Solo Leveling ending: Timelines explained

Ever since it started serialization in 2016, the Solo Leveling manhwa has gained a massive global fanbase, captivated by its exhilarating action sequences and top-tier artwork. As such, fans were understandably hyped for the first episode of the ongoing anime adaptation of Chugong's magnum opus, which certainly lived up to expectations.

Considering that Solo Leveling is regarded as one of, if not the best, manhwa of all time, it makes sense as to why fans would be anxious to see the story's ending. Over the years, several anime and manga series have missed the mark when it came to nailing the ending of the series.

While the final chapter of the main story of the Solo Leveling manhwa came out a little over two years ago, several fans who are new to the series are unaware of its ending, which ended up dividing the fanbase due to their opinions on the conclusion to the epic story.

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Explaining the ending of the Solo Leveling manhwa

In the climactic finale of the Solo Leveling manhwa, Sung Jin-Woo faced his toughest battle yet against the Monarch of Destruction, Antares (aka the 'Dragon King'). The latter's army caused an unfathomable amount of destruction around the world, starting with Canada.

Motivated by a desire to avoid further casualties and protect his family, Jin-Woo faced off against the Monarch of Destruction all by himself. After using the Dragon's Fearsome Roar to immobilize the rest of Antares' army, he lured his opponent to a deserted island in Japan. Thus began the battle between the Shadow Monarch and the Monarch of Destruction.

Although Jin-Woo was able to hold his own against Antares at the beginning of their fight, the latter quickly turned the tide on his opponent due to his immense power, following which he offered him a choice. Antares proposed that he and his forces would spare Korea and disappear from the world if Jin-Woo agreed to work alongside him to kill the Rulers.

Sung Jin-Woo's shadow armor, which he created during his fight against Antares in the Solo Leveling manhwa (Image via Chugong/DUBU/Webtoon)

Fortunately, Jin-Woo was able to see through his opponent's schemes, proclaiming that it was visible from the latter's eyes that his true intent was to kill him. Following this, Antares turned into a gigantic dragon and resumed his attack.

Knowing that he could not penetrate the Dragon King's armor with just his dagger, Jin-Woo decided to create an armor of his own, out of the darkness and the shadows. The fight that followed between the two is highly considered to feature some of the best artwork in the manhwa industry. However, the fight had a rather anticlimactic conclusion, as the Rulers arrived at the scene and killed Antares with a single jab.

It was then revealed that Jin-Woo's fight with the Dragon King was nothing more than a ploy to stall the latter for the Rulers. This moment rendered all of Jin-Woo's efforts pointless, providing an underwhelming finish to an otherwise visually spectacular and high-stakes fight.

Sung Jin-Woo vs Antares as seen in the Solo Leveling manhwa (Image via Chugong/DUBU/Webtoon)

Although the Rulers thanked him for his efforts, Jin-Woo still wasn't satisfied. A significant portion of the world was destroyed by Antares, which caused the deaths of countless people. Furthermore, the deaths of his father and several of his comrades took a massive toll on him. As such, Jin-Woo requested that the Rulers use the Cup of Reincarnation one more time so that he could go back in time to save everyone.

Thereby, in typical shonen series fashion, Jin-Woo fought the battle against the Monarchs all by himself to save his world and everyone he cared about. The Cup of Reincarnation turned back time, sending Jin-Woo back to his school days and reviving all the Monarchs who had died previously. Upon returning, he decided to spend some time with his friends and family before he went off to fight against his adversaries.

Jin-Woo sealed himself in the Dimensional Rift as he took the fight to the Monarchs alongside all the shadows who still existed in the past. Although the Solo Leveling manhwa did not detail all his fights against the Monarchs, it was stated that it took him about 27 years to put an end to his adversaries.

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Solo Leveling: What happened in the new timeline created by Sung Jin-Woo?

After defeating Antares in the Dimensional Rift, Jin-Woo returned to his world, where it was revealed that only two years had passed. Upon returning, he had to maintain the appearance of a teenager since he claimed that people would have panicked had he returned as a full-grown adult with a beard.

Therefore, Jin-Woo successfully eradicated the Monarchs all by himself and brought peace to his world. The story ended with him continuing his life as an average person, possessing an unrivaled power that even the Rulers feared.

They sent a messenger to greet Jin-Woo when he returned from the Rift, who informed the latter that the Rulers thought it would be best if he could move to someplace other than Earth since his overwhelming power might threaten them and other people in the future.

That said, Jin-Woo certainly did not take kindly to the proposal. Knowing that the Rulers would not stand a chance if they clashed with him, the messenger realized that it would be best not to anger him further.

Despite canonically being the strongest being in the Solo Leveling series, Jin-Woo chose to live his life as an average person. All his comrades and friends from the previous timeline had no memories of the past and lived separate lives of their own.

However, in the Solo Leveling side story released almost a year after the main story's conclusion, Jin-Woo is seen eventually reconnecting with all his friends and comrades from the past. He even got into a romantic relationship with Cha Hae-In and had a son with her, which seemed improbable in the previous timeline. It's safe to say that the side stories provided a much more satisfying conclusion to Sung Jin-Woo's story and ended the beloved series on a high note.

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Conclusion

Sung Jin-Woo bore the burden of saving Earth from its impending doom and fought off forces with his Shadow Army. His sacrifice and courage won him the chance to rewind time and enjoy a life of normalcy like he had wanted. He still had to fight against the Monarchs but was more than prepared in this turn.

The side stories show Jin-Woo balancing a normal life and his role as the savior of Earth. He reconnects with people from his past life and forms fresh bonds. He also makes a family with Cha Hae-In and has a son. Though it might look mundane for the strongest being, all these were what he had truly wished for.