I’m going to say something that sounds unhinged: I am not even mad about the bench that killed me. Well, maybe I’m a little mad, but honestly, it’s the kind of nasty trick I should have seen coming from Team Cherry. In Hollow Knight: Silksong, benches are supposed to be your sanctuary. They’re the little slice of heaven where you heal up, save your progress, swap your Crests, and finally let your shoulders drop from around your ears. So when I found one tucked into a corner in Hunter’s March after a long, miserable slog, I nearly wept with relief. I sat down, sighed, and then a pendulum swung straight down and clobbered Hornet for two masks of damage. I was already low. I died on the spot. You may be entitled to compensation? Nah, I’m entitled to a nap and a stiff drink.

That’s the thing about Silksong: the whole internet is currently up in arms because Team Cherry decided to pull a fast one. In both Hollow Knight and Silksong, benches function like bonfires in a Souls game. They are safe places, respites where you can catch your breath, heal to full health, and save before heading back into the meat grinder. You can swap Charms or Crests, update your map, and nothing can hurt you. Usually. That word is doing a lot of heavy lifting these days.

The Bench That Bites Back

The bench in Hunter’s March is not just dangerous—it’s personal. It sits in a corner where you would normally expect a bench to be, and if you’ve played the series, your brain sees those sun rays and thinks, “Oh sweet mercy, I am saved.” But this bench is booby-trapped. Sit on it, and a pendulum swings down to smack Hornet for two masks of damage. If Hunter’s March has already been kicking your butt, that’s a death sentence. And because Team Cherry clearly enjoys a bit of psychological warfare, it happens every single time you sit on it. It is not a one-time trap. To disarm it, you have to break a wall to the left and hit a lever on the ceiling. Only then can you finally sit safely. It’s like the bench itself is saying, “Not so fast, mate.”

I won’t lie, the first time I got killed I sat there staring at the screen like a total muppet. Then I laughed. Then I respawned and did it again because I needed to confirm it wasn’t a glitch. It was not a glitch. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, well, I’m the clown sitting on the same swinging bench.

Hollow Knight Already Taught Me Better

I’m definitely benefiting from actively playing Hollow Knight for the first time right now, but did I really think the developers wouldn’t troll us in Silksong? This is the studio that created the Deepnest.

The Deepnest is a particularly diabolical area. The rules of the game you’ve learned up to that point seemingly don’t apply. Enemies spawn out of the ground and swarm you with little warning. Levels are winding labyrinths you have to navigate in the dark. Floors give out beneath you without warning, often dumping you into a pit of spikes. And then there’s the Distant Village. This village is at the far end of Deepnest, and if you explore it, you’ll find a group of bugs standing around a beautiful bench. They encourage you to sit and rest. How nice of them! So you sit. And you don’t heal. You can’t move. Webs tie you to your seat as the villagers surround you. The screen goes black, and you wake up in the Beast’s Den, trapped in a web. It’s not as punishing as Hunter’s March, but it’s the same kind of betrayal.

That little moment in Distant Village is the key to understanding Team Cherry. They build up your expectations and then smash them, destabilising you and reminding you that the world is full of surprises, both good and bad. Sometimes a bench saves you, and sometimes a bench kills you. It’s a long con, and I respect the commitment.

Why I’m Not Even Mad

Here’s the thing: I did not go into Silksong expecting a cozy game. I went in expecting beautiful hand-drawn pain, and Team Cherry delivered in spades. The Hunter’s March bench is not unfair; it’s a lesson. It teaches you to read the room. A bench in a corner after a brutal stretch? Maybe too good to be true. A suspicious wall to the left? A lever on the ceiling? These are not decorations. The game gives you the tools to spot the trap before it springs. I just ignored them because I was desperate.

The internet can scream, cry, throw up, and post angrily online, but I don’t blame Team Cherry one bit. If anything, the fake bench is one of the most memorable moments I’ve had in a game this year. It’s a nasty little prank that makes the actual safe benches feel even sweeter. So yes, I died. Yes, I stumbled back to the same bench half an hour later and sat on it again before remembering the lever. But that’s on me.

If there is a moral to this story, it is simple: never trust a beautiful bench in Hallownest or Pharloom, especially if it is glowing a little too nicely. Team Cherry is trolling us, and honestly? I hope they never stop.

Moments like these are exactly what make Team Cherry's games so unforgettable. The sting of that fake bench isn't just a cheap trick—it's a story you retell, a joke you share with friends, and a badge of honor once you finally outsmart it. If this little tale has made you want to experience Pharloom for yourself, or revisit the beautifully punishing halls of Hallownest, you're likely wondering where to grab a copy without getting scammed by price tags that vary wildly between storefronts and platforms.

The smart move is to do what the Knight should have done before sitting down: look before you leap. Game prices bounce around constantly depending on sales, regions, and upcoming releases, so a five-minute check can save you a solid chunk of change. Whether you're hunting for a digital key, a physical edition, or a gift for a fellow adventurer who deserves a little bench-related trauma of their own, you can compare prices here on DealNest and keep your wallet as safe as you thought that bench was. And trust me—in a world full of hidden traps, getting the best deal feels like the one victory that was never booby-trapped.