It's a tumultuous time to be a Helldiver. The dastardly Illuminate have not only returned after a century-long disappearance, but they are also kidnapping citizens of Super Earth and turning them into hideous monsters known as the Voteless. This doesn't even begin to cover the schemes of the other two factions: the Automata, who are inching closer to Super Earth, and the Terminids, who are generating tons of mysterious spores that inspire evolution. But the worst part of all is that, well, I'm pretty sure we can't trust anything Super Earth tells us. I think they may be telling a couple of lies.
The Illuminate appeared immediately after the conclusion of The Game Awards in a surprise drop, and Helldivers headed to the planet Calypso to fight them. This world was under siege by the Illuminate and the players managed to fulfill the Greater Order in the final minutes of the campaign.
Super Earth sent out a small status update afterwards, saying:
The resurgent Illuminate have been repelled by the Helldivers. Order has been restored to CALYPSO. It is estimated that a small cell of the Illuminate forces survived their eradication at the end of the First Galactic War, remaining hidden until now. Recent Democratic activity may have made its discovery imminent, precipitating the recent attack. […] SEAF reconnaissance units will soon hunt for the wreckage. Once located they will be eradicated.
A small cell? Well, that sounds reassuring. The Illuminate disappeared for a full day after Operation Ancient Vengeance on Calypso, and Helldivers received a sign of relief. But then, we received a new set of marching orders in Operation Squid. This time, the Illuminate are attacking several planets, chief among them the world of Genesis Prime. Super Earth has explained this with a quest text that reads:
How they evaded detection during the previous century is unknown; however, its ability to do so is indicative of the limited size of the cell. Their number is limited. This attack is an opportunity to complete the eradication of this xenophobic threat, securing the galaxy once again.
When playing against the Illuminate, I can't help but notice something alarming. They have a much smaller roster than the other two factions, but there is no equivalent to the Bile Titans or the Factory Striders either. No matter what difficulty you play on, you'll get the same types: voteless, overseers, and gatherers. It seems quite likely that we will see more squid emerge. If you check the Illuminate ranks from the beginning helldiversThere are some terrifying possibilities: the Obelisk, the Illusionist, and the Great Eye could appear in one form or another.
Super Earth seems pretty chill about this whole thing, but I can't stress enough that I think they might be wrong. helldivers 2 It's full of narrative surprises and I don't see that changing. If you think the Walking Reapers are bad, hold on to your butts: I guarantee the Illuminate will get scarier.