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Solo Leveling 179 was released unofficially, and it marks the end of the manhwa. While fans had speculated during the last few episodes that Solo Leveling was about to end, no one could foresee that it would end so soon.
The fight between Antares and Sung Jin-Woo inside the Dimensional Rift is not shown, nor is the aftermath elaborated on. While the ending does feel rushed, and many of the questions remain unanswered, the series ends on an unexpectedly hopeful note.
Solo Leveling 179 leaves the series open-ended but hopeful
In Solo Leveling 178, we saw Sung Jin-Woo use the Cup of Reincarnation to rewind time by 10 years. After he enjoyed a day of peace with his family, he entered the Dimensional Rift with his shadows and defeated the monarchs one by one.
He spends 27 years inside the Rift, during which only two years pass in the outside world. After those 27 years, Sung Jin-Woo finally found Antares, who had been on the run. Jin-Woo introduced himself as the Second Shadow Monarch for the first and last time in the manhwa before he and Antares clashed one last time.
Solo Leveling 179: Sung Jin-Woo’s return
Solo Leveling 179 begins in the United States, where Norma Selner has made a prophecy. She had prophesized that the sky would open, and the god of death would descend upon humanity, ending the world as we know it.
It is revealed that in the two years since Jin-Woo entered the Dimensional Rift, miss Selner was awakened and started to have visions that unerringly came true. Soon enough, a gate is seen opening in the sky of Seoul, but contrary to the prophecy, nothing exits the gate but Sung Jin-Woo, who slips by the gathered masses undetected.
However, someone is seen waiting for him with a bouquet. Jin-Woo addresses this person as the messenger of the Rulers. The messenger asks Jin-Woo why he still has the appearance of a middle schooler, to which Jin-Woo replies that people would not recognize him otherwise. He still has his army of shadow soldiers hidden in his shadow.
They move to an ice cream shop to talk, and the messenger reveals that this army is the reason why the Rulers feel uneasy about leaving Jin-Woo on Earth. This earth has not been saturated with mana like the previous one; therefore, it cannot sustain someone of Jin-Woo’s capacity. The rulers want Jin-Woo to move to a different world, but Jin-Woo refuses.
As the messenger leaves in fear, Jin-Woo contemplates that since he and his powers have served their purpose and saved the world, perhaps there is no longer a space for him. Just as he thinks that, however, a younger Cha Hae-In passes by the shop and thinks that the ice cream smells really good today. Jin-Woo rushes out the door, and Solo Leveling 179 cuts to snapshots of everyone Jin-Woo had met, now existing differently in a world without Hunters and mana.
Baek Yoonho is seen working as a bodyguard, while Choi Jong-In is working at an office. Yoo Jinho is at school, while Jin-Ah and Song-Yi are seen laughing together. Jin-Woo’s parents are also seen living their lives normally. As other characters can see, Jin-Woo thinks there are people with whom he is connected on this earth, and he can stay here solely because of that.
The series itself ends in front of that ice cream shop, where Jin-Woo calls out to and meets the younger version of Hae-In, keeping the promise he had made to her in the previous timeline.
Unresolved points
Solo Leveling 179 doesn’t answer what happens to Jin-Woo’s powers as the Shadow Monarch, nor does it show anything about his fight with Antares. While it is clear that he defeated him, the way he entered the Dimensional Rift and exited is not shown.
Some readers might have appreciated a more detailed depiction of Jin-Woo returning to his family and their subsequent reaction. Nothing about Igris or Kaisel was disclosed either in Solo Leveling 179. The manhwa leaves a lot to the discretion of the reader, such as what Jin-Woo and the Rulers decide to do about the threat that Jin-Woo poses to the earth.
Inconsistencies
Previously, it was stated in the series that even after each rewind, the effects of that timeline remain. This is how the Rulers were able to imbue the Earth with Mana over multiple uses of the Cup of Reincarnation. As such, it is confusing how, in this last rewind, all effects of the previous timelines are erased from the earth.
Solo Leveling 179 also implies that Jin-Woo can change his appearance at will, which has never been implied in the series before.
Where to read
Solo Leveling 179 is available on TappyToon, but some readers might have a problem with the translation there. While Tapas Media provides a better translation, they only update their Solo Leveling library on the Monday following the release of an episode, so it won't be available there before January 3, 2022.
Final Thoughts
While fans might have some grievances regarding the ending, Solo Leveling 179 wraps up the series on a hopeful and poetic note. Jin-Woo’s survival was a pleasant surprise, considering the way his death was heavily foreshadowed in previous episodes. The art in this chapter was as beautiful as the rest of the series and a fitting farewell to the world of Solo Leveling and Sung Jin-Woo.
The ending might indeed feel lacking to some, but it is undeniable that Jin-Woo deserved peace after his sacrifices. He was still working alone to protect the world, but this time, he had everyone he loved close to himself.
UPDATE: Following the end of the main storyline in chapter 179, writer Chugong and a new team of artists released 21 side stories or "Special Episodes." These explained the intricate details that were left behind in the original run. A spin-off web novel featuring Sung Suho, Jinwoo's son, as the lead has also begun since April 10, 2023. The series, titled Solo Leveling: Ragnarok, is available to read on KakaoPage (Korean) and WebNovel (English).
