Hollow Knight: Silksong is relentlessly designed to test players’ patience and resolve — with one glaring exception: the earnest pilgrim Sherma. Friendly and perpetually humming a tune, Sherma drifts into your path at odd moments as the world unfolds. He’s endearingly harmless, the sort of soul you can’t picture in combat, which makes his presence in the Citadel all the more baffling.
Reaching the Citadel is among Silksong’s toughest early challenges. To gain entry you must confront The Last Judge, an imposing sentinel whose role is precisely to bar the unworthy. The boss itself is brutal, but the true ordeal is the approach: a treacherous runback along the Blasted Steps filled with brutal platforming and relentless foes. It’s easily one of the game’s most punishing stretches — and that’s saying something. I spent an entire day wrestling with that section: missed bell pogo jumps, repeated deaths to enemies on the way, and more than a few attempts where I reached The Last Judge with a sliver of health only to be felled before his first phase ended.
Eventually the pattern clicked and I managed to dispatch The Last Judge. That cycle — despair, study, then victory — sums up much of Silksong’s appeal.
So imagine my surprise when Sherma is waiting nearby, as if his pilgrimage had always been destined for this gate. He tells you he came for the Citadel, and you’re left asking: how on earth did he get here? Fans have hashed out theories online, and there are several plausible explanations. Let’s examine the most common ones.
Sherma pacified The Last Judge
Early on in the Far Fields you encounter Sherma calming a creature with his song — a brief, surprising moment that leaves the enemy docile while Sherma moves on. That has led some to speculate he could have soothed The Last Judge in the same way: a few notes, a gentle clang of metal, and the gatekeeper stands aside. It’s a whimsical image — Hornet grappling in combat while Sherma hums peacefully — and while I’m skeptical that a single serenade could fell an ancient sentinel, the idea is delightfully absurd. Either way, it’s fun to imagine a pacifist lullaby being the key to entry. See discussion here for more fan theories. (reddit)
Plausibility: 5/10
Sherma opens the gate for us (fan animation) had fun animating the silly bugs lol #Silksong pic.twitter.com/PUNz6gGlI7
— Celes Flames (@Celes969) September 22, 2025
Sherma arrived after us
Another straightforward possibility: Sherma simply shows up after Hornet defeats The Last Judge. We encounter him post-battle, which leaves open the option that he didn’t face the sentinel at all but walked in later. That’s sensible, yet Sherma’s uncanny ability to appear in unlikely places gives the impression he’s more than a casual follower. In some locations he arrives before you, suggesting he travels the world independently and may not have needed Hornet’s path to reach the Citadel.
Plausibility: 7/10
Sherma took a different route
Access to the Citadel isn’t limited to the front approach. There’s an alternate path through Sinner’s Road and connections to Greymoor, but those routes are no picnic: Bilewater threatens Hornet’s silk, the Mist removes map access, and additional bosses block the way. Many players regard those segments as some of the most unforgiving parts of the game. Could Sherma have navigated that gauntlet unscathed? It’s possible, but far from likely unless he benefits from some other advantage we haven’t seen.
Plausibility: 3/10
Sherma is, quite simply, the most pure-hearted
The simplest explanation may be the most convincing: Sherma was never required to fight The Last Judge because he already met whatever criteria the sentinel enforces. The in-game codex implies The Last Judge is a long-enduring arbiter, posted to ensure only the sinless pass beyond the Grand Gate. That suggests some pilgrims achieved whatever standard was demanded — and Sherma, innocent and kind-hearted, fits that description better than most. If anyone in the world of Silksong feels like they belong on the other side of a sacred gate, it’s him.
thank you sherma! #silksong pic.twitter.com/u0Lh37yzPr
— kalypsooooo (silksong spoilers) (@Whagiepie) September 24, 2025
At the end of the day, Sherma’s presence reads like a small beacon of goodwill in a harsh world: an innocent who finds his way where others must fight. That straightforward explanation — that he simply passed the Judge’s test — feels the most satisfying.
Plausibility: 9/10
Source: Polygon
