Puddle

Puddle is a film in the Hollow Knight Cinematic Universe that tells the story of Puddle: a young civilian in the world of Hallownest.

Preparations
The story starts in the City of Tears, where a young Puddle is fighting against a horde of Infected sentries. The second round of Infection had been released from the Temple of the Black Egg, which could only mean one thing: the Pale King’s plan had failed. Puddle was only a young girl when the first round of Infection had struck. It had taken her father from her. Thirsty for revenge, Puddle was miraculously able to resist the call of the Radiance and remain untouched by the Infection.

These resisters were known as the Survivors, and Puddle had planned to meet with a group of them outside the City of Tears. Unfortunately, she was caught by the sentries and was in the middle of a battle. She is saved by a group of Survivors also heading towards the City, lead by a warrior known as Piranha.

At the meeting, Piranha discusses plans to cover the areas hit hardest by the Infection and search for more Survivors. They divide into four groups to search largely Infected areas: an Aspid nest in the Forgotten Crossroads, a secret area near the bottom of Deepnest, and most areas of the Ancient Basin.

Puddle is paired with a nameless vessel, whom she later befriends, as well as Piranha herself. Two other bugs are part of the group as well: Shock and Crow. Piranha sends the vessel out to scout for other survivors in Deepnest, the location they were assigned too. Shock is tasked with mapping out the area, and Crow is the team’s medic. Puddle herself is tasked with being the weapons manager. She sets out to find materials for weapons, using silk, needles, mushrooms, and Garpede claws. She creates an axe for herself, a Nail for Piranha and the vessel, and spiked gloves for Crow. Puddles decides to give Shock a club she found. On her way back to Piranha, Puddle finds herself lost. She explores the area a bit and wanders off into a large cave full of husks. She deals with the undead creatures, but the husks come back to life once more, as Corpse Creepers: parasites that have infected corpses of dead bugs and take over their bodies.

Trapped in the cave, Puddle tries to get her teammates attention: she bangs her axe against the walls of the cave, hoping someone would hear the echo. As she defends herself against the Corpse Creepers, she is aided by a local known as the Midwife. Midwife chomps up the remaining Corpse Creepers and leads Puddle out of the cave. Puddle thanks her and tries to leave, but the Midwife insists on her staying. She brings Puddle to her den and prepares food for the guest. Unfortunately, the Midwife is not who she appears to be: after Puddle finishes her food, it is time for the Midwife to eat lunch. She attempts to eat Puddle, who barely escapes. She eventually runs into Shock, who was in the middle of an expedition. Shock gives Puddle a map and guides her back home.

Puddle returns to Piranha and his team, giving them the newly-crafted weapons. Piranha then reveals their mission: they have found a large, abandoned mining facility above the Resting Grounds known as the "Crystal Peaks." They must make it to the Crystal Peaks if they want a chance to survive the Infection.

The Journey
Puddle and Piranha set up a small camp at a Hot Springs in Deepnest, while Shock, Crow, and the vessel find a way to escape Deepnest. During the wait, Piranha questions Puddle's ability to fight, to which she responds that she is not a warrior. Piranha takes it upon him to train Puddle, teaching her new skills and battle tactics. After the training, Piranha leaves temporarily to find the others.

Only three of the four return: the vessel has gone missing. Piranha requests to know if they were successful in finding a way to leave, while Puddle asks them where the vessel is. Piranha interrupts them and begins moving with the team, leading them to the exit. Crow has reported of a broken down tram to the east of the springs. On the way, they find the body of the vessel, killed by a slice to the heart.

Saddened, Puddle follows her leader to the tram, and find a way to make it work again. The tram takes them to the Ancient Basin, where they rest a bit before making their way to the Kingdom's Edge. There, they fight several, dangerous territorial creatures including the Primal Aspids and Hoppers, as well as few Great Hoppers, giant, hopping mosquitos much stronger than their Hopper counterparts.

On there way up, Piranha and Puddle have a small conversation explaining there backstories. Piranha lost his parents early in his life and was raised by the Mantis Tribe. During the Mantis Rebellion, his parents had sided with the Mantis Traitor and their king, the Traitor Lord. He had moved to the Queen's Gardens, where he was raised in a harsher, more brutal environment. When the Infection arrived, his parents and the other traitors had all accepted it, and he had ran away to avoid being Infected.

As they continue up the Kingdom's Edge, they meet a fallen bug covered in armor. This armored bug was known as a Fool, and had shown no signs of Infection. Piranha found this suspicious, and worried that the Fool was secretly infected, refused to help. He took off the helmet of thef Fool, and as saw a small glimpse of orange in the insect's eyes. Seeing this, Piranha takes out his nail and slices the Fool's head off.

Puddle, Shock, Crow both jump back in surprise, and the former eventually stands up for the Fool, arguing with Piranha. During the argument, they are attacked by a Great Hopper. After taking care of it, the continue upwards.

Soon, they make there way to the Resting Grounds, where they battle Entombed Husks, large, zombified husks. Before leaving the Resting Grounds, however, they are challenged by the Enlarged Husk, a massive Entombed Husk. The Husk grabs Shock and throws him against the wall, wounding him. Crow runs over and trys to comfort him, though he gains the attention of the Enlarged Husk. Puddle swings her axe at the Enlarged Husk's leg, causing it to stagger. The beast lets out a loud roar, atractting the attention of more Entombed Husks. Piranha fends them off, leaving Puddle and Crow to fight the Enlarged Husk on there own.

Fortunately, the roar also gained the attention of a nearby group of traveling Survivors, including a Mantis, who appears to be the leader. One of the survivors aids Piranha, while the others attack the legs of the Enlarged Husk, causing it to fall over. The Mantis delivers the final blow, killing the Enlarged Husk.

Following the skrimish, the other Survivors introduce themselves: the Mantis is Tenna, and the three others are Bourn, Morche, and Leafeater. Bourn is a Sentry, while the other two are normal civilians. Piranha questions Tenna, asking her what type of mantis she was. Tenna reveals herself to be a Mantis Traitor: originally wanting to embrace the Infection, she left with the Traitor Lord, though after realizing what the Infection did to the tribe, she fled. Piranha accuses her of being a traitor and a coward for leaving the Mantis Tribe in the first place.

Bourne breaks up the argument and asks where they are going. Heading to the Crystal Peaks as well, Tenna suggests that they merge the two groups. Bourne and Morche like the idea, though Leafeater is hesitant. Piranha declines the request and begins to take his group towards the peak, though Crow calls to him. Shock is bleeding out and unconscious. Piranha tells Crow to leave Shock behind, stating that he'll die anyway. Tenna intervenes and criticizes Piranha, stating that he was a horrible leader. Puddle stands up for Piranha, stating that he is a little traumatized. She walks over to Crow, who is healing Shock.

Piranha and Tenna get into an argument, and the former pulls out his nail and is ready for a duel. Puddle, however, breaks up the fight, further angering Piranha. Piranha scolds Puddle and explains that Tenna and her people had betrayed the Mantis Tribe and was responsible for the lost of his parents. Puddle states that Piranha's parents had betrayed them as well, leaving on their own decision. Piranha storms off, leaving Puddle alone with Tenna. The latter asks if Puddle would like to join her group, who is much better run. Puddle declines.

The two groups set up camps at the Blue Lake, a lake west of the Resting Grounds. That night, another argument breaks out between Tenna and Piranha. Tenna continues to push the idea of merging the two groups, and Puddle suggests they take a vote. The majority of them want to merge, with only Piranha and Leafeater against the idea.

The next conflict begins as they decide on a new leader. The take another vote, with Bourn and Morche siding with Tenna. Leafeater, albeit hesistant at first, sides with Tenna as well. Shock, who is angry at Piranha's previous suggestion to ditch him, chooses Tenna over him. Piranha screams at him, calling him a traitor. Puddle soon starts to realize that Piranha isn't who he seems to be. She chooses Tenna as well, causing Piranha to abandon the group and travel to the Peaks alone.

That night, while they are sleeping, Piranha returns to the camp. Tenna awakens and asks what he is doing. Out of nowhere, Piranha takes out his nail and impales Tenna. He carries the wounded Mantis Traitor to the Blue Lake and shoves her head underwater, drowning her. He leaves, believing no one had saw him. Little did he know, a young Leafeater happened to be a light sleeper.

The Finale
Upon waking up, Puddle and the crew find Tenna's dead body in the Blue Lake. Leafeater, who had seen the killer, stays silent. Bourn takes the position of leader and after they pay respects to the deceased insect, they begin to pack up and make there way into the peaks. Unfortunately, Shock, still in pain, is unable to walk. Crow, avoiding the thought of losing his friend, volunteers to stay behind with Crow. Bourn thinks about it and asks Puddle, the only one remaining of her group. Puddle agrees and says goodbye to Crow and Shock, and the two groups part ways.

Soon, they successfully find a safe and sturdy room within the mineshaft. The clear enemies including Miner Husks, Crystal Hunters, and more. Bourne and Moche go hunting, leaving Leafeater behind with Puddle. Leafeater and Puddle converse, getting to know one another. Leafeater shares their backstory, stating that they once owned a house in the City of Tears. As the Infection grew worse, he was forced to leave, and escaped into the Mantis Village. He had challenged the Mantis Lords, the leaders of the Mantis Tribe that Piranha had originated from. He had successfully beaten them and was given a nail lance as a gift. He eventually met Tenna, and the two grew close. However, he knew secrets that no one else knew of Tenna. Puddle's curiosity got the better of her and she questioned her new friend, however Leafeater avoided sharing and continues with his story.

Soon, they here footsteps returning. Leafeater runs up to the entrance of the room to greet Bourn, however, it is not Bourn that arrives. A crazed Piranha swings his sword from out of the darkness, knocking Leafeater to the ground. Piranha then walks out, revealing himself. An angered Piranha swings his nail at Leafeater, knocking him unconscious. He lifts up his sword and is about to stab Leafeater when Puddle yells at her former friend, telling him the stop. She asks why Piranha attacked them, and it here the bug reveals himself: he had killed both the vessel in Deepnest and the Mantis Tenna, with the former having succumbed to it prior.

Puddle then sees it in her leader's eyes: a small, wisp of orange. Piranha's anger towards the Infection drove him weak, mad even, to the point where he himself was Infected. Piranha, yet to succumb fully to the savagery, charges at Puddle. Piranha believes her to be a traitor, as she had voted Tenna to be their leader previously. The two duel, and midway through, Piranha slams Puddle to the ground, causing her to lose her axe. Puddle, angered at the lost of her many friends that day, kicks Piranha in the stomach and grabs her axe, performing a move that Piranha had taught her. He slits Piranha's wrist, and orange blood begins to bleed out. Seeing this, Piranha freaks out, realizing what has happened: he has been infected.

Piranha sits down, blood still dripping from his hand. Puddle sits beside him, and Piranha apologizes. He looks at Puddle before giving her a gift: his nail. He apologizes again for his wrongdoings, and Puddle forgives him. She tries to find a way to cure him, though he declines, stating that it is too late. Unable to control the Infection rate, Piranha realizes that he needs to stop it from spreading further. Despite Puddle's pleads, Piranha takes Puddle's new nail and impales himself through the heart.

Puddle cries. Leafeater regains consciousness and joins her, comforting her friend. Later, Bourn and Moche join, bringing in two old friends: Shock and Crow. They set up camp at their new base: the Crystal Peaks.

Post-Credits
Deep within the Queen's Gardens, the Traitor Lord sits on his thrown with Mantis Traitors surrounding him. The camera zooms in on his face, with his blank orange eyes aimed towards the camera.

Cast

 * Puddle
 * Piranha
 * Shock
 * Crow
 * Unnamed vessel
 * Tenna
 * Bourne
 * Moche
 * Leafeater
 * Midwife
 * Enlarged Husk
 * Piranha's mom (flashback)
 * Piranha's dad (flashback)
 * Unnamed fool