Will Sung Jin-Woo Become Weak Again?

Solo Leveling’s Sung Jin-Woo is widely known for his horrifying army of shadows, which easily qualifies him as one of the most powerful anime characters ever. His incredible power far surpasses the most formidable hunters and Monarchs, allowing him to eliminate all kinds of cosmic-level threats. But as the plot unfolds in Solo Leveling, will Sung Jin-Woo lose his power and return to his E-rank state?

Before Sung Jin-Woo’s rise to power, he was a hopeless E-rank hunter with the most pathetic abilities. As an underdog, Jin-woo is incredibly weak, perpetually teetering on the edge of death. Worse, Jin-Woo owns the humiliating moniker of the world’s weakest hunter, someone who could probably die from a low-level goblin attack or even a slime. Jin-Woo’s fate only begins to change after he is accepted as a player in Kandiaru’s system, and since then, his life has never been the same.

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What Is the Source of Sung Jin-Woo’s Power?

The Shadow Monarch Chooses Sung Jin-Woo

The primary source of Sung Jin-Woo’s tremendous power comes from the Shadow Monarch, the same King of the Dead who fought against the other Monarchs and the Rulers back in the day. His true strength does not come from the system, nor from the system’s architect and his puppet statues, but from the Shadow Monarch himself. The system is merely a tool designed like a video game to groom the Shadow Monarch’s vessel, which is Sung Jin-Woo.

Within the system created by the mage Kandiaru, Sung Jin-Woo’s potential as the Shadow Monarch’s vessel is nurtured. As Jin-Woo levels up and enhances his strength, the system gradually prepares his body for the Shadow Monarch’s eventual descent into the human world—but this isn’t exactly what happened. Surprisingly, the Shadow Monarch betrays Kandiaru and chooses to bestow his powers, including his black heart, on Jin-Woo in the belief that he will be able to properly succeed him.

Without Sung Jin-Woo’s sheer determination to continue living, he would never have been chosen by the Shadow Monarch, let alone entrusted with his powers. His bravery and perseverance to survive for his family are the deciding factors that ultimately convinced the Shadow Monarch of his worthiness. All of this means it’s not an accident nor a coincidence that Jin-Woo became the Shadow Monarch’s apprentice.

Will Sung Jin-Woo Become Weak Again?

Will Sung Jin-Woo Lose His Powers?

No one is safe in Solo Leveling, not even Sung Jin-Woo, despite his monstrous abilities. In fact, he is driven into a corner and even killed when the Beast Monarch and the Frost Monarch team up to take him down before he can absorb the full power of the Shadow Monarch. While others would perish for good in this situation, Jin-Woo made a haunting return after he became one with the Shadow Monarch.

Interestingly, fans will only witness Jin-Woo revert to his E-rank status once, all thanks to the Shadow Monarch’s illusion. The Shadow Monarch seemingly transported Jin-Woo back in time to when he was still an E-rank hunter and had been hospitalized after the double dungeon incident. After this, there are no more twists and turns in the series that revert Jin-Woo to his original E-rank state, so fans should not be concerned.

Sung Jin-Woo’s Strength After the War

As much as Sung Jin-Woo’s detractors wish to see him fall from grace, it never happens. Instead, Jin-Woo continues his quest for power, just as he always has—typical for a shounen anime protagonist. This desire to get stronger is not an unfamiliar trope, as Jin-Woo’s attitude can be compared to Dragon Ball’s Son Goku and Vegeta, or even One Piece’s Monkey D. Luffy, who constantly strives for greatness in the face of a stronger foe.

All of Jin-Woo’s efforts put him on a pedestal so high that no one, not even the Dragon Monarch, can bring him down. With the true power of the Shadow Monarch at Jin-Woo’s disposal, he fights for 27 years before coming back to Earth to face a different kind of challenge.

However, Jin-Woo could still lose his power if he were ever stripped or robbed of the Shadow Monarch’s abilities. An external force, or even Jin-Woo himself, could also restrict and conceal his abilities, drastically changing the situation. For the time being, unless additional lore is revealed, Jin-Woo remains the strongest being in Solo Leveling, with a power capable of changing the course of the world.

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)