Helldivers 2’s Illuminate Enemies Journey to Meridia’s Black Hole

If you’re diving into the action of Helldivers right now, you’re in for a treat. Arrowhead has rolled out urban maps, introduced a nimble recon vehicle, and unveiled an intriguing new enemy faction. Originally, it seemed the saga of the Illuminate’s return to the galaxy was going to be a short-lived affair, packed into a single weekend. These cosmic foes made their dramatic entrance right after a reveal at The Game Awards and immediately descended upon Calypso. It was a nail-biting battle, but Helldivers managed a last-minute save. But brace yourselves—those sinister space squids have now set their sights on a bigger prey: the black hole that has swallowed up Meridia.

Let me backtrack a bit to give you some context. The game’s long-standing foes, the Terminids and the Automatons, have kept players busy. The Terminids, in particular, have a certain appeal; even when directives from Super Earth urge players to engage the Automatons, there’s always a crowd itching to face off against those bug-like adversaries, living out their “Starship Troopers” dreams. Recently, the Terminid menace evolved rapidly in response to this attention. It came to light that Meridia was a Supercolony.

Arrowhead orchestrated a thrilling, time-sensitive event that challenged players to fill Meridia with Dark Fluid while fending off Supercolony forces. This bold move succeeded, transforming Meridia into the universe’s latest black hole. Now, think of it as the classic Chekhov’s Gun: you introduce a mysterious anomaly, and it’s bound to stir up trouble. Enter Arrowhead’s Black Hole. If you open a peculiar tear in space, it’s inevitable that it will lure some dubious entities, such as our current squid antagonists.

The Illuminate offer a unique twist compared to the other enemy factions—they haven’t settled into a section of space. Instead, they prefer guerrilla tactics, launching surprise attacks on Super Earth worlds like Calypso and steadily moving east. Initially, there wasn’t much to their strategy—until fans noticed something odd about Meridia. That black hole is now radiating a vibrant purple, and it’s swallowing debris at an alarming pace.

For now, Helldivers have protected Terminid territory from the Illuminate, which is ironic after months of battling bugs, and have managed to push the squids back. Following the conclusion of Operation Squid Game around 4:30 p.m. ET Friday, the Illuminate have mysteriously disappeared from the map. However, I’m convinced this saga is far from wrapped up. Something tells me the Illuminate will beef up their forces with some nightmarish bio-organic monstrosities soon. Thankfully, players can snag the new vehicle as a Stratagem and cruise whenever they want. It’s the little victories that count when you’re waging a relentless, three-front intergalactic battle for democracy.