The following section contains spoilers for Solo Leveling Chapter 179 by Chugong, Dubu, and h-goon, which is now available in English on Tappytoon

With its epic action sequences and stunning artwork, Solo Leveling, the webtoon that captivated the world for three years, ended with 179 chapters. Jinwoo's journey from a novice hunter to the best hunter in the world is the subject of this tale. Jinwoo has faced off against everything from knights to orcs.

He had to fight one of his toughest battles yet in this finale. Jinwoo faced Antares, the Monarch of Destruction, along with the assistance of his formidable shadow army because he was unwilling to let any more people perish. Although most people thought the webtoon's ending was satisfactory, it did leave some fans feeling a little conflicted, as endings frequently do. Nevertheless, Solo Leveling had a huge fan base that supported Jinwoo at every turn. And now it's time to bid the hero farewell.

 

The battle of Jinwoo's anticlimactic With Antares In the Solo Leveling Finale

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Jinwoo attracted Antares to a deserted island in Japan by using Kamish's rune stone, where he then used the Dragon's Fearsome Roar to frighten him away from the others. Shadow army versus a dragon army; monarch versus monarch. While Antares quickly cornered Jinwoo and presented him with an offer, Jinwoo briefly managed to hold his own.

If the two of them worked together to destroy the Rulers, he would spare Korea and vanish. Jinwoo, however, was able to see through his lies and was aware that Antares would promptly murder him if given the opportunity. Antares immediately changed into a huge dragon and started attacking again. He came to the conclusion that he needed to make his own armor out of shadows and darkness since Jinwoo's dagger was unable to pierce through his thick armor.

It was a symbolic moment to see flashes of Ashborn, Jinwoo's father, and Jinwoo's past self as he delivered the final blow to Antares with the same dagger that his father used. Jinwoo purchased enough time for the Rulers' army to arrive. Although the fight panels between Jinwoo and Antares featured some of the best artwork in the webtoon, the glory was diminished when the Rulers appeared at the last second as a deus ex machina and killed Antares in one simple jab. Jinwoo's efforts were rendered futile at the time.

 

The Use of The Time Travel Trope by Solo Leveling Didn't Provide Closure. 

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Jinwoo's choice to use the Cup of Reincarnation is one of the factors that have caused disagreement among fans regarding the conclusion. Jinwoo wasn't content despite the Rulers thanking him for saving humanity. Yes, Antares was no longer there, but a few Monarchs were still alive. More importantly, he had lost many people he cared about, most recently his father and Adam, not to mention the trauma his sister had experienced while attending the school. Although he didn't show it, he was deeply affected by these deaths, which is why, in the style of classic shonen anime, he wanted to travel back in time to save them all.

With the ability to go back in time, the Cup of Reincarnation would bring back all deceased Monarchs, including Antares, while also preserving their mental faculties. Shadows like Iron and Greed were no longer able to fight alongside Jinwoo because he had locked himself in the dimension gap with the last shadows which would still exist in the past. Jinwoo experienced a flashback to his middle school years when the Cup was activated.

When Antares and Jinwoo re-met, Jinwoo had defeated every Monarch. Although it was a little disappointing, the webtoon didn't go into great detail about how their battle actually played out. On the one hand, Solo Leveling had already given fans a fairly epic fight in the previous chapters, so a second fight would seem unnecessary. On the other hand, it's unlikely that the Rulers would intervene once more, which would have made the conflict between Jinwoo and Antares more exciting.

 

The Power Of Jinwoo In Solo Leveling Alarmed The Rulers

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In the dimensional gap, Jinwoo had been at war for 27 years, but only two years had passed in the real world. It is safe to say that Jinwoo also saved the Rulers in addition to saving humanity. The Rulers would have been forced into a corner as the Monarchs grew more powerful if it weren't for him. Jinwoo even made the decision to go back in time, eliminate every monarch on his own, and bring about peace.

However, the Rulers held different views. The Rulers were alarmed when they learned that the god of death would be making a comeback with his army because Norma Selner has improved at accurately predicting the future ever since she made contact with the other world. They offered Jinwoo the option of leaving Earth or being imprisoned because they knew they wouldn't be able to defeat him. They are being utter hypocrites, and by doing so, they are no different from the Monarchs who tried to get rid of Ashborn because they were afraid of his immense power.

 

Jinwoo Questioned His Purpose After Solo Leveling's Ending

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Along with turning back time, the Cup of Reincarnation also removed Jinwoo from everyone's memories. He made sacrifices to save the world, but no one would ever remember them. He would no longer be recognized by all of his friends and allies.

To see Jinwoo reunite with his family and enjoy a very brief break is a little bittersweet. Even though Jinwoo is a strong man, all he wants is to be a typical young boy, so there was a hint of longing in his voice when he admitted that it felt like he had a nightmare. Jinwoo seemed to be pleading with himself that delaying the conflict with the Monarchs for a little while longer wouldn't harm anyone as his monologue had a vulnerable quality to it.

Jinwoo leveled up and grew stronger throughout Solo Leveling because he was motivated by a desire to keep everyone safe. He was furious with the Rulers, but he also started to wonder if he was even still needed since his task had been completed. Maybe he didn't need a lofty, heroic justification for staying; perhaps all he needed was to want to live with those he loved.