Helldivers 2 players have destroyed Meridia and now must escape the black hole

Helldivers 2 players have destroyed Meridia and now must escape the black hole
David Coulson Updated on by

Video Gamer is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices subject to change. Learn more

The latest Helldivers 2 Major Order may have been the most important one to date and it has changed the game forever in a way that can’t be reversed as Meridia has been obliterated from the galaxy. In its place is a black hole, which could threaten to destroy the entire galaxy, including Super Earth. This is also the beginning of the story arc that will bring The Illuminate to the game.

A large spaceship labeled "MERIDIA SUPER EARTH CONTROL" hovers in dark space with purple swirling lights, dangerously close to a black hole. Text at the bottom reads "PA System Alert.
Image captured by VideoGamer

Upon loading the game following the completion of the Major Order, your ship is in panic mode as it makes an emergency warp to escape from the black hole before you are sucked into it. Once you make it to safety you can regroup and figure out your next plan of action.

The game guides you towards a Terminid planet that needs liberating, but this isn’t tied to a Major Order so you can fight whichever faction you prefer as you’re just playing for XP, Samples, and Requisition Slips right now. Once you interact with the mission selection table, you are greeted by a message congratulation the Helldivers on destroying Meridia saying,

Game screen displaying a mission success message in "Galactic War." Operation "Encountering Peace" is completed. The message details the mission's success, points awarded, and its historic significance against the backdrop of Meridia.
Image captured by VideoGamer

“The Supercolony has been destroyed. In its place, a beautiful black hole remains, drawing in every Terminid spore within several billion kilometers.

Interstellar spore levels have already sharply decreased in every system. The destruction of Meridia came not a moment too soon. While the Terminids continue their rampant spread across the galaxy, without the accelerating effect of the Supercolony, containment is now once again possible.

The Moradash Research Facility has been decommissioned following the total exhaustion of all Dark Fluid stores. The tireless scientists who contributed to the “Moradash Project” have been awarded the Super Citizenship Medal of Freedom.

The front against the Terminids has stabilized, but the war is far from over. We must continue the fight to contain the Terminids, and redirect our efforts to finally reclaim the territory stolen by the Automatons.

Congratulations is in order. The Helldivers won a historic victory for Managed Democracy today.”

A space-themed video game scene reminiscent of Helldivers 2 shows two characters in futuristic suits standing around a strategic table displaying a galactic map. Various interface elements and mission details are visible on screen, enhancing the immersive experience.
Image captured by VideoGamer

A new update was also posted in the Helldivers 2 Discord server, with Community Manager Baskinator announcing the Major Order’s success saying,

“Let this day forever be a reminder of what happens to those forces who align themselves in opposition to Liberty. Although the price paid in galactic real-estate (and lives) has been high to achieve this outcome, no price can ever be deemed too high in the defense of Freedom. Where once the heart of Terminid darkness stood, now a beautiful black hole shines as a symbol of justice on a galactic scale.

Spontaneous celebrations have erupted across the galaxy to give thanks to the many Helldivers who fought tirelessly against the fierce Terminid defenses – gradually wearing the Supercolony down – in order to ultimately gain victory on this historic day.”

A space-themed game screen shows the Umlaut Sector with indicators for planets Erata Prime, Turing, and Meridia. A message reads "Gravitational Collapse Confirmed" at the center, hinting at a possible black hole. Menu options from Helldivers 2 are visible at the bottom.
Image captured by VideoGamer

Following the black hole’s creation, both Democracy Officer Quinto and Ship Master Kimura have some interesting dialogue that details more about the events that just took place and the potential direction of the story, which does line up with some leaks that were revealed a few months ago. Here are the various lines of dialogue.

Ship Master Kimura: “Watch your step, Helldivers. We’ve got Dark Fluid onboard now. One thing goes wrong, and we’ll all be spaghettified before we know it.”

Ship Master Kimura: “I’m a little nervous having the Dark Fluid aboard the ship. Apparently, there’s a non-zero chance it could destroy the whole galaxy. But then again, we lose Super Earth, what hope is there for the galaxy anyway?

Ship Master Kimura: “Sorry about that emergency warp, Helldiver. Probably caught you off-guard. The Supercolony started imploding, and we had to get out of there before we got sucked into the black hole. We barely made it.”

Ship Master Kimura: “An entire planet, compressed into an infinitesimally small point…well, that’s what happens when you resist the will of Managed Democracy.”

Democracy Officer Quinto: “The crew was forced to initiate an emergency warp without your authorization, in order to protect Super Earth’s investment in this vessel.”

Democracy Officer Quinto: “Meridia is destroyed at last. The threat of the Terminids is vastly diminished…but we cannot rest. The Galactic War is far from over.”

Democracy Officer Quinto: “The destruction of a planet is a tragedy that cannot be undone. But our enemies leave us no choice.”

With the black hole event now taking place, it looks like it won’t be too long before The Illuminate finally makes their presence known after having previously thought to be extinct. To help prepare for their arrival, we highly recommend checking out our Helldivers 2 best weapons guide and best armor guide so you can serve a sweet cup of Liber-tea to the futuristic faction when they finally arrive to threaten democracy.