Helldivers 2: Illuminate Enemies Set Course for Meridia’s Black Hole

Being a Helldiver is more thrilling than ever, with exciting new content from Arrowhead. They’ve recently introduced urban maps, a sleek recon vehicle, and a menacing third enemy faction. Initially, it seemed like the Illuminate’s comeback was going to be a brief tale, played out over a single weekend. Their invasion began right after The Game Awards announcement, targeting Calypso, where Helldivers barely managed to fend them off. Now, these cunning space squids have set their eyes on a new target: the mysterious black hole that has taken Meridia’s place.

Let’s break it down a bit. The game originally included two enemy factions: the Terminids and the Automatons. The Terminids, in particular, have captured players’ imaginations. Even when high-priority missions from Super Earth urge players to battle the robots, many still choose to stay in Terminid space, reveling in a Starship Troopers-like battle experience. Recently, in response to their popularity, the Terminids evolved rapidly in surprising ways. Super Earth intelligence pinpointed one planet, Meridia, as a powerful Supercolony.

In a bold, time-limited event, players had to douse Meridia with Dark Fluid, repelling Supercolony forces for a risky but successful mission, ultimately transforming Meridia into a black hole. The classic narrative rule of Checkhov’s Gun comes to mind: introduce a gun in Act 1, and it better go off by the end. So now, Helldivers find themselves dealing with Arrowhead’s proverbial ‘Black Hole.’ Leave a peculiar gap in the cosmos, and you’re bound to draw in some ominous, curious squids.

The Illuminate, distinct from their adversaries, haven’t settled into any permanent region of space. Instead, they launch hit-and-run attacks on Super Earth territories, starting at Calypso and moving eastward. Initially, this seemed ordinary enough until fans started noticing strange activity around Meridia. That black hole now glows an eerie purple, pulling in space debris at an alarming pace.

Now, Helldivers are in the unconventional position of defending Terminid lands against the Illuminate—an ironic twist after months of bug-squashing operations. They’ve managed to push back the squids once more. Following the conclusion of Operation Squid Game around 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, the Illuminate have slipped back into the shadows. Yet, it’s unlikely this saga has wrapped up completely. It seems the Illuminate are missing something in their ranks, perhaps soon to be filled with new, terrifying bio-organic threats. On a brighter note, players can now acquire that new vehicle as a Stratagem and hit the streets anytime. Amidst a three-front intergalactic war for democracy, sometimes it’s important to savor the small victories.