Toxic Helldivers 2 Player Trying to Throw the Game Gets Instant Laser Karma

There’s something uniquely satisfying about watching karma unfold in real-time, especially in the world of online gaming. And when it comes to Helldivers 2, where teamwork can mean the difference between spreading managed democracy and becoming bug food, those moments of justice hit different.

A recent clip shared by a fellow diver has captured one such moment of pure, poetic justice that would make any citizen of Super Earth proud. It’s the kind of content that reminds us why recording gameplay footage was invented in the first place.

When Karma Strikes with Laser Precision in Helldivers 2

The video starts innocently enough—three Helldivers waiting at their extraction point while a fourth teammate makes their way to the Pelican-1. But something’s off about this approaching player, and it becomes clear they’re not just coming to say goodbye.

Of all the stratagems one could choose for their moment of betrayal, our level 4 friend picked perhaps the most poetically appropriate one—the Orbital Laser. Known for its near-instant deployment and devastating effectiveness, it’s usually reserved for turning Terminids into crispy snacks, not sabotaging your own team:

Instant Laser Karma
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What happens next is nothing short of cinematic. The would-be saboteur, clearly unfamiliar with the concept of “friendly fire is still fire,” attempts to pull off what has become an unfortunately common griefing tactic. But in a twist that would make even General Brasch smile, their own Orbital Laser turns them into a ragdoll right at the ship’s doorstep.

The irony of choosing such a powerful Helldivers 2 stratagem only to have it backfire spectacularly wasn’t lost on the community:

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And it seems this isn’t an isolated incident. Other divers have shared their own tales of karmic retribution in Arrowhead‘s hit shooter:

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What makes this particular incident so satisfying is the perfect timing. The Orbital Laser’s quick deployment time, usually one of its strongest features, gave our wannabe troll no time to realize their mistake. One moment they’re standing triumphantly at the ramp, the next they’re doing an impromptu twerk with democracy’s brightest beam.

A Growing Problem in Need of Democracy

While this particular incident ended in satisfying fashion, it highlights a broader issue that Arrowhead’s hit shooter has been facing. What started as a harmless tradition of firing off a celebratory stratagem during extraction has evolved into something more problematic:

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The tradition itself isn’t inherently bad—there’s something undeniably cool about walking up the Pelican’s ramp while explosions light up the sky behind you. But like many good things, it only takes a few bad actors to turn a fun celebration into a potential mission-ender.

Some players have found creative ways to deal with these situations, turning the tables on would-be trolls:

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The issue has become so prevalent that many veterans now approach extraction with the same caution they’d use when approaching an Automaton outpost. While celebration strikes can be fun when properly coordinated, the rise in griefing attempts has led to many lost samples and failed missions.

Perhaps what makes this clip so satisfying is that it represents the perfect response to toxic behavior—letting natural consequences take their course, all while maintaining the spirit of cooperation that makes Helldivers 2 special.

Have you encountered similar situations during extraction? How do you handle players who try to sabotage missions? Share your stories of karmic justice in the comments below!