Solo Leveling Just Showed Jinwoo's Darkest Moment Yet With His First Step Toward the Dark Side

Warning: Contains spoilers for Solo Leveling Episode #14.Solo Leveling's second season is finally underway, and the anime has been everything fans have dreamed of and more thus far. Continuing where the record-breaking premiere left off, Episode #14, titled "I Suppose You Aren't Aware", opens with protagonist Sung Jinwoo recruiting the shadow of one of the defeated Ice Bears into his army. Quickly being approached by a pack of Ice Elves, the main character jumps right back into action, leading to a fight that showcases the cold, gradual loss of humanity taking place in the protagonist.

The anime's second season is set to cover multiple arcs over its relatively short 13 episode run, and this is reflected in the breakneck pacing of the first two episodes. With little time to spare, the latest entry follows the prior episode's masterful visual work with more impressively energetic action, leading to a tense showdown between Jinwoo and the Ice Elf boss of the Red Gate Dungeon.

Though a battle that would end in victory for Sung Jinwoo and his shadow army, the climactic showdown of the most recent episode marks a major shift in the main character, one which the series had been building towards since the introduction of his new powers. The deciding moment of the fight comes when the hunter commands Igris to kill Kim Chul, before recruiting him into his shadow army. Now, much stronger than he's ever been, Jinwoo continues leveling up while slowly losing his humanity.

Sung Jinwoo's Newest Shadow Recruit Marks a Dark Shift in the Protagonist

Jinwoo Shows No Emotion In Killing and Recruiting Another Human

Along with his newly found immense power, Sung Jinwoo has been met with threats from as many humans as he has monsters. A pivotal moment for the character came during Solo Leveling's first season, when he was forced to kill other hunters in self-defense while trapped in the Spider dungeon. Weighing somewhat on his mind, those humans were the only ones he killed for the rest of Season One's runtime.

Season Two's most recent episode, however, sees Jinwoo murder another human once again, and this time around, the action was much more cold-blooded than his previous kills. While fighting the Ice Elf boss, a disgruntled Kim Chul begins charging Jinwoo from behind, and without a second thought, the series' protagonist calls upon Igris to kill the deranged hunter, all while he looks on emotionless. Jinwoo then promptly recruits the shadow of Kim Chul, setting it on the Ice Elf, before naming him Iron.

Strategically, the move is genius, and it eventually led to victory over the Red Gate Dungeon's boss. It was also a cold, unfeeling decision, however, and one that Sung Jinwoo showed no remorse for making. The hunter said himself that the Ice Elf was probably stronger than he was, and though Iron played a key role in the win, Jinwoo didn't exactly exhaust himself to the point where killing another human was his only option. The murder of Kim Chul and his subsequent recruitment showcases a line that the series' protagonist has crossed, whether he's aware of it or not.

Jinwoo's Shadow Army Is Gaining Numbers, But at a Cost

Sung Jinwoo's Army Is Growing as He Loses Grip on His Humanity

Sung Jinwoo's abilities are improving with every battle, and since receiving his Necromancer job-change, so is his army of shadows. Solo Leveling's second season has wasted no time showcasing just how powerful that army can be, featuring a collaborative effort between him, Igris, and Iron in the action-packed fight with the Ice Elf boss. Working together, the three made quick work of their enemy, and walked away from the battle unscathed.

While undeniably impressive, Sung Jinwoo is also slowly losing his grip on himself with each new battle fought, as made clear with his killing of Kim Chul. As the series' protagonist continues on his current pace, it will not take long before he has no second thoughts about killing humans, innocent or not, and using them in order to defeat an enemy. Sung Jinwoo must tread lightly from this point in the series, or his own power might just spiral out of control.

Solo Leveling's second season has already blown fans away only two episodes into its total runtime. Featuring all the visually impressive action that the series has become known for, it seems the show is making a major, early push for anime of the year. Sung Jinwoo's battles are only getting started, and fans won't want to miss any of the blood-pumping action to come.