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I've been playing Hollow Knight: Silksong since it launched, and like many of you, I tried to go in as blind as possible. No guides, no spoilers—just me, Hornet, and the vast, bug-filled world of Pharloom. But you know what? That approach bit me in the rear. I made a couple of innocent choices early on, and they ended up robbing me of what was shaping up to be one of my favorite boss fights in the entire game. Mild spoilers for Silksong ahead, so if you're still exploring, maybe bookmark this and come back later.

The Moorwing Fight: A Co-Op Dream Come True

I love Metroidvanias because they let me jump from one thing to another. Silksong is such a large game that I could easily pause trying to defeat a tricky boss and go explore somewhere else for a bit. That's exactly what I did when I came across the Moorwing in Greymoor. The fight itself is fairly standard but challenging, with a wide-open arena and plenty of breathing room. The best part, though, was that I wasn't doing it alone. I had come across a mighty warrior named Garmond in Greymoor, riding atop his faithful steed, Zaza. To my surprise, the two offered to assist me in battle and did, in fact, dive into the fray headfirst.

It was such a delight to have a companion to fight with, and Garmond made such a great foil to Hornet's stoic nature. I wandered off to explore some more, planning to return to the battle after a while. I mean, who wouldn't want to savor that? But that was my first mistake.

Two Decisions, One Locked Door

What I didn't realize is that when I gave the flea caravan the go-ahead to relocate, they would be putting up shop right on Moorwing's battlefield, rendering me incapable of completing the fight. This means that you can completely skip the fight if you relocate the caravan before you explore Greymoor. Talk about a buzzkill. I didn't even know I'd missed it at first—I just thought the boss had vanished. Nope, my own actions had sealed that door.

So, if you're like me and you missed out on the battle against Moorwing, all is not lost. According to multiple reports from players, the giant still shows up in a different location in a future act, so you still get a chance to fight it. Unfortunately, I'm not sure yet if Garmond and Zaza will be joining me for this second battle. Garmond and Zaza are still hanging out in Greymoor, offering to help me fight the nonexistent battle. While it seems that they'll still join in even if the moth moves its location, some players report being unable to get the duo to appear in the fight again, while others report never getting to continue the fight at all.

A Bittersweet Metroidvania Experience

On one hand, I still love the experience of discovering Hollow Knight: Silksong at my own pace and in my own way. On the other hand, I hope I still get to finish the fight with Moorwing, with Zaza and Garmond at my side. It's a reminder that Metroidvanias can be wonderfully cruel. The game doesn't hold your hand, and sometimes your choices have consequences you never see coming.

Here's a quick summary of what happened, in case you want to avoid my fate:

And a few tips for fellow travelers:

• 🐜 If you want to fight Moorwing with Garmond and Zaza, do it before relocating the flea caravan.

• 🗺️ Explore Greymoor thoroughly before making any caravan decisions.

• 🤝 Co-op fights are rare and precious—don't walk away from them lightly.

As of 2026, Silksong has been out for a while, but this particular design quirk still catches new players off guard. I've seen forum posts from people who did exactly what I did, and they're just as bummed. So take it from me: if you see a giant moth and a warrior on a steed, finish the job. Don't be like me.

I'm still holding out hope for a rematch. Maybe in a future act, Garmond and Zaza will ride again. Until then, I'll keep exploring Pharloom, one mistake at a time. You know how it goes.

Mistakes like this one are exactly what push a lot of us back to the drawing board — or back into Hallownest. I've known plenty of players who, after fumbling a fight in Silksong, decide to revisit the original Hollow Knight to scratch that Metroidvania itch while waiting for a patch or a fresh playthrough. Others go hunting for something new in the same genre entirely, whether that's another moody map to get lost in or a co-op title to share with a friend instead of an NPC.

If you land in that second camp, it's worth checking whether the games on your wishlist are actually cheapest where you think they are — storefronts, regions, and sales shift constantly, and the difference is often bigger than expected. Sites like game price comparison aggregators make that quick to check before you commit, so a bad decision costs you a few clicks instead of a full-price regret. Given how unforgiving these games can be, it's nice to at least control the damage outside of Pharloom.