This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling manhwa series.
Summary
- Magic beasts in Solo Leveling attack humans due to manipulation by higher beings like the Monarchs and Rulers.
- Monsters have essence stones that compel them to attack humans, driven by a voice inside their heads.
- The Rulers and the Monarchs use monsters as pawns to prepare for a large-scale war in Solo Leveling.
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In Solo Leveling, monsters, otherwise known as magic beasts, harbor an intense desire to harm and attack humans. Whether they are a high orc, a golem, or even a lowly goblin, these magic beasts treat humans as nothing more than prey. While a lot of anime and manga provide various reasons behind the hostility of the monsters, the magic beasts in Solo Leveling attack humans for a much bigger reason than just primal instinct.
Humanity is at war with the magical beasts after the sudden appearance of the Gates in different parts of the world. On the other side of the gate, individuals gifted with extraordinary abilities fight magical beasts before they can slaughter humans and destroy cities. While these heroic individuals are a blessing to humanity, the monsters are a curse—an embodiment of the true horrors that lie within the Gates.
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What Exactly Are the Monsters in Solo Leveling?
They Are the Denizens of the Chaos World
On the surface, the monsters in Solo Leveling look like mindless creatures driven by primal instincts. Humans are not exactly aware that some monsters, especially those high-ranking dungeon bosses, are capable of reasoning—they can speak, use weapons, organize an army, and even form battle strategies. It’s understandable since humans can’t communicate with monsters, except for Sung Jin-Woo, who’s fluent in monster language. Without a shared language, negotiations are impossible, which seemingly explains why humans never consider some kind of diplomatic approach to dealing with monsters.
“The longer you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.” — Sung Jin-Woo
In Solo Leveling chapter 137, the Monarch of the Beginning reveals to Sung Jin-Woo that the monsters residing within the mysterious gates are the denizens of the chaos world. However, they are no ordinary denizens, since the monsters within the gates are only remnants of the defeated armies of the Monarchs. After being leashed by the armies of the Rulers for so long, their egos have deteriorated, intensifying their thirst for blood. Except for the Monarch of the Beginning, these monsters have already lost their sanity.
Why Do Monsters Attack Humans?
While humans fight monsters for survival, monsters relentlessly attack humans for several reasons. Their aggression stems not just from primal instinct or deep resentment, but also from the manipulation of higher beings, such as the Monarchs and the Rulers. The monsters have magic crystals or essence stones placed in their bodies, which constantly tell them to hunt humans. It’s almost like there’s a voice inside their heads that persuades them to attack humans regardless of their own will.
Primal Instinct and Survival
Monsters are natural predators that mostly operate on primal instinct, particularly those low-level creatures that lack intelligence and like to attack anything that moves. They possibly see humans as their food source and simply treat them as part of the food chain. It’s a natural thing since both species exist in the same world. Moreover, the magical beasts possibly see humans as a potential threat to their territory, especially those hunters who raid dungeons. It’s also natural for monsters to be aggressive against an unfamiliar species, especially with humans who have a killing intent.
Manipulation of Higher Beings
It’s not uncommon for higher beings to manipulate creatures that are less powerful than them. Most of the time, they serve a greater villain, possibly a demon lord, who orders them to attack humans for the purpose of extermination or conquest. That said, there’s plenty of fantasy and isekai anime out there that use this plotline, with demon lords commanding their army of monsters to ransack a village or even wipe out an entire race.
“I have always wondered whether a monster was capable of feeling fear or not. It looks like I got my answer.” — Sung Jin-Woo
However, in Solo Leveling, the higher beings, particularly the Rulers, have a different purpose in mind. They are using the magical beasts to transform the human world into a large-scale battlefield. Their end goal is to fortify the human world with magical energy strong enough it will be able to withstand the effects of yet another war with the Monarchs. The monsters, combined with the essence stones, are just footholds of an upcoming war, in which humanity is once again caught in the middle.
From the beginning, the conflict between the Rulers and the Monarchs dictates the fate of the monsters and humanity in Solo Leveling. Fortunately, there exists a young man by the name of Sung Jin-Woo who’s willing to selflessly change this doomed fate.
Solo Leveling
- Release Date
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January 7, 2024
- Directors
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Shunsuke Nakashige
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Taito Ban
Shun Mizushino (voice)
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Genta Nakamura
Kenta Morobishi (voice)
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