Was Igris Human? The Shocking Truth Behind Solo Leveling’s Knight

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Summary

  • Jin-Woo’s major shadows in Solo Leveling include former magical beasts and humans like Iron.
  • Jin-Woo acquires Igris during a job-change quest, showing his skill and effort in summoning powerful shadows.
  • Igris was revealed to have a tragic backstory of betrayal and death.

In the captivating world of Solo Leveling, it’s intriguing to note that the vast majority of Sung Jin-Woo’s shadows were once magical beasts. However, some significant ones, like Iron who was previously A-rank hunter Kim Chul, were actually humans in their past lives. The enigma surrounding Jin-Woo’s first major shadow, Igris, is a topic of great interest among fans. Given the scarcity of information about him since his introduction in Solo Leveling, it leaves us eager to learn more about his past.

In the course of switching jobs within the system, Sung Jin-Woo gains control over Igris. Previously, he was recognized as the Blood-Red Commander Igris, an impressive knight who protected an empty throne. Overpowering his shadow wasn’t a simple task; Jin-Woo had to work harder than usual to conquer him, not just summoning him but also putting forth extra effort in the process. It took Jin-Woo two attempts before he successfully extracted Igris, only succeeding after deciding to offer some encouragement.

This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling manhwa.

Igris, the Humanoid Knight Shadow of Jin-Woo

How Jin-Woo Acquired Igris

Origin and Identity: Blood-Red Commander Igris
First Anime Appearance: Solo Leveling season 1 episode 12 “Arise.”
First Manhwa Appearance: Solo Leveling chapter 45
Story Arc: Job Change Arc

In the course of trying to finish his task assigned by the system, Sung Jin-Woo meets Blood-Red Commander Igris. Unlike the adversaries he’d previously vanquished, this one, Blood-Red Igris, was evidently in a class of his own. Towering over others as a colossal humanoid knight, he stood watch over an empty throne, suggesting he was on duty for a master yet to come back. Being seen as an interloper, it fell upon Blood-Red Igris to mete out punishment to the best of his abilities.

“Blood Red Commander Igris, Arise.”—Sung Jin-Woo

In this encounter, I found myself in a no-holds-barred situation against Igris, needing to rely on my existing skills and power to see the quest through. The odds were stacked high as I squared off against this towering knight with nothing but my fists for defense. Surprisingly, Igris chose to set aside his weapons, including his sword, showing a surprising chivalry towards an unarmed opponent like me. However, the battle soon escalated again, with both of us resorting to our weapons – I struck at Igris’ head with a dagger while he attempted to finish me off with his sword. In the end, I managed to come out on top, and later claimed Igris’ shadow, making him the first significant shadow in this series, marking my own progression as well.

The Truth About Igris

In the story of Solo Leveling, the background and true identity of Igris are veiled in enigma. Unlike other shadows associated with Jin-Woo, there’s scant information about his past life, why he was stationed at an abandoned throne, or what prompted him to defy Jin-Woo’s commands to rise up on two occasions. Furthermore, Igris seems relatively subdued compared to other shadows like Beru and Iron, who are known for their flamboyant personalities.

It’s understandable that dealing with such a formidable foe even after four hours has passed would prove challenging.

Regardless, the series Solo Leveling sheds light on fascinating aspects of Igris. It is later disclosed that Igris was among the initial Shadows who obeyed the first Shadow Monarch, Ashborn. Interestingly, he held a position similar to Bellion in Ashborn’s shadow forces within the manhwa. However, it remains undetermined if he too emerged from the World Tree’s fruit. What is known for sure is that Ashborn tasked Igris with evaluating Jin-Woo’s abilities to decide his suitability as a potential vessel.

Is Igris a Former Human?

Solo Leveling: Arise Reveals Igris’ Backstory

In the popular manhwa “Solo Leveling,” Igris’ past wasn’t fully explained, causing readers to speculate about his origins before he turned into a shadow. However, upon the release of the game “Solo Leveling: Arise,” a game-specific backstory for the shadow, Igris, was presented, shedding light on his history. Although some fans are skeptical about this storyline, many others now consider it as canon due to its revelation in the game.

Consequently, Igris was formerly human. Previously, he was a chivalrous knight with a family – a wife and children. With his exceptional skill in wielding a sword, his career thrived as he garnered victory after victory on the battlefield. Yet, despite this, Igris’ insatiable desire for greater accomplishments and higher status was hindered by the nobles, who felt threatened by his abilities. Instead, his success in warfare only led to him being assigned a lowly rank.

Instead of continuing to shield the vacated position, extend your protection towards the person standing before you, which is currently me.

The Pain of Igris

Over time, Igris managed to gain the confidence not only of the common people, but also the king, despite the nobles who were determined to see him fail. However, the situation escalated when these nobles conspired to eliminate Igris and his troops permanently. They kidnapped his family as a means to pressure him and even attacked his army under false charges of treason. Tragically, Igris lost his life along with his family. Yet, they would later be resurrected in the form of shadows by Ashborn.

Regrettably, Igris’ past wasn’t sunny, a pattern often seen in the series Solo Leveling. Characters like Jin-Woo himself have had unfortunate histories as well. Given the atmosphere that Igris projects in both the anime and manhwa, this was not surprising. In certain aspects, Igris bore resemblance to Sung Jin-Woo, as they were both driven by a thirst for power and faced betrayal from their own people.

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2025-04-02 20:36