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The Illuminate was first leaked in Helldivers 2 just weeks after the game was released. Since then we have seen many in-game models and other assets indicating that the futuristic creatures will be coming to the game, despite being made extinct in the first game’s story. Despite months of leaks, The Illuminate has yet to appear, but some players think that they may be hiding in plain sight.
In a post on the Helldivers 2 Community Page Facebook group, one player noted an odd occurrence where it appeared that blue lasers were firing at them, despite Automaton weapons firing red beams, with the player explaining,
“Had this weird thing happen to me. I was on a bot planet. It was night time on the planet. “Squad up on the hill engaging a heavy bot post. I ran down hill along some water by myself. These blue lasers kept flying at me from behind. Several times. I took cover and they stopped. Asked my squad anybody using anything that shoots blue. They all say no. Bots shoot red. Any suggestions on what it might have been?”
Some players suggested that beam and laser weapons when bouncing off armor can turn blue, which could explain it, as well as the possibility of it simply being meteor shower dust.
However, some veteran Helldivers players were put immediately on edge when they saw flashbacks to their time playing the first game and encountering The Illuminate, with one player saying “Blue lasers out of nowhere? Oh lawd, they coming,” while another warned the community by saying “Anyone who didn’t play Helldivers 1 is about to get a wake up call. Stalkers were just a little treat.”
The Terminid Stalker enemy randomly appeared in Helldivers 2 with no update or mention in the patch notes, so many are expecting The Illuminate to make their presence known in a similar manner. There have been numerous occasions that players thought would signal the arrival of The Illuminate, such as when the Automatons were briefly eradicated, but so far the futuristic creatures have remained elusive.
But, with the current Major Order calling for the extermination of over 3.1 billion Automatons and Terminids, that will put Super Earth’s enemies on the back foot and severely weaken them. This could create the ideal opportunity for The Illuminate to appear as the latest threat to the Helldivers. Whether this is the moment that they make themselves known remains to be seen, but for now there are still a couple of billion Automaton and Terminids to take out. To maximize your efficiency in racking up high kill counts, we highly recommend checking out our Helldivers 2 best weapons guide and best armor guide so you can serve plenty of cups of Liber-tea as you bring democracy to the galaxy.