the more it kills and discovers.

* AffablyEvil: He makes no effort to hide the fact that he loves hunting and killing, but this doesn't stop him from acting polite and encouraging to the Knight.

* HuntingTheMostDangerousGame: He seems to have no qualms against hunting and killing sapient bugs. In one of his notes, he writes, "The bugs of Hallownest sometimes wondered whether there were other, older, stranger Kingdoms deep below them. What strange fancies they had. That's probably why they were always so distracted and easy to kill."

* BigEgoHiddenDepths: Zote has an enormous ego and is constantly talking a big game about himself, but it's also implied he has a bad relationship with his family. He seeks the approval of his father (who he implies treated him like a servant) while also implying his mother betrayed him and his brother wronged him at some point.

* BaitAndSwitch: [[spoiler:Upon completing the monster compendium, he breaks the floor underneath himself and stands up to reveal a monstrous true form (face still hidden by the bush around his head) and roar as if he's initiating a boss battle... only to hold his hand out with the reward he promised. The battle music even starts, but [[LettingTheAirOutOfTheBand peters out in seconds]]. Any summoned companions such as the Grimmchild would also continuously attack the Hunter during this scene. But nope, he won't fight back at all.]]

* ThatThingIsNotMyChild: Played with. The White Lady is never hostile or outright cold to the Knight, but she speaks to them very formally rather than [[spoiler:addressing them like one of her children.]] Justified in that while [[spoiler:she acknowledges that "there's a part" of herself in the Knight, and even calls them her "spawn", the process of becoming a Vessel basically killed and ripped out the insides of that child to be replaced by Void.]] She may also be deliberately keeping herself emotionally distant as [[spoiler:the failure of the original Hollow Knight was because they were tarnished by "an idea instilled", which is implied to be because the Pale King bonded with the Hollow Knight while raising them to adulthood and they began to have a mind, will, and purpose of their own.]] In that case, for the greater good, she cannot fully acknowledge the Knight.

* HundredPercentAdorationRating: She was worshipped in the hive and the Hive Knight still acts for her approval despite her death.