The Solo Leveling franchise experienced tremendous growth in 2024 with the debut of its highly anticipated anime, which quickly became a massive hit. This expansion didn’t stop there, as a video game, a documentary, and even a sequel to the Solo Leveling manhwa by DUBU and CHUGONG were also released.
With the anime’s second season already generating excitement, the series shows no signs of slowing down. Ragnarök in August 2024 introduced a fresh chapter to the story, shifting the focus to Sung Jinwoo’s son, Sung Suho, and his journey with overwhelming power.
Solo Leveling’s universe grows even larger with its latest thrilling saga (Photo: Solo Leveling/Lucasfilm Ltd)This sequel raises an important question—how does it measure up against the original manhwa, and is it a worthy continuation for longtime fans?
Solo Leveling: Ragnarök – Plot and Background
Introducing Sung Jinwoo’s Son, Sung Suho
Unlike its predecessor, Solo Leveling: Ragnarök originates from a web novel written by Daul. The webtoon adaptation is scripted by Dang Do and illustrated by JIN of REDICE Studio, the same studio responsible for bringing the original Solo Leveling to life. The web novel itself has been available on KakaoPage since April 2023.
This continuation follows Sung Suho, the son of Sung Jinwoo and Cha Hae-In, as he faces a familiar yet expanded world filled with Gates, magic, and formidable monsters.
While Solo Leveling explored a reality where the Absolute Being orchestrated an endless war among his creations for his amusement—leading to his assassination by the Rulers—Ragnarök broadens the scope even further.
It shows that the Absolute Being was just one among many similar entities, each a creator god deriving entertainment from the suffering and conflict of their creations.
The assassination of the God of Light did not go unnoticed. Other Absolute Beings watched as his universe operated without a master, intrigued by how things would play out.
When they observed the Shadow Monarch’s immense power, nurtured through Sung Jinwoo, they all reached the same conclusion—power without a master is power that can be claimed.
With Suho inheriting his father’s Shadow Monarch abilities, he becomes the prime target of these beings. While Solo Leveling concluded with the closure of the Gates and the disappearance of magic, things take a drastic turn.
Two years before Ragnarök begins, the Gates unexpectedly reopen, once again flooding humanity with magical energy and rekindling an era of supernatural abilities.
Raising the Stakes—From a Single Battle to a Multiversal War
The first major revelation in Ragnarök is that the Absolute Being was merely one of many, each creating their universe and reveling in its self-destruction. Existence itself is portrayed as a game, a spectacle designed to alleviate the boredom of these god-like beings.
What makes the Solo Leveling universe unique, however, is that it became the first case where the creations rebelled against their creator—similar to themes seen in anime like Re:Creators.
While the concept of Gates and Dungeons remains, there are a few key differences. The term “Hunters” is replaced with “Awakeners,” signaling a move in how power is perceived.
During a raid on a D-Rank Gate, a successful Dungeon Raid team encounters a new type of humanoid monster, one wreathed in blue flames with vicious fangs and claws. Initially dismissing them as weak, the team underestimates their true threat.
The seemingly minor scratches from these creatures turn out to be infectious, transforming the wounded into rampaging monsters that attack those outside the dungeon. This chaos plays out near Suho’s art university, forcing him to flee his classroom while one of his peers falls victim to the attack.
Overcome with regret and frustration at his weakness, he questions what his father would have done in his place. Determined to fight back, he attempts to protect the injured student, which triggers the reawakening of his dormant System.
Meeting the conditions for the Secret Quest: Courage of the Weak, Suho’s true memories and abilities begin to resurface. His father, Jinwoo, had sealed them away to give him a normal life, but with Earth now caught in the Itarim War—the conflict against the “Outer Gods”—Jinwoo has no choice but to restore Suho’s memories and entrust him with defending the planet.
How Does Solo Leveling: Ragnarök Compare to Its Predecessor?
The web novel-inspired sequel brings a new take on the Solo Leveling universe (Photo: Solo Leveling/Lucasfilm Ltd)Familiar Elements with an Intriguing New Direction
Something is refreshing about Solo Leveling: Ragnarök as it reintroduces beloved aspects from the original series while weaving them into an entirely new adventure.
Moments like Suho setting his Shadow Extraction command phrase to “Arise” feel like a tribute to fans, making it easier to embrace a new protagonist while still feeling connected to the original story.
Suho’s character offers a different perspective from his father’s journey. Despite being the child of two of the strongest Hunters in history, he did not grow up alongside them. With Jinwoo and Cha Hae-In absent from his life for a long time, he was instead raised by an unnamed uncle.
His motivations differ from his father’s—rather than chasing strength out of necessity, his drive comes from an innate desire to uncover his sealed powers, find his mother, and one day speak with his father again.
Newcomers to the series can still follow Ragnarök without prior knowledge, as it revisits key aspects from the original Solo Leveling story. However, for those who have experienced the full lore of the franchise, the sequel delivers a much deeper and more rewarding experience.
One of the standout elements in Ragnarök is the role of Beru, the Chimera Ant King’s Shadow, who now serves as a guide and companion for Suho. His presence adds humor and warmth to the story, especially since he is far more talkative than before.
The artwork remains impressive, often evoking the same aesthetic that made the original manhwa so visually engaging. What makes Ragnarök truly exciting is how it expands on concepts introduced in Solo Leveling and amplifies them.
Suho’s version of Shadow Extraction goes beyond simply summoning Shadows—he can manipulate their forms, leading to a unique “Shadow-clad” martial arts style that enhances his physical abilities.
Although the story is still in its early stages, Solo Leveling: Ragnarök has already shown the potential to build upon its predecessor’s success and become yet another beloved chapter in the saga of the Shadow Monarch.