7 Things Season 2 Does Better Than Season 1

Summary

• Season 2 introduces new side characters like Kim Chul and more screen time for familiar faces, expanding the story.
• Battles in Season 2 are more intense and dynamic with complex tactics due to Jinwoo’s mastery of his shadow army ability.
• Season 2 of Solo Leveling features more humor, diverse villains, dungeons, drama, emotions, and a complex story with sinister revelations.

The first season of Solo Leveling was an intense and exciting action fantasy series that is loved by a lot of people around the world. It sets the stage for the amazing and unprecedented rise of its charismatic main character, Sung Jin-Woo.

While the first season was great, the second takes everything to a whole new level, building on its strengths and delivering even more. So, with that in mind, here are 7 things Season 2 of Solo Leveling does that are better than the first season.

7

More Side Characters

New Faces for New Season

• Character Name: Kim Chul
• First Appearance: Episode 1 (Season 2)

While the first season features quite a few supporting characters, the overwhelming majority of the season focuses on Sung Jin-Woo and his battles against all sorts of monsters. The second season is still all about Jin-Woo, but this time around, quite a few new faces are getting their chance to shine.

Some of them only appear once but manage to leave a lasting impression, such as the arrogant Kim Chul or the nervous Son Kihoon. Some familiar faces also receive more screen time this time around, such as the leader of the White Tiger Guild, Baek Yoon-Ho, the leader of the Hunters Guild, Choi Jong-In, and the vice-captain of the Hunters Guild and Jinwoo’s potential love interest, Cha Hae-In.

6

Intense and Dynamic Battle

More Shadows, More Options to Fight

• Character Name: Kargalgan
• First Appearance: Episode 5 (Season 2)

Since the first season is all about Jin-Woo’s first attempt to rise through the ranks, the fight scenes are rather straightforward. After all, Jin-Woo himself is still trying new things and building battle experiences at this point. So there’s barely any tactic at all in his battles.

In the second season, however, Jinwoo has already become a formidable hunter. This is also the time when he starts to master his shadow army ability. As a result, he can perform more complex tactics, such as using a three-way pincer movement with his most powerful shadows or using his shadow mages to bombard the enemy from afar before he jumps in to deliver the final blow. That’s why the battles have become way more intense and dynamic than in the first season.

5

Splashes of Humor

Some Chuckle-Worthy Gags and Banter

• Character Name: Baek Yoonho
• First Appearance: Episode 1

The first season of Solo Leveling focuses more on the action side of the story, with some dramatic moments here and there. The second season is still all about the thrilling actions, but there are some splashes of humor here and there now, especially between the supporting characters.

Interestingly enough, the biggest comedic moments happen between the leaders of the two biggest guilds in the country, Baek Yoon-Ho from the White Tiger Guild and Choi Jong-In from the Hunters Guild. The two are close friends, but they are also big rivals. That’s why they always butt heads with each other, which resulted in some hilarious gags and banter.

4

A Wide Variety of Enemies

Different Flavors of Villains

• Character Name: Baran
• First Appearance: Episode 8 (Season 2)

The first season delivered quite a few great battles with multiple interesting enemies, but the most memorable one, by far, has to be the Blood-Red Commander Igris. But things are different in season 2. Higher-ranked dungeons mean there are iconic villains with different powers and personalities at every corner.

From the arrogant Ice Elves who have the same fighting style as Jin-Woo, to the cruel Goblin Sorcerer and his unique brand of magic, to the imposing Demon King who rides a giant wyvern into the battlefield, Season 2 offers so many great villains that will certainly be remembered long after the series ends.

3

Diverse Dungeons

New Places to Explore

• Character Name: Baruka
• First Appearance: Episode 1 (Season 2)

Continuing from the previous point. Different flavors of villains also mean a diverse range of dungeons. From Snow Plains to Massive Cave System to Burning Sky Scrappers, every major battle in Season 2 takes place in unique places that are different from the previous season.

The most unique dungeon of them all has to be the aforementioned Snow Plains. This dungeon belongs to the Red Gate that appears in the early parts of Season 2. Unlike other dungeons that usually take the hunters into confined places such as caves or certain city blocks, this dungeon transports the hunter into an actual open snow plain with lush forest and snowy mountain range.

2

Drama and Emotions

Tears and Intimate Human Interaction

• Character Name: Park Kyung-Hye
• First Appearance: Episode 2

The first season of Solo Leveling focused heavily on the action with little to no drama involved. In fact, the very first episode where Jin-Woo has to sacrifice himself for his team is the most dramatic moment in the first season. After that, the story jumped straight into action, and forgot about the drama. That is not the case at all for Season 2.

While Season 2 takes the action to a whole new level, it also offers more drama for the viewers. From Yoo Jinho’s tense relationship with his father to Jin-Woo’s heartwarming interaction with his sister, there are quite a few dramatic moments in this new season. However, the most memorable one of them all has to be that time when Jin-Woo let out a stream of tears and emotions upon seeing her mother finally wake up from her seemingly eternal slumber. That is easily one of the most powerful scenes in this series.

1

The Story Unfolds

Secrets and Revelations

• Character Name: Sung Il-Hwan
• First Appearance: Episode 3 (Season 2)

The first season of Solo Leveling is a story about how a lowly E-Rank hunter rises to become a powerful S-Rank hunter. It’s the familiar zero-to-hero story. The second season, however, is a bit different. It still revolves around Sung Jin-Woo’s meteoric rise, but this time around, the story unfolds to reveal something much more complex and sinister.

In the very first arc of the new season, the Red Gate Incident arc, the story reveals that somebody forced the monsters to attack humans, and the system will censor any monster who attempts to talk about this strange condition. Not only that, but those monsters also apparently don’t consider Sung Jin-Woo as a human at all.

As it turns out, Monarch of Shadows is not just a title for a high-ranking Necromancer. Monarchs are actually high-level beings who wield immense magical power. Throughout the rest of the season, it is also revealed that the Monarchs have some sinister plans that may drag humanity into a holy war that has been going on for eons. Interestingly enough, the one who stands at the forefront of humanity in this upcoming mythical war is Sung Jin-Woo’s father, Sung Il-Hwan. So from the inspiring zero-to-hero story in the first season, Solo Leveling has evolved into a larger-than-life story about the survival of humanity.