The Thargoids are the prominent alien species in Elite: Dangerous. Centuries of encounters between humans and their insectoid neighbors have been recorded. Most independent pilots have a passing understanding of Thargoids, but there is a trove of information gathered by both in-game characters and players alike.
Let’s take a look at a few interesting and terrifying facts.
1. The Thargoids are ancient.
The Thargoids have existed for a very long time as a space-faring species. When the Guardians first encountered them thousands of years in the past, they had already been exploring the stars for thousands, or even millions, of years. It is possible that they were the first hyperspace-capable civilization in the galaxy, and they might even originate from another galaxy altogether.
2. Thargoids do not engage in diplomacy.
Every known record of the Thargoids shows that they refuse to negotiate. The Guardians decoded their language only to be met with the same stalwart silence as before. Even when taking large losses and with seemingly no chance of victory, Thargoid vessels fight relentlessly. It is possible that this is a result of Thargoids being a hive-minded race, seeing independent humans as merely drones that serve a central intelligence. It is also possible that the Thargoids regard negotiating with humans much the same way as humans would negotiating with an ant. We may simply be too far removed from their level of sophistication as a species to warrant a need for diplomacy.
3. Thargoids are not as united as first thought.
The Thargoids are undoubtedly united in their approach to humanity. Aside from that, there seems to be a clear divide within the Thargoid civilization. Even though we don’t have any inroads as to the political landscape of their society, it has become clear that there exist at least two factions of Thargoids in the Milky Way galaxy. These two factions, officially referred to as ‘dynasties”, appear to be at war with each other as well as humanity. Furthermore, one faction seems to be retreating across human-controlled space, perhaps intent on using humanity as a meat shield against the opposing faction.
4. Thargoids do not always attack independent pilots.
For the first few months after their reappearance, the Thargoids were nonviolent towards independent ships during their encounters. Though this eventually changed for the worse, some pilots still report nonviolent encounters with Thargoid vessels. At least one commander was able to capture what appeared to be two Thargoid vessels communicating with one another during one of these nonviolent encounters. during one of these nonviolent exchanges. Reports of nonviolent Thargoid vessel types have circulated recently on some boards, but no official announcements have been made confirming their existence.
5. Thargoids might not be the only species out there we need to worry about.
Previous records show that the Guardians were wiped out thousands of years prior to the current era of Elite. Their AI creations seem to also have faded from the galaxy, leaving behind only the relics that commanders scour diligently for clues. While some factions of these civilizations might yet remain, the Thargoids prove a constant and very much alive threat to human space.
However, it is possible that other hyperspace capable civilizations as yet remain undiscovered in our own galactic backyard. It is entirely possible that the civil war between the two Thargoid dynasties might have been instigated by an emerging threat. We won’t know without more research.
The only thing that’s certain is that with only 0.05% of the galaxy having been charted so far, we are a long way from having all of the answers.
-Ben
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