Warning: Contains spoilers for Solo Leveling: Ragnarok chapter #62.Ever since Solo Leveling first came out, the series has, for better or worse, been one of the definitive power fantasies in the world of manhwa and web novels, with Jinwoo’s leveling system consistently making him the strongest character in the series and arguably one of the strongest in fiction, and even if the writing doesn’t always hold up, the sheer spectacle of it all has more than made up for it at every turn.
Solo Leveling has been defined by Jinwoo being the strongest fighter, and the sequel, Solo Leveling: Ragnarok, took that even further, as not only did Jinwoo evolve into a cosmic entity to fight literal gods, but his son, Sung Suho, gained the same System power as Jinwoo, and it wasn’t long before he became just as overpowered as his father. For a while, things seemed like they would just be more of the same, but that makes it all the more surprising that one of the last chapters of the manhwa changed the series in such a major way.
In chapter #47 of the Solo Leveling: Ragnarok manhwa, Suho gained the power to lend weapons created from his shadow to other people, and chapter #62 finally followed up on that with another shocking reveal: Suho’s weapons have their own leveling system where they get stronger the more other people use them. That means that every character is now capable of becoming monsters like Jinwoo and Suho, and the implications of that are massive.
Solo Leveling: Ragnarok completely changes the franchise’s type of story, and there’s a lot to take away from that. With the story now evolving into one where everyone can become a god-tier threat, that means that unlike his father, Suho won’t be the one who single-handedly defeats every villain, even if he still ends up doing most of the work. Granted, Suho has already been better at working with others than Jinwoo up until now, but this change means that the series is bound to go even further with it all.
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That idea is especially important when considering the Itarim. As the strongest beings in the entire franchise, strong enough that even Jinwoo can’t fight them alone, the final battle with them will require incredible power, so not only does Suho’s new power allow other characters to become strong enough to help, but it will also make for even bigger spectacle than if it were just Jinwoo and Suho doing all the work. That sets up the most exciting climax someone could hope for, and once Solo Leveling: Ragnarok’s hiatus ends, it will be great to watch it play out.
Solo Leveling: Ragnarok is completely rewriting the power fantasy elements that defined it, and that’s great to see. One of the biggest criticisms of Solo Leveling has been that its heroes are overpowered to the point that they become boring and drag the story down with them, so if other characters have a chance to grow in the same way, then there can be far more variety in what the story can do, and that will make it all the more fun to read.
Solo Leveling: Ragnarok’s new developments are more redefining its power fantasy tropes than outright abandoning them, but the fact that something is happening at all makes it clear that even the author understands that something needed to change, and the reveal, itself, is even kicked off by Suho not wanting people to feel powerless, as opposed to Jinwoo being okay with taking on the burden of being the strongest. Solo Leveling will never be the same again, but that’s nothing but a compliment, and it will be great to see where things go from here.
Solo Leveling follows Sung Jin-woo, the world's weakest hunter, who gains extraordinary powers through a mysterious program after surviving a brutal monster attack. As he navigates his newfound abilities, Jinwoo embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of his powers and the dungeon that altered his fate.