Skulls are objects present throughout ULTRAKILL that act like keys to activate gates. They are Ferrymen's skulls empowered with divine power. Ferrymen used to hold skulls of others to transport through the layers of hell.
Description
Skulls come in two colors, red and blue (as well as purple in some occasions such as in [ 4-S: CLASH OF THE BRANDICOOT ]), and both colors are identical in function, although a blue Skull cannot activate a red pedestal, and vice-versa. Skulls are often found on pedestals, and are picked up, like every other item, by punching them with fists or by reeling them in with the Whiplash. When placed upon the matching color of pedestal, it activates whatever the pedestal was connected to, usually a door. They are first formally introduced in [ 1-1: HEART OF THE SUNRISE ], although the blue Skull appears earlier as part of a secret in [ 0-2: THE MEATGRINDER ], and both variants appear in the secret level [ 0-S: SOMETHING WICKED ].
In Combat
Attacking husks (aside from stalkers and ferrymen) with melee attacks while wielding a Skull will set them on fire. Pulling husks with a Whiplash while wielding a Skull also counts.
Trivia
- In [ 1-4: CLAIR DE LUNE ] a blue Skull can be placed upon the headless, praying skeleton at the altar, which does nothing but prompt the text "Nothing happens, but you feel a strange satisfaction. You decide to name it Hank."
- This also happens in [ 5-3: SHIP OF FOOLS ]. If you place a blue skull on the skeleton with the rocket launcher, it prompts the text "Nothing happens, but you're sure Hank Jr. and his Hankcestors would appreciate it... If they weren't dead." It does nothing more.
- [ 4-3: A SHOT IN THE DARK ] has a unique Skull with a pink hat on it in The Tomb of Kings. This is the only level with a unique Skull. The Skull is a reference to Matt McMuscles.
- Skulls loaded during Seasonal Events will also have the corresponding seasonal headgear worn by enemies.
- If you have no arm equipped, Skulls will become impossible to pick up, which will also make some levels impossible to complete.
- It is possible to delete a Skull from a level. Simply pick it up, return to a terminal and unequip all of your arms. Upon equipping them again, the Skull will be gone.
- "Bonus lives" skulls that can be found in [ 4-S: CLASH OF THE BRANDICOOT ] have their own names. "Hank" for blue one, "Frank" for red one and "Herb" for purple one.
- Name "Herb" along with skull's purple color is a reference to a YouTuber "HerbMessiah" who's known for his ULTRAKILL videos and purple skull avatar.
- All skulls originate from Ferrymen, although no red Ferryman has ever been observed.
- When punching with a skull equipped, the skull glows brighter for a few seconds, indicated by a sound. The brightness of the glow gradually resets within 4 seconds, after which punching will make the skull glow brighter again.
- In the games files, there is an unused green skull texture and unused code for a green skull.
- The Official Ultrakill account made a Tweet with 2 images of the remodeled Blue And Red Skull[1]
- As of the [ ''ULTRA REVAMP''] update, the skulls have alchemy symbols on them
- The red skull being sulphur, the blue one being mercury and the one on ferryman statues being salt
Gallery
