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

If you’re a fan of Helldivers, you’re in for a treat. Arrowhead has spiced things up by introducing urban maps, a sleek recon vehicle, and a new enemy faction. Initially, it seemed like the Illuminate’s sudden return to the galaxy would be a short-lived saga, limited to a weekend battle. These alien foes swooped in right after their surprise announcement at The Game Awards and targeted Calypso. In the nick of time, Helldivers managed to defend the planet. But now, these crafty space squids have set their eyes on the mysterious void where Meridia once existed.

Let’s delve into this a bit. The game originally introduced two main adversaries: the Terminids and the Automatons. The Terminids, in particular, have become a fan favorite—so much so that even when Super Earth issues orders to combat the Automatons, many players choose to stay and fight in Terminid territory, living out their Starship Troopers dreams. Recently, the Terminids responded to this attention with some rapid, formidable evolutions. Super Earth intelligence pinpointed Meridia as a Supercolony.

During a thrilling, time-bound event, players had the challenge of flooding Meridia with Dark Fluid, a bold move aimed at countering the Supercolony’s forces. The gamble paid off, morphing Meridia into a black hole. It’s a classic case of Chekhov’s Gun: introduce a black hole, and you can bet something interesting will follow, like sinister squids taking notice of this peculiar cosmic blip.

Now, unlike the other enemy factions, the Illuminate haven’t staked out a permanent area in space. Instead, they’ve been conducting guerrilla-style attacks on Super Earth territories, starting with Calypso and steadily moving east. Initially, this didn’t raise any eyebrows, but observant fans started to notice peculiar changes around Meridia. The black hole grew brighter, shifted to a more vivid shade of purple, and began to draw in debris at a concerning pace.

Helldivers have successfully defended Terminid regions from the Illuminate—an ironic twist, considering months were spent dealing with bug threats. After giving the squids a serious beating, the Illuminate retreated from the map at the conclusion of Operation Squid Game, shortly after 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday. However, don’t think this storyline is wrapped up just yet. There’s speculation that the Illuminate will return, potentially with new, terrifying bio-organic creatures. Meanwhile, players can enjoy the new vehicle, available as a Stratagem, providing a tactical edge whenever needed. In this intense three-front war for democracy, grabbing any advantage is crucial.