One of the most memorable groups from The Division are the Cleaners. What is this faction all about that roams New York with flamethrowers and gas grenades?
After we have already told you the story of Aaron Keener, the first rogue agent, we now want to tell the story of the Cleaners.
- Who are they?
- Why do they mercilessly burn everyone?
- How are they organized?
We have all the information about the Cleaners and their leader, Joe Ferro, for you.
The Cleaners before the Green Poison
Unlike, for example, the Last Man Battalion, the Cleaners were not an already existing group before the green poison broke out.
Only when the virus plunged Manhattan into chaos did a faction form from various professions such as
- disposal workers
- janitors
- security personnel
- electricians
- bus drivers
- other everyday jobs in public order
They all lived a normal life with their families until the outbreak and worked on the streets of New York.
Joe Ferro – Tragic figure, or ruthless mass murderer?
Who is Joe Ferro? One person who will play an important role is Joe Ferro. He lived with his wife in Manhattan and was a sanitation worker. His family was very important to him, especially his niece, whose name is unknown to us.
In a recording of a phone call, Ferro contacts her during the outbreak. Whether she is still alive is unknown.
Ferro was a political person and could often be heard on the radio as a caller. There, he spoke about his opinion on the American public before the catastrophe. But then the outbreak came.
Ferro’s psyche suffers from the death of his wife: Ferro’s wife was likely among the first infected by the Green Poison. Shortly after the infection, she died. Her death was a harsh blow for him and made him unstable, almost fanatical.
The events surrounding the outbreak cause unrest. In the early days of the downfall, he responded in a radio show to the question of how he viewed the Dollar Flu:
I believe it only shows how vulnerable this country is. […] No one has enough guts – neither the government nor anyone else – to do what is necessary to stop the plague from spreading further.
Thus, Ferro develops his own idea of how to stop the catastrophe.
“Burn it all!” – The despair of the people leads to the emergence of the Cleaners
“Burn it out. ALL of it. EVERY trace of it”: Ferro sees the answer in a brutal solution, which for him seems to be the logical conclusion. The government was incapacitated, only he knew what to do: Everything and everyone must be burned to defeat the disease.
Ferro on the brink of madness: He is driven by the death of his wife. Joe witnessed firsthand what the green poison could do and likely thought that this was the only way to stop the disease.
Therefore, he gathered men and women who had also lost people. These individuals, mainly from occupations related to public order and with similar mindsets, wanted to eradicate the Dollar Flu at all costs. The sick were already considered lost and had to be burned. Only in this way could the old order be restored.
The Cleaners – For Ferro, the true heroes of the crisis
Heroes or lunatics? Joe Ferro sees himself and his faction as the only ones doing what needs to be done to save the city. He often emphasizes how proud he is of himself and his people. They left everything behind to maintain order. This is also mentioned in the Cleaners’ report No. 8:
That’s why we stand here today, without our families, without our children. Because we understand what it will cost to save this city and this country, and we are willing to pay the price. […] If you ask me, they are all heroes.
A loyal following: His followers were convinced by Ferro’s views and admired him for going out into the streets and getting his “hands dirty.”
Fire as a means against the Dollar Flu
Fire against the plague: To stop the green poison, it must be burned. This conviction was shared by Ferro and the Cleaners. So they equipped themselves with
- their typical weapon, the AK47 modified with a flamethrower
- toxic gas grenades
- protective suits
- vehicles
- tank trucks
Anyone who stood in their way was burned, as that person opposed the healing of the disease. The Cleaners roamed from neighborhood to neighborhood, burning everyone who showed even the slightest sign of the disease.
But they are not doctors. Red eyes and other “symptoms” could have many causes, such as cold, but for the Cleaners, this was too high a risk. They played it safe and killed anyone they believed showed signs of the green poison.
The conflicts between the Division and the Cleaners
One of the first encounters underground: The Cleaners are the first well-organized faction we encounter at the beginning of the game. In the mission “Subway Morgue,” the Cleaners confront the Division while they try to rescue JTF engineer Paul Rhodes.
Not a very pleasant sight: The area that the Cleaners, under the leadership of Cleaner leader Benchley, have seized underground was used as a morgue. Hundreds of body bags were sorted in dozens of rows.
Eventually, the Division frees Rhodes, and he restores power to the operations base.
Attack on the Hudson refugee camp
The Cleaner mechanic Martinez launched the next attack on the Hudson refugee camp, with the order to burn anyone showing signs of an infection there.
The Broadway department store was identified as an important location: The Division, together with the JTF, managed to stop the Cleaners and even obtain crucial data about the green poison. This allowed them to locate one of the main sources of the green poison.
The Broadway department store
In the department store against the Cleaners: Residues of the Dollar Flu were found in a cash register in Abel’s department store by the Division. However, they were not the only ones moving around in the department store.
A Cleaner squad, led by a waste burner named Kosinski, was also there, unaware that one of the sources of the virus was located in this department store. They were defeated by the Division, and the department store burned down.
The encounter with Joe Ferro
Ferro’s end: The JTF eventually discovered that the Cleaners were producing napalm on a large scale in a factory. This was also the base of the Cleaners, and Ferro had to be on site as well. The Division then infiltrated the site, destroyed the napalm supplies, and killed Ferro.
This was a brutal blow to the Cleaners. Without their leader, who made them believe in something, they were very weakened and began to splinter into smaller groups.
Amherst’s Apartment
Further Cleaner groups: Nevertheless, there were still enough followers trying to burn out the virus.
While the Division had localized the source of the virus in Amherst’s apartment, the Cleaners were already on site. They hoped to catch more infected people. In a skirmish, the Cleaners, led by Rogan, were defeated by the Division, and the apartment was examined by the Division along with virus data.
The battle with the Four Horsemen in the Dragon’s Lair
Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Lastly, the Cleaners built a massive weapon in the form of a fire truck named “Dragon”. This was to be completed in the Dragon’s Lair.
Equipped with several deadly flame guns, it was supposed to be able to “combat the disease” even more effectively and broadly, or simply incinerate more civilians. This weapon was guarded by the four deadly horsemen.
Four waste burners, very large Cleaners, all named after one of the four apocalyptic horsemen: “Death, Hunger, War, and Pestilence”. But even this facility could be conquered by the Division, and the fire truck was destroyed.
Currently, it is unknown who leads the Cleaners. Recently, they have been collaborating with the Westside Piers and the other factions, the Rikers and the Last Man Battalion. Apparently, there is still a leadership that can negotiate such alliances.
So even without Joe Ferro, there are enough devoted followers who want to continue his work.
In this video from NGN Network, the story of the Cleaners is summarized.
Desperation drives people to violent reactions: The Cleaners are one of the most interesting factions with complex motives. Many of them are simply people who cannot cope with their losses. Out of desperation, they are convinced that burning the sick is the only way out.
Organized chaos? Whether all of them are truly insane is hard to say. Because the Cleaners are still very well organized and have developed near military potential. Therefore, it can be assumed that there are also members within this faction who are primarily interested in power. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough material to draw conclusions on this.
Joe Ferro is the tragic embodiment of the Cleaners: Ferro was consumed by grief, anger towards the government, and the urge to save everyone and restore order. Ultimately, this cost him his life.
What do you think about the Cleaners? Which characters, factions, or stories would you like to read about next?
