Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-

Episodes 13-14

These first two episodes give us the perfect chance to talk about the difference between a “powerful” character and an “overpowered” one. A powerful character has some ability that gives them an edge—mental or physical. Meanwhile, an overpowered character is similar, but the ability is so strong that it's inconceivable that a person with that skill could ever lose.

In other words, “overpowered” is often used in the pejorative sense because of narrative tension. If the protagonist has no chance of losing, there's no danger—no sense of excitement. That begs the question: How do you make a character “powerful” without making them “overpowered?” The answer is simple: rules. If there are clearly outlined rules to how a character's powers work, they have limits—and, by extension, weaknesses. That's what these two episodes are all about.

The last season ended with Jinwoo gaining the ability to summon the souls of the monsters he's killed. At first, this makes him seem unstoppable. After all, wouldn't this mean he can make an unkillable army? Well, not quite. Not only is there a limit to how many souls he can keep, but also how long they can be summoned or re-summoned: his mana. In a battle of attrition or up against a stronger force—like, say, an S-rank hunter like Hwang Gongsoo—he will lose.

The other big weakness of his new powers is that relying on them leaves him at a disadvantage in the long run. He wins his fight against Baruka, but only because he has two powerful summons by his side. In a one-on-one fight, Baruka would have won. And because Jinwoo is weaker than Baruka, he couldn't capture his soul. Thus, to strengthen his army, Jinwoo must focus on strengthening himself—putting another limit on his powers by dictating how he must fight going forward.

The other major point of these two episodes is to show us what kind of person Jinwoo has become after the first season. While utterly merciless in battle, Jinwoo spends much of his time in the Red Gate protecting his new companions—both from the elements and external threats. At one point, he's even allowed to avoid fighting the Ice Elves if he lets his human companions die, but he still chooses to protect them. While his experiences have hardened him, he's still a good person underneath.

And then comes the scene at the end of episode 14. While in the heat of the moment, Jinwoo quickly killed Kim Chul and used him in the fight against Baruka. However, once home and looks at himself in the mirror, he can't help but feel a pang of guilt for killing another human. While all three times he's been forced to kill people have been necessary, it still weighs on his soul—no matter how he acts outwardly.

All in all, these two episodes do a good bit of character development and world-building—even as they dish out some of the best-looking action of the series so far. It's nice to see the season starting on the right foot.

Episode 13 Rating:

Episode 14 Rating:

Random Thoughts:

• The talk with Baruka shows not only that some monsters are capable of rational conversation but also reveals that the monsters are driven by some unknown voice in their heads to kill humans.

• Gotta love that Hiroyuki Sawano soundtrack!

• It's interesting to see that the spirits in Jinwoo's army have personalities—even grunts like the three mages.

• It's only a matter of time until Jinwoo's secret is out in the open.

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Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow- is currently streaming on Crunchyroll on Saturdays.