Strength in fiction often follows a certain pattern—characters grow stronger, new threats emerge, and battles become more intense. But there comes a point where power gaps become too wide, making some opponents nearly impossible to defeat.
The Monarchs in Solo Leveling represent the highest tier of strength, existing as ancient beings with abilities far beyond human limits. Their presence alone is enough to shake entire cities, and their combat skills surpass even the strongest hunters.
Facing a Monarch is like standing against an unstoppable storm (Photo: Solo Leveling/Lucasfilm Ltd)Against such overwhelming power, the question arises: can any human realistically stand a chance against a Monarch? While certain individuals possess incredible strength, speed, and intelligence, the level of destruction the Monarchs bring to battle makes this challenge almost impossible.
Yet, history in the series has shown that with enough preparation, luck, and strategy, some humans have come close to defying the odds.
The Sheer Power of the Monarchs
To understand the challenge, it is necessary to look at what makes the Monarchs so dangerous. Unlike regular hunters, they do not rely on mana limits, exhaustion, or physical strain. Their power is nearly endless, making them capable of fighting for extended periods without weakening.
Each Monarch represents a unique concept of destruction—rulers of different domains, wielding abilities that surpass even the strongest S-rank hunters. Their physical strength alone places them in a completely different class.
They can move faster than the eye can track, destroy landscapes with a single attack, and regenerate from wounds that would instantly kill any human. Their intelligence and experience in battle also put them at an advantage, as they have fought countless wars against equally powerful opponents.
While some hunters possess immense abilities, the difference between them and the Monarchs is almost like comparing a trained soldier to a natural disaster.
Could Any Human Stand a Chance Against a Monarch?
Strength in fiction often follows a certain pattern—characters grow stronger, new threats emerge, and battles become more intense. But there comes a point where power gaps become too wide, making some opponents nearly impossible to defeat.
The Monarchs in Solo Leveling represent the highest tier of strength, existing as ancient beings with abilities far beyond human limits. Their presence alone is enough to shake entire cities, and their combat skills surpass even the strongest hunters.
Against such overwhelming power, the question arises: can any human realistically stand a chance against a Monarch? While certain individuals possess incredible strength, speed, and intelligence, the level of destruction the Monarchs bring to battle makes this challenge almost impossible.
Yet, history in the series has shown that with enough preparation, luck, and strategy, some humans have come close to defying the odds.
The Sheer Power of the Monarchs
To understand the challenge, it is necessary to look at what makes the Monarchs so dangerous. Unlike regular hunters, they do not rely on mana limits, exhaustion, or physical strain. Their power is nearly endless, making them capable of fighting for extended periods without weakening.
Each Monarch represents a unique concept of destruction—rulers of different domains, wielding abilities that surpass even the strongest S-rank hunters. Their physical strength alone places them in a completely different class.
They can move faster than the eye can track, destroy landscapes with a single attack, and regenerate from wounds that would instantly kill any human. Their intelligence and experience in battle also put them at an advantage, as they have fought countless wars against equally powerful opponents.
While some hunters possess immense abilities, the difference between them and the Monarchs is almost like comparing a trained soldier to a natural disaster.
Can S-Rank Hunters Compete?
S-rank hunters are the strongest human fighters, standing above the rest in both raw power and combat skill. Some of them have superhuman reflexes, enhanced durability, and destructive abilities that can wipe out thousands of enemies.
Among them, fighters like Thomas Andre and Go Gunhee have displayed power levels that make them look almost superhuman. Thomas, for example, possesses immense physical strength, capable of sending opponents flying with a single punch.
Yet, despite his monstrous abilities, even he struggled when going up against a Monarch. The reason S-rank hunters struggle against Monarchs is not just about raw strength but also the nature of their abilities. While humans need to conserve their energy, Monarchs have no such weaknesses.
They can continuously attack, adapt to battle situations, and use their nearly infinite mana to overwhelm opponents. Even the strongest S-rank hunters are limited by their mortality, making it almost impossible for them to sustain a prolonged battle against such creatures.
The Role of Artifacts and External Power Boosts
While individual power may not be enough, external boosts have allowed humans to momentarily keep up with stronger enemies. Some artifacts and weapons in Solo Leveling have been shown to enhance combat abilities, giving hunters a temporary edge.
These magical tools, when wielded correctly, can help bridge the gap between humans and Monarchs, at least to a small extent. One example is the Rulers’ blessings, which provide humans with enhanced abilities that surpass normal hunter levels.
When Go Gunhee received such a power boost, he was able to hold his ground against the Monarch of White Flames for a brief period. However, this was not a fair fight—he was only delaying the inevitable. The moment his borrowed strength ran out, he was completely outmatched.
This proves that while artifacts and external boosts can give humans a fighting chance, they do not make them true equals in battle.
The Only Human Who Could Challenge a Monarch
If any human stood a real chance against a Monarch, it would have to be Sung Jinwoo. While he eventually transcended into something more than human, his early battles showed hints of his potential.
As a Shadow Monarch, his power exceeded that of any normal hunter, but even before that transformation, he displayed a level of strength that put him far above S-rank hunters. The biggest advantage he had was his ability to grow stronger with each fight.
Unlike other hunters, who had fixed power levels, Jinwoo’s system allowed him to keep increasing his stats, healing from injuries, and gaining new abilities. This meant that while normal humans would be stuck at a certain strength level, he could continue evolving until he was strong enough to rival the Monarchs.
His fight against the Frost Monarch is one of the best examples of this. At that point, he was not yet fully transformed into a Monarch, but he had already gained enough strength to challenge one in direct combat.
His ability to read his opponent’s movements, counterattack, and overwhelm enemies with his shadows made him different from other hunters. While he eventually reached a level beyond humans, his earlier fights proved that a determined individual with the right skills and abilities could at least put up a fight.
Could Strategy and Teamwork Make a Difference?
If no individual human can truly stand against a Monarch, could teamwork offer a solution? History has shown that powerful enemies can sometimes be defeated when multiple forces come together. In some cases, well-planned strategies and combined attacks have helped weaker fighters take down stronger foes.
For example, during the war against the Monarchs, the Rulers worked together to keep the enemy forces in check. Even though they were god-like beings, this shows that overwhelming power can be countered with well-executed teamwork.
When raw destruction takes form, it looks like a Monarch (Photo: Solo Leveling/Lucasfilm Ltd)If the strongest S-rank hunters were to unite, using their abilities in perfect coordination, they might be able to stall a Monarch or even weaken one enough for a final blow. However, the problem with this approach is that Monarchs do not fight fairly.
They are ruthless, experienced in war, and skilled at breaking enemy formations. A group of S-rank hunters could hold their own for a while, but sustaining such a battle would be nearly impossible without divine intervention.
Monarchs are simply too powerful for any ordinary human to defeat. Their strength, durability, and intelligence make them almost unbeatable by conventional means. S-rank hunters, while incredibly powerful by human standards, still fall short when faced with beings of such overwhelming might.
External power boosts, teamwork, and strategic planning can help to a small extent, but they are not enough to level the playing field. The only exception is Sung Jinwoo, who through his unique abilities, managed to surpass human limits and challenge Monarchs on even ground.
His journey proves that while normal humans may struggle against such entities, the right combination of power, intelligence, and adaptability could make a difference. But without a special advantage like Jinwoo’s system, no human—no matter how skilled—would stand a real chance against a Monarch.