Summary
- Norma Selner helps hunters exceed limits, a unique ability in Solo Leveling.
- Jin-Woo stands out for drawing strength from within, unlike other hunters.
- Norma Selner’s powers fail on Jin-Woo, who is perceived as the darkness itself.
In Solo Leveling, it’s basic hunter knowledge that an awakener has a limit, and nobody can exceed it unless they are Sung Jin-Woo, a reawakener, or haven’t met the right person capable of pushing their abilities to another level. Believe it or not, there’s a character who helps selected hunters go past their limits and make the impossible possible with her abilities.
Many hunters dream of getting stronger, including Jin-Woo himself, who was once renowned as the weakest hunter of all mankind. It’s essential to possess strength in the universe of Solo Leveling, as the strong, rather than the weak, have greater chances of surviving in a world where ferocious magical beasts and superior beings with twisted minds exist. Fortunately, an important character in the series works wonders with her abilities.
Related
Solo Leveling: How Can Jin-Woo Understand Monsters?
It seems like Jin-Woo is the only hunter who can understand monsters in Solo Leveling, but how did he do it?
This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling manhwa.
The Upgrader, Normal Selner
Federal Bureau of Hunters’ Top-Secret Asset
- First Webtoon Appearance: Chapter 109
- First Novel Appearance: Chapter 130
- Affiliation: Federal Bureau of Hunters
There are three known ways for hunters to get stronger in Solo Leveling. Firstly, they need to experience a phenomenon called reawakening. Secondly, they need to become a player in the system like Sung Jin-Woo, who gradually gains strength and power as he levels up one after another. And third, they must seek the help of Norma Selner, an awakener based in America and employed by the Federal Bureau of Hunters.
“She is Mrs. Norma Selner, the only hunter in the world who can help hunters exceed their limits.”—Michael Connor
Norma Selner, otherwise referred to as simply Mrs. Selner in the manhwa, is a one-of-a-kind awakener possessing a unique ability. While she’s not physically strong like Cha Hae-In and good enough to provide support like Min Byung-Gu on the battlefield, she is a national-level asset treasured and respected by American hunters. After all, she is the only one capable of helping other awakeners go past their limit.
How Does Norma Selner’s Ability Work?
Even Jin-Woo Is Amazed by Her Upgrader Ability
Once a hunter experiences Norma Selner’s ability, they are likely to get attached to it, regardless of their rank. In fact, Hwang Dong-Soo instantly fell for her ability as soon as he experienced the miracles of it. He just can’t refuse it anymore, leading to his decision to abandon Korea and become a hunter in America. However, not everyone can become a recipient of Selner’s powers. She, along with the Federal Bureau, screens the worthy hunters in exchange for a hefty fee.
According to Norma Selner, she isn’t certain whether her ability can be seen as a forced reawakening or if she’s simply raising a hunter’s potential. There are also three stages for a hunter to get stronger through her ability, but the manhwa did not provide many details about it, except for the first step, in which a hunter should look closely into Selner’s eyes.
“Once you experience it, you’ll have no choice but to cling on to it.”—Norma Selner
The efficiency of Selner’s ability depends on the recipient, but based on previous attempts, a hunter can feel at least 20% or maybe up to 30% stronger once they complete the third stage. Normally, Selner has no problems using her abilities on selected hunters, but when it comes to Jin-Woo, things don’t go as planned.
Why Norma Selner’s Ability Did Not Work on Jin-Woo
Jin-Woo’s Power Comes From Within
As revealed in the Solo Leveling manhwa, chapter 115, Norma Selner’s powers fail to work on Jin-Woo because his strength comes from within instead of an outside source. Unlike other hunters who draw their power from the other side or an external source, Jin-Woo doesn’t borrow his power from anywhere because it comes from within. In other words, Selner believes Jin-Woo has no limitations at all, for he is the darkness itself.
This is the reason why Selner freaks out when she first takes a look at Jin-Woo. She becomes extremely scared, to the point that she even gets nightmares from the encounter, as the darkness itself stares back at her. This doesn’t mean that Jin-Woo is evil, as he has always been a protector rather than a destroyer in the series. For Norma Selner, Jin-Woo is not like the Kings veiled in a brilliant light but the exact opposite of it. Perhaps she wasn’t yet aware of the existence of the Monarchs, only knowing about the existence of the Rulers.
“He is a King but he’s different than the others. When I looked into him, he was also looking back at me.”—Norma Selner to Jin-Woo
All in all, Norma Selner has an amazing ability worthy of being treated as a top-secret power-up. It’s only right that she, along with the Federal Bureau, screens potential candidates, as her power can either be a blessing or a curse to America. She is unique among all the hunters, including Jin-Woo, which makes her a relevant Solo Leveling character. However, no matter how effective her abilities are for other hunters, she can’t simply mess with Jin-Woo.
- Release Date
-
January 7, 2024
- Directors
-
Shunsuke Nakashige
-
Taito Ban
Shun Mizushino (voice)
-
Genta Nakamura
Kenta Morobishi (voice)
