Warning: Contains spoilers for the ending of Manhwa Solo Leveling
While fans are, understandably, excited about the upcoming second season of Single levelthey should not be ignored Level Up Alone: Ragnarok. This sequel successfully filled the void left by Sung Jinwoo after the anime series' hiatus. More importantly, Ragnarök's content makes it a direct rival to the glory of Solo Leveling, as many fans of the series argue that its storyline and overall quality are even superior to the original series.
Dangdo and JIN's Solo Leveling: Ragnarök expands on—but does not directly continue—the story of Solo Leveling. The focus now shifts to Sung Suho, the son of Solo Leveling heroes Sung Jinwoo and Cha Hae-In. Rather than being a direct sequel, this is a fresh start. This is because Jinwoo locked away Suho's memories to protect him from the evil forces that would surely target him if the world learned he was the son of the Shadow Monarch.
Ragnarök combines the old Solo Leveling style with a completely new story
However, Jinwoo's efforts to protect his son from danger begin to falter as the barrier he created to block Suho's supernatural abilities weakens. As a result, not only does Suho begin to realize that he is different from others, but powerful and evil forces also realize who he is. According to CBR.com, within the first few hours of the first episode of Ragnarök being released, the webtoon achieved a 9.9/10 rating, nearly three million views, and ranked first on Kakao, the series' online distribution platform. In other words, Ragnarök is just as popular, if not more so, than its predecessor, Solo Leveling..
What makes Ragnarök revolutionary and worth fans' attention is that—like any good sequel—it builds on the foundational concepts established in Solo Leveling, quickly establishing the framework and context of the story. Rather than simply rehashing the past, however, it ventures into new, unexplored territory for Solo Leveling fans. Aside from Shadow Monarch himself, very few major characters from the original series appear. By far the most important connection to the previous series is the fact that Suho is Jinwoo's son.
The bright side of this approach is that the story will appeal to both longtime Solo Leveling fans and new readers of Ragnarök. Solo Leveling fans will be eager to discover the aftermath of the events that led Jinwoo to the throne of Shadow Monarch. Meanwhile, those unfamiliar with the Solo Leveling universe will be drawn into the compelling coming-of-age story of a hero who inherits extraordinary powers but must learn to use them effectively.
Ragnarök offers a more realistic take on action, adventure, world-building, lore, and character traits in Solo Leveling. Unlike Solo Leveling, where Jinwoo's rapid rise from obscurity to ultimate hero was often criticized as implausible, Ragnarök presents Suho as a special individual from the start. As the son of two elite Hunters from his previous life, Suho possesses innate abilities that allow him to master the system and even surpass his parents' impressive achievements at the top.
With a new story, Ragnarök expands the Solo Leveling universe in a creative way
Solo Leveling fans might be hesitant to follow another story about an overpowered Hunter killing monsters with ease, but Ragnarök changes the formula. Suho has a keen awareness of his immense power, however, due to his father locking away his memories and abilities, he struggles to fully access, understand, and use his powers. As a result, While Jinwoo was surprised at how quickly and steadily he was able to “level up,” Suho was frustrated by the barriers to his progress. and was confused as to why he couldn't level up faster — especially considering his powerful lineage.
Suho’s bloodline is a fascinating aspect of his story and character development. Unlike his parents, Suho has a unique heritage that sets him apart. Although he is informed of his parents’ identities and accomplishments early on, his memories of them are virtually non-existent. This creates a fascinating dynamic: as he listens to retellings of their adventures, he is essentially continuing their legacy without fully understanding it. Suho tries to forge his own path but struggles to live up to a legacy he doesn’t really understand or connect with on a deeper level.
Suho's character development isn't the only aspect Ragnarök improves upon. It also expands on the lore and mythology of the original series. For example, in the early chapters, a new type of threat is introduced: monsters are now not only capable of killing Hunters, but can also infect and turn them into monsters. This makes dungeons more dangerous, as even a scratch from a monster can turn a Hunter into—depending on their class—a super-powered, weaponized minion who serves the monster without putting themselves in danger.
This is going to be a memorable year for Solo Leveling fans.
With Ragnarök and a New Anime Coming Soon – Planty Will Have Great Solo Leveling Content
There is also a growing divide between the “Awakened”—those with the power to fight monsters—and the Unawakened, the majority of humans without special abilities. While Solo Leveling largely depicts the Awakened as heroes dedicated to protecting humanity, Ragnarök introduces Awakened individuals who have become corrupted by their status. Instead of simply using their powers to fight monsters, some are now using them to rob, steal, and oppress weaker humans. In this way, some Hunters are becoming as much of a threat to society as the monsters themselves.
All of this means that it's a great time to be a Solo Leveling fan. On one hand, there's the highly anticipated second season of the Solo Leveling anime, which will continue Jinwoo's journey as he moves towards becoming the Shadow Monarch. On the other, there's Ragnarök – the story of his son, Suho.
Unlike his father, Suho was born with immense power and the potential to become the greatest Hunter ever, but he must learn to unlock these abilities with little guidance while facing even more powerful threats. Together, the upcoming anime and manga provide an exciting double feature that will keep Single level And Ragnarok Fans have been involved for months.
