Solo Leveling’s Controversial Ending Is Officially Getting the Chance to Redeem Itself

Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Solo Leveling’s Final Arcs!Solo Leveling enjoys a prominent place in the modern anime landscape, thanks to A-1 Pictures’ exceptional adaptation and the beloved manhwa it adapts. But beyond the hype of the anime, particularly after season 2, the series has some noteworthy low points, with one of its most egregious being its ending. However, the series might have an answer to fans’ woes.

With the latest trailer and new information coming out of Solo Leveling: Karma (stylized in all caps), one untold element of the manhwa’s climactic Final Battle Arc. Given that the events of this arc resulted in Jinwoo changing the world while taking all threats alone, Solo Leveling: Karma could give the story some much-needed expansion, or even a redemption.

Solo Leveling’s Most Controversial Arc Could Be Seen in a New Light

The bulk of fan concern with the Final Battle Arc, and how it resolves the Monarchs War, comes in how Jinwoo uses a major series mechanic to undo crucial history. Using the Cup of Reincarnation with the noble intention of stopping the calamities such as the Monarchs’ annihilation of Canada, Jinwoo used this knowledge to try again, with better results.

While reversing casualties was one consequence, another was that these changes, resulting in a 27-year-long fight, would retcon the Hunters of the world from already being sidelined to being utterly irrelevant. Were it not for Solo Leveling: Ragnarok’s latest arc in the manhwa, these Hunters would not be much more than a distant memory.

Were it not for Solo Leveling: Ragnarok’s latest arc in the manhwa, these Hunters would not be much more than a distant memory.

Yet, turning this event, largely condensed into episode #178 of the manhwa, into a full-fledged roguelite experience makes perfect sense. The genre is a solid fit for a character frequently going through the same loop, amassing greater skills, seeking the best results, and utterly eliminating casualties. It also makes the most of focusing largely on Jinwoo and his Shadows.

Even the Rulers were originally satisfied with previous iterations of Jinwoo’s success, but he wanted to prevent the greatest disasters from previous timelines from ever happening again. It’s a noble deed, but focusing solely on Jinwoo effectively halted any character development, either of his, or of any noteworthy supporting cast not in Shadow form.

What Is Solo Leveling: Karma?

While anime fans should absolutely not look at these trailers, Netmarble’s Solo Leveling: Karma teases a compelling look at Jinwoo’s predicament. Setting himself back 10 years in the past, the glimpse of a young Jinwoo is jarring enough even for viewers familiar with the series to do a double-take. But this is part of the loop he encounters.

Alongside glimpses of young Jinwoo, fans can see hefty spoilers of upcoming key deaths he seeks to prevent, such as the victims of Beru as a rampaging Ant King, Hunters like Go Gunhee, and other crucial characters from later in the story. It’s a compelling prospect, and helps re-humanize Jinwoo’s rather stiff characterization.

The benefits of his actions are clear in the chapters that follow. Earth is able to enter a long period of peace without worry for Gates or any need for Hunters, but also erased Jinwoo’s deeds from the world’s memories in the process. It’s tragic in a sense, but Jinwoo’s doing this for the greater good.

Jinwoo’s Successor Is Fixing Solo Leveling’s Worst Mistakes

Sung Suho with gauntlets in the background

While the latest roguelite is teased for 2026, Solo Leveling: Ragnarok is already making waves as a fascinating follow-up focusing on Jinwoo’s son, Sung Suho. With Jinwoo away defending Earth from the Itarim, Suho must cultivate powers of his own, mysteriously also granted by the “System”. But Suho’s persistently taken a different path from his father.

While much of Solo Leveling had Jinwoo dictating his path to be one walked alone, Suho has grown a party of unusual allies. From the original series’ criminally underrated Esil to the new canine ally, Grey, Suho not only has companions, but future Monarchs at his side. In the latest arc, his unique gifts will empower even more underrated teammates.

While Choi Jongin and other high-ranking Hunters were eventually sidelined beyond the halfway point of Solo Leveling, Ragnarok is giving them a unique, organic opportunity to overcome their previous trauma. Recovering the memories suppressed by Jinwoo previously, Suho’s new allies will soon gear up to tackle an S-Rank Gate descending over Seoul.

It’s not hard to see that Solo Leveling’s various creative contributors are looking to reverse the franchise’s greatest gripes. Thrusting the entire story upon Jinwoo can be boring, especially when his character leaves much to be desired in the personality department. Expanding the action to other characters is ambitious, but a natural way to make the series organically grow.

Anime Fans Will Hopefully Get to Judge the Ending for Themselves

While Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive drops on November 17, and Karma comes sometime in 2026, and Ragnarok continues to release new chapters barring delays, the anime has slowed its momentum. Solo Leveling season 3 is one of the hottest anticipated releases for the series, but news of a movie also serves to increase hype.

Solo Leveling’s hypothetical final season would likely be closer to season 4 or more, given its current pacing, with plenty to enjoy before getting into the Monarchs War. While the manhwa’s ending in particular felt abrupt with its conclusion, and had rushed moments in its execution of Jinwoo’s time-loop, the anime has the opportunity to expand like Karma will.

While the manhwa’s ending in particular felt abrupt with its conclusion, and had rushed moments in its execution of Jinwoo’s time-loop, the anime has the opportunity to expand like Karma will.

Re-animating key moments like the Double Dungeon or Jinwoo’s many fights across the series might be verging on filler content, but, conversely, animating the original story as-is could get a negative reception. But until tangible, direct news of the anime continuing, this all remains a mere possibility, rather than a certainty at present.

But Solo Leveling fans have plenty to be grateful for. Manhwa fans are now seeing an increased level of investment in other beloved properties to be animated. Their favorite franchise dominated Crunchyroll’s 2025 Anime Awards. A mishandled ending could blunt its hype, but it is deeply unlikely to undermine the potent popularity of what the franchise has become.