Unveiling the Secrets of Solo Leveling’s Ultimate Catastrophe!

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This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling Manhwa

Summary

  • Sung Il-Hwan was sent back to Earth to avert an upcoming catastrophe.
  • Jin-Woo’s powers come from Ashborn, the Shadow Monarch.
  • Earth was prepared for catastrophe with the rise of Hunters and Gates.

There is still a lot we don’t know about the world of Solo Leveling. One day, suddenly Gates started to appear that sent magical beasts to earth, but also allowed humans to fight back as Hunters. Sung Il-Hwan was trapped in one such gate. On his return to Earth, he warned about an upcoming catastrophe. What exactly is that?

The origins of the supernatural beings and powers in Solo Leveling are still unknown. Jin-Woo continues to get strong with every fight, but where are his powers coming from and is the System preparing him for a coming disaster?

Sung Il-Hwan and The Ultimate Catastrophe

Sung Il-Hwan’s Absence and Return

When the Gates first appeared, Il-Hwan started pursuing being a hunter. He was extremely strong and would’ve gained a lot of fame, but unfortunately, back then the Ranking System was still not established, and his strength was not recognized. During a raid, he got trapped inside a dungeon and continued to be stuck there for the next 10 years. Upon returning, he was found and arrested on the assumption that he was a magical beast.

The Federal Bureau of Hunters sent Hwang Dong-Soo to interrogate him where Il-Hwan warned about the upcoming catastrophe. Il-Hwan claimed that what the world currently knows about dungeons and magical beasts is very little. He also claimed that he was sent back to Earth to stop an upcoming catastrophe.

The dungeons, the gates, the beasts… They’re just the tip of the iceberg.

The power capable of bringing forth the ultimate catastrophe has awakened…

…My goal is to avert that catastrophe.

– Sung Il-Hwan, Season 2, Episode 3

What is the Ultimate Catastrophe?

The ultimate catastrophe refers to Jin-Woo. More specifically, his reawakened powers that he received from Ashborn, the Shadow Monarch. When Il-Hwan was nearing death in the dungeon, he was saved by celestial beings called Rulers. Fearing that the Shadow Monarch will reawaken soon using a human host, the Rulers lent Il-Hwan their powers and sent him back to Earth to kill this host. But Il-Hwan was unaware that this host was his son, Sung Jin-Woo.

Rulers and Monarchs

When Il-Hwan claimed that humans know only the tip of the iceberg, he was referring to the powers of the Rulers and Monarchs. The Rulers and Monarchs are the strongest beings in the Solo Leveling universe. Created by the Absolute Being, the two races battle each other endlessly. The Monarchs aimed to destroy the world while the Rulers tried to protect it. When the Rulers realized that the Absolute Being wasn’t interested in saving the world and was only entertaining himself by enjoying the war, they rebelled against him.

But the strongest Ruler among them still defended the Absolute Being, and fought the others alone. Closing defeat, he discovered the power of the Shadows hidden beneath him and emerged as Ashborn, the Monarch of Shadows.

How Jin-Woo Stopped the Ultimate Catastrophe

The Shadow Monarch’s Decision

After the Rulers emerged as the New Gods, Ashborn sided with the Monarchs to balance the powers between the two. He fought alongside the Monarchs and was considered the strongest of them all, feared both by the Rulers and the Monarchs. This led to a betrayal by two Monarchs, but Ashborn overcame their betrayal but the war cost him the entirety of his army. He went into hiding and started looking for a human vessel that would inherit his powers so that he could eventually aid the Monarch’s destruction on Earth.

Earth, the Center of Conflict

After losing to the Rulers, the Monarchs started attacking Earth to regain their lost power. They annihilated humanity, but the Rulers used the Absolute Being’s powers to turn back time. But regardless of their efforts, humanity continued to perish with no means to defend themselves. To make humans stronger, the Rulers created the gates that merged the Earth with the magical beasts. The rise of the Hunters and the danger of the Gates was the Rulers’ move to prepare Earth for the upcoming catastrophe. Rulers also choose exceptional Hunters as vessels to lend their powers.

Known Vessels of the Rulers

Thomas Andre USA
Liu Zhigang China
Christopher Reed USA
Siddharth Bachchan India
Sung Il-Hwan South Korea
Go Gun-Hee South Korea
Jonas Brazil

Jin-Woo and Ashborn

Jin-Woo was chosen by Ashborn as his vessel. He was impressed by Jin-Woo’s resilience. Initially, he had planned to take over Jin-Woo’s body completely, but as time went on, he bonded with Jin-Woo and made him the new Shadow Monarch. When Il-Hwan found out his son was the vessel for the Shadow Monarch, he could not bring himself to kill him. But realizing that Jin-Woo is not a threat to humanity but instead an ally, the Rulers ordered Il-Hwan to protect him instead. Resulting in the end of the feared Ultimate Catastrophe.

Threat Still Lingers

By siding with Jin-Woo, Ashborn betrayed the Monarchs. The Monarchs planned to continue their annihilation of Earth. To protect his loved ones, Jin-Woo called upon the Rulers to fight alongside him and protect the world. The final battle takes place on Earth, placing everything on the line.

When Jin-Woo received his powers, he did not fully understand them. As time went on, his body became strong enough to be taken over by Ashborn, but Jin-Woo’s actions made the Shadow Monarch side with him. With the powers that were meant to destroy Earth, Jin-Woo continued to protect it.

Solo Leveling is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

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2025-03-17 02:25