Winged Wolf Png Ship on the Sea Fan Art Background

This article is timeless and should exist accurate for any version of the game.

Why? Why?! WHY?! - Embracing the futility of life's questions in the Improbable Ceramics event

My circuits injure. - Aforementioned option for machine empires

Easter eggs are inside jokes and references to popular culture, included for the player's amusement. This is a non-exhaustive list of Easter eggs present in Stellaris. For others, also see the TVTropes page.

The Blorg

During the pre-release stream series former Stellaris game managing director Wiz was inspired by one of the fungoid portraits to create a very friendly but hideously ugly species called the Blorg. The Blorg Commonality was a fanatic xenophile misunderstood empire that badly wanted to brand friends, and besides had a hawk side in social club to strength others to be their friends if everyone rejected them. Due to fan requests, the empire was included in the game at launch, together with the Fanatic Befrienders AI personality, unique simply to the Blorg and whatsoever empire with the exact same ethics and traits.

The Blorg became something of an inside joke within the game. The xenophile advisor references to the Blorg as friendly, the Subdermal Stimulation tech shows a Blorg body-pillow, the Chemical Elation drugs it unlocks include Blorg bodily fluids, and the Uncanny trait (which describes machines fabricated in the prototype of one of the well-nigh horrific species in the universe) shows a robotic Blorg. Finally, a possible proper name for blackness hole systems is Blorg'southward Bane.

Species with the Blorg portrait have a 1 in 140 run a risk to say "Umm...friends?" instead of regular fungoid sounds when contacted via the Contacts card.

Collectivism and Individualism

Before the 1.5 patch Stellaris featured two additional ethics: Collectivist and Individualist. In patch 1.v they have been replaced past the Authoritarian and Egalitarian ethics respectively. Those ethics were the source of many forum arguments and thus were replaced with the more carefully-designed ethics present in the electric current version.

Those 2 ideals and the arguments they brought are referenced in an anomaly event describing how a primitive civilization destroyed itself after an ideological schism over the definitions and morality of collectivism and individualism. Ane of the dialogue options is Those aren't even real ethics..., referencing how they're no longer present in the game.

Fallen Empires

The Fallen Empires are inspired past the Vorlons and the Shadows from Babylon 5 with their ancient technology, dogmatic focus on a single ethic and millennia of stagnation that eventually allow the younger races to take hold of up and surpass them.

The War in Heaven, named after a biblical consequence from the Book of Revelation, is too a reference to the Second Shadow War in the serial Babylon 5. Humanity is caught in the middle of a state of war between two ancient forces: the awakened Shadows and their ancient rival - the Vorlon Empire. Humanity led the Regular army of Low-cal opposing both ancients, by allying with the League of Not-Aligned Worlds and the Minbari Federation.

The accomplishment Last, Best Hope likewise refers to a line repeatedly said within the prove that the eponymous station was the last, best promise for peace, and formed the same League of Non-Aligned Worlds. The achievement requires leading the said league to victory against both Awakened Empires.

When a Fallen Empire awakens the dialogue box also repeats a line from the serial: Giants in the playground....

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Milky way

Stellaris contains a number of references to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Milky way novel serial. More chiefly though, the actual series is present in the game. One of the anomaly events from the Afar Stars DLC called Honeymooners leads to the discovery of the "alien travel guide", identically named The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which supposedly describes "many sights and phenomena still unknown to us". Xenophile and Xenophobe empires can employ it to heave their respective ethics' attraction for ten years.

One of the diplomacy messages when at war with a Fanatic Purifiers empire is This war volition bring well-nigh an era of peace, justice, morality, civilization, sport, family life, and the obliteration of all other life forms..

One of the unique systems from Distant Stars contains a species chosen Prikki-Ti, which is sealed on their Shielded world within a time warp and will get a Fanatic Purifier empire if they manage to get out solitary or with player intervention. They are a reference to the Krikkit species from the tertiary novel, which fails to exterminate all other life in the galaxy and gets sealed that fashion.

In Apocalypse if Earth is shattered with a World Cracker there is a l% chance of creating a wormhole in the system leading to another newly created wormhole, something that also happens in the novels.

Government

Citizen Service

Reference to Federal Service from the Starship Troopers serial, with similar logo to the pic.

Fanatic Purifiers

Reference to Warhammer 40k, complete with descriptions and dialogues mutual in the series.

Devouring Swarm

Reference to the Tyranids from Warhammer 40k and the Zerg from StarCraft.

Adamant Exterminator

Reference to Skynet from Terminator. In the game files the civic is even called terminator.

Driven Assimilator

Reference to the Borg from Star Trek.

Technologies

Droids

Contraction of "android" patently kickoff used in a 1952 SF short story by Mari Wolf, merely popularised past Star Wars.

Gene Seed Purification

Reference to the Space Marines from Warhammer 40k

Morphogenetic Field Mastery

The clarification includes the words cradle and pharmaceutical, referencing the video game series Cypher Escape in which the company Cradle Pharmaceutical covertly researches morphogenetic fields.

Positronic AI

Reference to Isaac Asimov'southward robot stories.

Traditions

Standard Structure Templates

Reference to Warhammer 40k

To Boldly Go

Reference to the opening monologue of Star Trek

Armies

Clone armies

Reference to the Star Wars prequel trilogy.

Xenomorph armies

Reference to the Conflicting franchise.

Gene warrior armies

Reference to the Infinite Marines from Warhammer 40k, fabricated more overt by the name of the enabling technology.

Planetary features

BosWash Metropolitan Axis

Reference to the Boston-Atlanta Metropolitan Axis novel

Portal Research Area

Reference to Doom serial

Underground Vault

Reference to the vaults from Fallout

Traits

Nerve Stapled

Reference to Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri

Towel-bearer

Reference to the first rule of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The event giving the trait is appropriately named Stay At-home.

Hell's Eye

Reference to the Moby-Dick novel

Strategic Resources

Living Metal

Possible reference to the Necrodermis from Warhammer 40k

Zro

Reference to Chemical element Zero from Mass Effect

Species Portraits

Second humanoid species

Similar to the Klingons from Star Trek

Pointy-eared humanoid species

Similar to the Vulcans from Star Expedition, the Eldar/Aeldari from Warhammer 40,000, and other "space elves" from numerous properties

Fourth humanoid species

Similar to the alien grapheme Diva Plavalaguna from The Fifth Element

Fox mammalian species

Reference to the Star Fox series

Winged mammalian species

Like to the flying attack monkeys from the Magician of Oz

Fifth Reptilian species

Similar to Kowakian Monkey-lizards from Star Wars

Fifth molluscoid species

Like to the Yahg from Mass Effect

Creatures of the Void arthropoid species

Similar to the Shadows from Babylon 5

Chirpy avian species

Reference to the social media logo from Cities:Skylines
Humanoids Species Pack: Half of the portraits from the species pack are inspired later mutual fantasy races

Flags

14th human being flag

Reference to the United Federation of Planets from Star Expedition

13th human flag

Reference to the Crux Terminatus bluecoat from Warhammer 40k

2d domination flag

Reference to the Terran Empire from the Star Trek mirror universe

22th round flag

Reference to the Pall of Responsibility from Halo

Achievements

Brave New Globe

Reference to Aldous Huxley's dystopian novel of the aforementioned name

Emissary

Reference to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Clever Girl

Reference to a famous line from Jurassic Park

Deus Vult

The Christian motto from the First Crusade and a mutual line in Crusader Kings II

Domo Arigato

Reference to the 80's vocal Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto by Styx

Power Overwhelming

Reference to the invulnerablity cheat code and archon quotes from the StarCraft serial

Faster, Stronger, Improve

Reference to the Television set series The Six 1000000 Dollar Man

Voight-Kampff

Reference to Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep

Break on Through ...To the other side

Reference to The Doors' song Intermission On Through (To the Other Side)

Building Better Worlds

Reference to the Weyland Yutani company motto from Aliens

Suffer not the Alien

Reference to the motto of Deathwatch who excels in fighting xeno threats for the Imperium of Man in Warhammer 40k.

Payback

Reference to the 1983 TV series "5" where an entire fleet of a seemingly human extraterrestrial civilisation arrives in peace to offering its help to flesh. The achievement picture is an also an inverted version of the serial' affiche.

Then Virgil, At present Beatrice

Reference to Dante's Divine Comedy

Outside Context

Reference to the Iain M. Banks volume Excession. The author coined the term "Exterior Context Problem" to point a surprising and unexpected situation, such equally an invasion past massively superior conflicting force occuring in the middle of Earth War two.

Like Tears in Rain

The title of this accomplishment references the famous monologue of Roy Batty from the film The Bract Runner. The subtext is (also) a nod to the Arrangement Stupor series of games where the main Antagonist is comparing pathetic creatures of meat and bone with itself.

Distinctiveness Added

Reference to the Borg from Star Expedition

Planet of the Mechs

Reference to the Planet of the Apes series.

Rise of the Machines

Reference to Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

Disharmonism of the Titans

Reference to the movie Clash of the Titans

Exterminatus

Reference to the famous class of action in Warhammer 40k

No Khan Practice

Reference to Star Trek Into Darkness

Pandora's Earth

Reference to Pandora's Box from Greek mythology. Lowering the shield also brings similarly bad results.

Stay on Target

Reference to Star Wars Episode IV

1999AD

Nearly likely a reference to the 1995 JRPG Chrono Trigger as in that game a beast named Lavos falls from space and burrows down into the planet'due south core in the prehistoric age where it grows in size over many millennia before emerging again in the year 1999AD, destroying the planet as it does and then.

A Hump Like a Snowfall-Hill

Reference to Moby Dick

Raiders of the Lost Galatron

Reference to Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

Our Fleets will Absorb Out the Stars

Reference to the movie 300

With Thunderous Adulation

Reference to Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith

Sic Semper Tyrannis

Reference to the Latin phrase "Sic Semper tyrannis" (thus always to tyrants), supposedly said by Brutus on the day of the bump-off of Julius Caesar. The phrase is as well the motto of the U.S. state of Virginia and was shouted by John Wilkes Booth after his assassination of U.S. president Abraham Lincoln.

Modern Cincinnatus

Reference to Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, a general in the Roman Republic who was twice granted dictatorial powers past the Roman Senate to answer to a crisis and twice relinquished it every bit soon as the crisis had passed.

Burn Notice

Reference to United states of america Network bear witness Burn down Notice

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Blorg

Reference to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Slavery Types

Battle Thralls: Reference to the Ur-Quan Masters from the Star Command series
Grid Amalgamation: Reference to the Matrix series. In the game files the slavery type is even called matrix.

Megastructures

Ring Earth: Reference to Larry Niven's novel Ringworld
Interstellar Assembly: Reference to the Babylon Project from Babylon v
Mega Shipyard: Reference to the Star Forge from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Strategic Coordination Center: Reference to Boxing/Control Schoolhouse from Ender'due south Game.

Endgame Crises

The Contingency: Reference to the Reaper cycle from Mass Outcome.
Extradimensional Invaders: Reference to the Devidians from Star Trek: The Side by side Generation.
The Prethoryn Scourge: Reference to the Tyranids from Warhammer 40k or Yuuzhan Vong from Star Wars.
The Reckoning: Reference to the Autumn of the Eldar in Warhammer 40k.

Ship names

The standard human being namelist used by the United Nations of Earth is loaded with references; for case, all Destroyers are named later on cities, whilst Cruisers are named later battles (Somme, Hastings, Bunker Hill) and war machine commanders/leaders (Julius Caesar, De Gaulle, Genghis Khan), construction ships are named for oceans and rivers (Pacific, Atlantic, Volga, Ganges, Rhine), science ships are named for explorers and scientists (Grissom, Gagarin, Asimov, Hawking), and so on.

Enterprise (battleship): Reference to Star Trek.
Firefly (corvette): Reference to Firefly, the main ship's form.
Greased Lightning (corvette): Reference to the cult movie Grease.
Serenity (colonizer): Reference to Firefly, the master ship'southward name.
Thunder Child (destroyer): Reference to War of the Worlds.
Yeager: Reference to Chuck Yeager, the first person to travel by the speed of sound

Pirate ship names

Aside from pop culture references, many pirate ship names are reminiscent of the naming conventions of Culture starships, from Iain M. Banks' fictional setting.

The Slings, The Arrows, and Outrageous Fortune: Reference to Hamlet
Black Earl: Reference to Black Pearl from the Pirates of the Caribbean area serial.
Assail on Freighter: Reference to Attack on Titan
Tycho, Durandal, Leela: Reference to Marathon, the eponymous colony send's three shipboard AIs.
Oh, That'due south a Pirate!: Reference to a video game in Part 3 of JoJo'southward Baroque Adventure.
Soylent Green: Reference to the movie Soylent Greenish.
Resonance Cascade: Reference to Half Life.
Hell's Bells: Reference to the Hells Bells song past AC/DC.
Pillage and Reconciliation: Reference to the send "Truth and Reconciliation" from the popular video game Halo: Gainsay Evolved
Comet Sighted!: Reference to the "Comet Sighted" event in various Paradox Interactive games.

System names

Alderaan, Dressel, Jabba and Lando: All are planet or individual names from Star Wars
Amlitzer: Reference to the battle in the Amlitzer organization in the Legends of the Galactic Heroes
Arrakis: Reference to the arid planet in Dune'due south saga
Astarte: Reference to the battle in the Astarte system in the Legends of the Galactic Heroes.
Cknoor: Reference to the nickname of Anders "cKnoor" Carlsson, Streaming Producer at Paradox.
Covfefe: Reference to the meme that resulted from the misspelling of coverage in a tweet from Former American President Donald Trump
Eye of Hawking: Black hole organisation and tribute to theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, the proper noun was added in the commencement patch later on his death. He famously proved theoretically that blackness holes could lose mass over time.
Giedi: Reference to the homeworld of House Harkonnen in Dune's saga.
Heaven's Gate: Reference to Heaven'south Gate, an American UFO religious millenarian group.
Higashik-Ata: Reference to Part 4 of JoJo'southward Baroque Adventure, Diamond is Unbreakable; protagonist'south terminal proper name.
Hillos: Reference to and pun of the gothic horror novel The Haunting of Colina Firm. The system is "haunted" by a literal ghost send.
Kazon: Reference to the Kazon tribes, an aggressive and sectarian species from Star Trek: Voyager. Dogar and Kazon are too the twin gods of Evil and Darkness in Star Control 2: The Ur-Quan Masters.
Kazoo: Reference to the kazoo of cKnoor, equally seen in the pre-release stream.
Kerbol: Reference to the central star from Kerbal Infinite Program
Kuma: Reference to the nickname of Björn "Kuma-kun" Iversen, Audio Director at Paradox.
Mar-Adetta: Reference to the Boxing of Marr-Adetta in "Fable of the Galactic Heroes".
Manward: Reference to the Game Director of Stellaris, Martin Anward.
Olimar: Reference to the protagonist of Pikmin.
Omicron Persei: Though information technology is a existent star arrangement information technology is likely also a reference to "Futurama" where the overlord Lrrr of the Omicronians lives on Omicron Persei 8.
Polgara: Reference to the sorceress Polgara of the Belgariad series.
Rantemario: Some other reference to a star organisation in the Legends of the Galactic Heroes.
Tantanga: Reference to the alien invader from Super Mario Land.
Targon: Reference to Mount Targon from the League of Legends lore.
Tiamat: Named after a goddess from the Babylonian pantheon, it appears as an item or creature name in Dungeons & Dragons and a number of video games.
Ulm: Reference to a modest High german one province minor in the Europa Universalis series, another grand strategy game by Paradox.
Vermillion: Another reference to a star system in the Legends of the Galactic Heroes.
Vohaul: Reference to the villain Sludge Vohaul in the Space Quest games.
Yildun: Reference to the headquarters of Technodyne Industries of Yildun in the Honor Harrington novels.
Yump: A reference/joke at the expense of Game Director Martin "Wiz" Anward, for his repeated (mis)pronunciation of 'leap' as 'yump' (in relation to FTL travel) during prerelease livestreams. In the random proper name listing (/mutual/random_names/base/00_random_names.txt), it appears straight below 'Kazoo' and 'cKnoor'.

Planet names

Blastoff Complex (Ring Globe): The name of the facility the tabletop RPG "Paranoia" takes identify in; which is also taken care of past a Custodian Matrix.
Dune (desert earth): Some other name for Arrakis from Frank Herbert'due south Dune saga.
Kipling (jungle world): Reference to Rudyard Kipling, an author famous for The Jungle Book.
R'lyeh (ocean world): Reference to the sunken city from the Cthulhu Mythos by H.P. Lovecraft.
Dagon (ocean world): Reference to the ocean-domicile deity from a brusk story by H.P. Lovecraft.
Walled Garden (gaia world): Translation of Rannoch, the Quarian homeworld'due south name from Khelish, their language, in Mass Issue.
Melpomenia: Reference to one of the Spatian'southward worlds in Isaac Asimov'southward Foundation Cycle.
Solaria: Reference to Isaac Asimov'southward Foundation series.

Asteroids

1337- prefix: An asteroid may go the random proper name 1337, which means "Leet" (elite) in leetspeak, a blazon of computer and Internet slang.
AT-, R2-, C- prefixes, and -AT, -ST, -D2, -3PO suffixes: All references to Star Wars.
THX- prefix and -1138 suffix: Reference to George Lucas' first movie, THX-1138. This name would appear several times in other movies fabricated past Lucas, usually in the background or as subtle references in dialogue.
HAL- prefix and -9000 suffix: Reference to HAL in "2001: A Space Odyssey"
TLDR- prefix: Relatively common cyberspace slang; stands for "Too Long, Didn't Read".
UL1M- prefix: Might be a reference to the EU4 state of Ulm.
OD1N- prefix: Odin, of Norse Mythology.
VIR- prefix: Likely a nod to the tutorial AI, VIR, and possibly Vir Cotto of Babylon 5.
WPR- prefix: Possible reference to WOPR, the military supercomputer antagonist of the 1983 motion picture WarGames.
LV- Prefix: Reference to LV-426 from Alien

Random events

Comet sighted: An event present in almost other Paradox games.
A Species of Ice and Ice: Reference to A Vocal of Water ice and Burn down.
Anti-Alien Task Force: Reference to the XCOM and UFO series.
Eddic, Monolithic: Reference to Arthur C. Clarke's Space Odyssey.
Glancing Hit: Reference to Mass Effect 2 dialogue well-nigh Sir Isaac Newton and the dangers of kinetic weapons missing their target, and after traveling every bit long every bit required until they hit something.
Improbable Ceramics: Reference to Russell'due south teapot, a philosophical analogy about the burden of proof.
Mharin Kharin: Reference to the Marin Karin move from Megami Tensei, which charmed/brainwashed enemies and gained infamy among the fanbase for its inaccuracy and overuse past a graphic symbol in Persona 3.
Nimkip: Reference to Pikmin, a video game developed by Nintendo.
Olfactory Written report: Reference to Futurama'due south "Olfactory property-O-Telescopic".
Regal Pelting: Reference to the vocal Purple Rain by Prince.
Rogue Agent: Reference to James Cameron's Avatar.
Speed Demon: Reference to the endings of Mass Effect 3.
The Tree: Reference to the iconic scene from The Fountain.
Horizon Betoken: Reference to the picture show Event Horizon.
The Gun Pointed at the Head of the Universe: Discussion-for-word championship reference to a track from the get-go Halo's soundtrack. Appropriate, given the serial' ringworlds are designed to unleash a Neutron Sweep-esque pulse to wipe out possible hosts for the Flood.
Broken Marriage: Reference to the Trill symbionts from Star Expedition.
MegaCorpse Concert: Reference to Metalocalypse. The player reply also references a memetic line from the series.

Messages

"The galaxy is dark and full of terrors.": Reference to the famous line from "Game of Thrones".
"Alert all commands. Deploy the fleet.": Reference to Star Wars Episode V.
"I tin taste your stink and every time I do, I fright that I've somehow been infected by it.": Reference to Agent Smith from The Matrix.
"You will embrace the greater expert, somewhen.": Reference to the T'au Empire from Warhammer 40k. The respond is only available if your ethics match the T'au's (Authoritarian,Hawk,Xenophile)
"The spice must flow.": Reference to Dune.
"Yous are a rock tricked into thinking...": Reference to a tweet by @daisyowl on the nature of computers.
"What a talentless looking [trick mammalian race].": Reference to the Tails Gets Trolled webcomic.
"Make information technology so.": Reference to Jean-Luc Picard from Star Expedition
"Look at the size of that thing!": Reference to Star Wars Episode 4
"Yous may be wondering nigh the meaning of the mural backside united states. That's a very skilful question with a very interesting respond! The price for the respond is 15 quadrillion Credits.": Reference to Star Control.
"The enclave is in a frisky mood. The creation of Scentilus Rift has caused many an artist to alter their chief focus to creating new experiences for it.": Reference to Oculus Rift.
"May their reign stretch into infinity... and beyond!": Reference to Toy Story.
"Well secluded, I encounter all.": Reference to The Rocky Horror Motion-picture show Show.
"Is Unit of measurement A5091-b in possession of a soul?": Reference to the Geth question from Mass Effect.
"Wonderful! Gear up the gift baskets.": Reference to Pocahontas.
"Brutal.": Reference to the Metalocalypse meme.
"Life, uh, finds a way.": Reference to the Jurassic Park series.
"My precious!": Reference J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

Diplomacy Messages

"Soon, communications from all your vessels will be blocked. None of yous are gratuitous of sin." (Evangelizing Zealots negative greeting): Reference to the Weird Twitter account @dril.
"The [ruler title] Protects." (Evangelizing Zealots war greeting): Reference to Warhammer 40k.
"Please notice me senpai." (Fanatical Befrienders greeting): Non-specific reference to Japanese anime.
"We are the [empire name]. Lower your shields and surrender your ships." (Hive Mind war greeting): Reference to the Borg from Star Trek.
"Our words are backed with the planet-destroying power of a Colossus!" (neutral Colossus owner greeting): Reference to the "Nuclear Gandhi" issues from the second Civilization game.
"Pray that you will never accept to witness the firepower of our fully armed and operational Colossus!" (neutral Colossus owner greeting): Reference to Star Wars Episode VI.

Descriptions

"Some species are more equal than others." (Caste System citizenship): Reference to George Orwell's Animal Farm
"Infinite is the concluding frontier" (Voidcraft technology field): Reference to Star Trek
"In that location may come a fourth dimension when intellects, vast and cool and unsympathetic, regard our worlds with envy and depict plans confronting u.s.a.." (Planetary Defenses technology): Reference to H. G. Wells' The State of war of the Worlds
"Where we're going, we won't need skin to feel!" (Subdermal Stimulation engineering science): Reference to Effect Horizon
"Permit the enemy come to us. We shall fight them for every planet, every moon, every asteroid that lies inside our space. We shall never give up." (Defense in Depth war doctrine): Reference to the 2nd of Winston Churchill'southward 3 famous speeches
"The swarm consumes. The earth trembles. We grow." (Consume World decision): Reference to Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm
"Livestock is Pops!" (Livestock slavery): Reference to Soylent Greenish
"We volition add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your civilisation volition adapt to service us." (Assimilation citizenship): Reference to the Borg from Star Trek
"Glory to organics." (Bio-Trophy citizenship): Reference to NieR: Automata
"Assuming direct control." (Machine Integration citizenship): Reference to Harbinger from Mass Effect two
"I am the senate." (Modify Quango Size to i resolution): Reference to Palpatine from Star Wars Episode iii

Advisors

Hawk advisor: Reference to the Klingons from Star Trek
Spiritualist advisor: Reference to Babylon 5.
Xenophobic advisor: Reference to the Commisars from Warhammer 40k
VIR (tutorial counselor): Click the portrait repeatedly for some funny comments, also a reference to Blizzard Entertainment games where units would have silly and oft fourth-wall-breaking responses if clicked on multiple times in succession. VIR's proper name is possibly a reference to Vir Cotto from Babylon 5.
Diplomatic: Sample of diplomatic advisors vox, says "..and hot tea" wich is reference to Jean Luc Picard from Star Expedition, who is diplomat as a captain of starship, an his favourite "Tea. Earl greyness, hot"

Enigmatic Observers

The Enigmatic Observers take a tendency to lean against the quaternary wall in their dialogue.

"All the globe's a stage, and all the species are merely players. You are a histrion, are you not?": Neutral greeting and a reference to William Shakespeare.
"Don't break the quaternary wall, you clever child you.": Neutral greeting. Possible refrence to Clara Oswald from Medico Who.
"You lot have ceased to amuse. Your little game will presently be over.": War greeting. Ironically they cannot requite an empire game over unless awakened.

Leviathans

The Infinity Sphere & Gargantua: Reference to the Interstellar motion picture. One possible effect causes the system to be renamed to Pantagruel, making information technology also a reference to Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel novel series. The impairment modifier against information technology that can be obtained from the Curators is described as relying on a coiffure fellow member "to constantly make calibrations to the send guns", a possible reference to Garrus Vakarian from the Mass Upshot series.
Tiyanki Matriarch & AH4B: Reference to the Moby-Dick novel. The swallowed admiral is also coded to be humanoid if the DLC is installed.
Shard & The Rubricator: Reference to Smaug and the Arkenstone from The Hobbit.

The Shroud

The Shroud is modeled after the Warp from Warhammer 40k, and the Shroud entry dialogue contains plenty of references to diverse franchises.

Patron Entities

Composer of Strands: Inspired by the Chaos God Nurgle.
Eater of Worlds: Inspired past the Chaos God Khorne.
Instrument of Desire: Inspired by the Anarchy God(dess) Slaanesh.
Whispers in the Void: Inspired by the Chaos God Tzeentch.

Entry Lines

"Do you call back that is air you're breathing at present?": Reference to The Matrix.
"They should accept sent a poet...": Reference to the film Contact. Itself referenced in Starcraft.
"Do you hear the voices too?": Reference to the Chaos from Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War.
"Horror... horror has a confront.": Quote from Apocalypse At present.
"What senses practice we lack that nosotros cannot see and cannot hear some other world all around us?": Quote from the Orange Cosmic Bible from the Dune series.

Other

Galactic Community and Galactic Imperium: Reference to the Galactic Republic and Galactic Empire from Star wars.
Despicable Neutrals (placeholder personality): Reference to the people of the Neutral Planet in Futurama, and possible reference to the "Despicable Me" movie trilogy.
Mario and Luigi (the first two names in the Italian department of Humanoids 3 name listing): Reference to the primary protagonists of Nintendo'south flagship franchise
Zelda (female proper noun from Humanoid 3 name listing): Reference to the title character from the Fable of Zelda series
Crystalline Entities are Unbreakable special projection: Reference to Part iv of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga, Diamond is Unbreakable.
Guardians of the Galaxy (ascension perk): Reference to the Curiosity comic book series of the same name
Chinorr Stellar Union preset empire: A reference, albeit misspelled, to Paradox Studio's stream producer

L-Cluster Nanites: Reference to the replicators from Stargate: Atlantis
Enigmatic Enshroud: Reference to Arthur C. Clarke's Rendezvous with Rama

Miniature Galaxy (relic): Reference to the first Men in Blackness movie
Gas Giant Construction (archaeology site): Reference to the Titanic

Never Forget (archaeology site): Reference to Blade Runner, specifically the "Tears in pelting" or "C-Beams Speech" monologue.