Solo Leveling: Why Jin-Woo’s Power Makes Him Both a Blessing and a Curse

There’s no stopping Sung Jin-Woo’s rise to power in Solo Leveling as he reaches higher levels, defeats more opponents, and outperforms elite hunters. Thanks to the system, Jin-Woo obtains unrivaled strength and abilities, which can either be a blessing or a curse to those around him. With so much power at his disposal, Jin-Woo’s presence becomes a gift to humanity and a threat to magical beasts and superior beings.

Gone are the days when hunters mock Jin-Woo’s laughable E-rank status in Solo Leveling. Now, everyone, including national-level hunters, treats him as a force to be reckoned with. His rise to the top is far from over as more story arcs unfold in the anime. The Jeju Island arc is just the beginning of a new era where everyone either sees him as a blessing or a curse.

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Humanity Is Blessed

Sung Jin-Woo Aims to Maintain the World

Originally an underdog, Sung Jin-Woo’s early days as an E-rank hunter are filled with humiliating experiences that only he can understand. Everyone, except for a few decent characters, laughs at Jin-Woo’s struggles, flaunting their superiority as if they aren’t weak themselves. Betrayal becomes a common occurrence for Jin-Woo, with others abandoning him in critical moments just to save themselves.

Despite everything, Jin-Woo has remained committed to maintaining the world ever since he obtained extraordinary abilities. His resolve to protect his family and friends extends to all of humanity, regardless of whether they support or criticize him. His power becomes a true blessing, as he’s the only one capable of saving the world from cosmic-level threats, fighting toe-to-toe against superior beings.

Jin-Woo Can Also Be a Curse to Humans

If Jin-Woo ever chooses to exempt humans he has no regard for from his protection, the situation would quickly turn for the worse. With the power he wields, he could easily protect only those dear to him, leaving the rest of the world to fend for themselves. And if that happens, no one would be able to stop him. Fortunately, the likelihood of this situation is slim, as Jin-Woo remains steadfast in his loyalty to humanity.

That said, this could very well be one of the reasons the Rulers consider sending Jin-Woo to another world for his power has become a threat by the end of the webtoon. With the threat of the Monarchs gone for a while, Jin-Woo takes over as the most formidable force on Earth, capable of changing the course of the world and the fate of humanity with his powers.

Jin-Woo Is an Existential Curse to Monarchs and Magical Beasts

Sung Jin-Woo Is Their Enemy

At first, a lowly goblin can stab Jin-Woo in the back and leave him severely wounded. The towering statues inside the Carthenon Temple could easily kill him too, subjecting him to a traumatizing experience that would break most people’s will to live. But that’s not the case with Jin-Woo. Instead of giving up, Jin-Woo endures countless life-or-death situations until a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity exclusively opens for him—a turning point that becomes a blessing for humanity and a curse to the Monarchs, excluding Ashborn.

The system designed by Kandiaru achieves its purpose of steering Jin-Woo’s growth and acclimating his body to handle the powers of the Shadow Monarch. However, Kandiaru never anticipated Ashborn’s betrayal. Rather than fighting on the same side as the Monarchs, Jin-Woo uses the system to obtain power and eventually finish them off one by one. In other words, Jin-Woo inherits the powers of a Monarch and turns it against them.

Worse, Jin-Woo hijacks the Monarchs’ plans to defeat the Rulers. By refusing to join forces while wielding Ashborn’s full powers, he seals their fate. The Monarchs are inevitably doomed. The Rulers, on the contrary, are surprisingly on the winning side, blessed with Jin-Woo, an unexpected anomaly who supports their purpose of maintaining the world.

Jin-Woo Turns Death Into Servitude

Sung Jin-Woo’s shadow extraction skill can easily become a terrifying and inescapable curse to humans and magical beasts alike. Take for example, Min Byung-Gu, whom he resurrected after dying at the hands of the Ant King. Jin-Woo could have chosen to use his shadow indefinitely for healing purposes, disregarding Byung-Gu’s personal convictions. Thankfully, Jin-Woo isn’t that kind of person.

Meanwhile, Jin-Woo uses shadow extraction on magical beasts and humans with powers worthy of being added to his army. He turns them into his servants with a strong desire to kneel before their killer. Even worse, Jin-Woo can discard his shadows if he deems them weaker than the new ones. In short, he becomes inescapable. Yet, despite this, Jin-Woo has a lot of good in him to treat his shadows as an extension of himself. Over time, they form a strong connection, making their relationship far better than their first encounter.

Depending on which side Jin-Woo fights for, he can either be a blessing or a curse in Solo Leveling. Those who seek his protection should not mess with him, while those who wish to interfere with his ways must be strong enough to defeat him.

Solo Leveling

Release Date

January 7, 2024

Directors

Shunsuke Nakashige

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  Taito Ban

  Shun Mizushino (voice)

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  Genta Nakamura

  Kenta Morobishi (voice)