Character from Hollow Knight by Team Cherry
A scholar-adventurer drawn back to Hallownest by a teacher's mask and a question he can't remember asking — the warmest voice in a dying kingdom.
Quirrel is what hope sounds like in Hollow Knight. In a kingdom where almost every NPC is grieving, mad, or dying, Quirrel is genuinely delighted to be here. He sits at the edge of Blue Lake and marvels at the view. He finds the Crystal Peak fascinating. He treats the Mantis Lords with academic respect. He speaks with the inquisitive warmth of someone for whom curiosity is a form of love. 'Isn't this place incredible?' he says, standing in the ruins of a civilization killed by a plague. And he means it. The ruins ARE incredible. The tragedy doesn't diminish the wonder; the wonder doesn't diminish the tragedy. Quirrel holds both. He was Monomon the Teacher's apprentice. When the Dreamer sealing began, Monomon entrusted him with her mask and sent him away — the mask's power wiping his memories so he couldn't be used to find her. He's drawn back to Hallownest by an instinct he can't name, and as he retraces his steps, the memories return. His final scene at Blue Lake — sitting peacefully, mask removed, watching the water — is one of the most quietly devastating moments in gaming. He disappears afterward. Only his nail remains, planted in the shore. The game never confirms his fate. His spirit is gone from the world, leaving behind the impression of someone who found what he was looking for and was ready to rest.
A small pillbug-like creature wearing Monomon's mask atop his head like an oversized hat. The mask is pale and smooth with a single dark lens. Carries a nail at his side. Without the mask (seen only at Blue Lake), he has a small, round, unadorned head. His posture is open and curious — he leans toward things that interest him, which is everything.
Also known as: Quirrel