Top 10 Most Powerful Characters in Solo Leveling

The Solo Leveling anime made a spectacular debut in January 2024, captivating audiences with its dark fantasy narrative. Introducing Sung Jin-Woo as the seemingly weakest protagonist, the series immediately piques fans’ curiosity about who holds the title of the strongest character.
The narrative revolves around Sung Jin-Woo, initially portrayed as humanity’s feeblest hunter, often struggling against even the lowest-ranked monsters.
However, the Solo Leveling universe is far more expansive than it appears. Sung Jin-Woo finds himself thrust into a realm beyond his comprehension when he assumes the role of the “Player.” Yet, within his universe lie entities even more formidable than the most powerful boss monsters within an S Rank Gate.
Spolier Alert: This blogpost contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling manhwa.
10. Legia, The Monarch Of Beginning

The testament to Legia’s formidable strength lies in the circumstances surrounding his demise. Upon their initial encounter, Legia finds himself imprisoned and shackled by the Rulers. Despite his captivity, he attempts to strike a deal with Jin-woo. However, seeing through Legia’s deceit, Jin-woo endeavors to eliminate the Monarch while he remains restrained.
Even in his bound state, the Monarch of the Beginning refuses to succumb without resistance. Jin-woo acknowledges that if Legia had been unchained from the outset of their confrontation, he would likely have been overmatched. This stands in stark contrast to Jin-woo’s encounters with other Monarchs, particularly the Frost, Beast, and Plague Monarchs, whom he faced single-handedly in a 3-on-1 melee.
9. Baran, The Monarch Of White Flames

Initially, Baran fought alongside the Shadow Monarch and the Beast Monarch in their battle against the Rulers. During this conflict, Baran inflicted considerable casualties upon the soldiers of the Rulers. However, he later betrayed Ashborn, realizing the latter’s overwhelming power. Unable to confront Ashborn alone, Baran met his demise at the hands of the Shadow Monarch.
Many eons later, the Architect resurrects Baran, assigning him to the 100th floor of the Demon Castle. Sung Jin-Woo seizes the opportunity to confront Baran, only to find himself overwhelmed by the Monarch of White Flames and his demonic forces. Despite being in a position to eliminate Jin-Woo, Baran is thwarted by the timely intervention of Esil Radiru, creating a distraction that allows Jin-Woo to ultimately defeat the Monarch.
8. Bellion

Bellion is hailed as the most powerful shadow in existence, having served Ashborn, the Shadow Monarch, as the Grand Marshal of his formidable military force. During the decisive battle against Sung-Jin Woo and several powerful Monarchs, Bellion proved the authenticity of his esteemed title.
A key factor contributing to Bellion’s extraordinary strength lies in his origin: like the Heavenly Beings, he was born from the World Tree. This inherent connection grants him immense power and resilience. This was demonstrated notably during his confrontation with Beru, where he effortlessly absorbed a blow aimed at his head without sustaining significant harm.
7. Rakan, The Beast Monarch

The Beast Monarch, also known as Rakan, emerges as the most self-serving character within the series. He exhibits a tendency to retreat from battles without hesitation, often leaving his fellow monarchs stranded. Underestimating Jin-Woo’s strength, Rakan collaborates with the Frost Monarch in an attempt to eliminate the human vessel. However, upon recognizing the true potential of Ashborn’s vessel, Rakan swiftly flees the battlefield.
Despite his propensity for cowardice, Rakan undeniably possesses remarkable powers. This is evident in his involvement, alongside the Monarch of Plagues and Tarnak, in the demise of Christopher Reed, a renowned and formidable National Level Hunter.
6. Sung II Hwan

It’s surprising to discover that Sung II Hwan is the father of our protagonist, Sung Jin-Woo. Initially employed as a firefighter, Hwan’s life took a drastic turn upon learning about the emergence of magic beasts. This pivotal moment led him to forsake his career as a firefighter and pursue a path as an S-Rank hunter.
Despite possessing remarkable powers, Hwan never allowed his abilities to inflate his ego. Instead, he consistently prioritized aiding those in need. When faced with the threat of Hwang Dongsoo attempting to harm his son, Sung II Hwan intervened decisively, incapacitating Dongsoo to the extent that he remained incapacitated for several days.
5. King of Snow, The Frost Monarch

Known as the King of Snow, The Frost Monarch possesses the ability to manipulate ice. He utilizes this power to craft ice weapons and summon ice beasts, providing him with formidable offensive capabilities. Additionally, he can conjure ice storms to create chaos and strategize his next move. The Frost Monarch played a pivotal role in aiding The Beast Monarch in ambushing Jin-Woo, orchestrating a surprise attack from behind.
His remarkable speed often proves crucial in evading enemy assaults. For example, during his confrontation with Gunhee, he skillfully dodged numerous attacks with lightning-fast movements. Furthermore, The Frost Monarch’s formidable physical prowess posed a significant challenge to Jin-Woo, pushing the young man to his limits and making him one of his most formidable adversaries.
4. Go Gunhee, The Brightest Fragment of Brilliant Light

Go Gunhee, the Chairman of the South Korean Hunter Association, serves as the vessel for the current Brightest Fragment of Brilliant Light.
Assessing the Rulers’ combat abilities proves challenging due to the limited display of their skills. However, their notable feats provide valuable insights into the potential power of the most formidable among them.
The Rulers have achieved three significant feats of combat prowess that demand acknowledgment. Specifically, they were responsible for the demise of The Absolute Being, Ashborn, and delivered the decisive blow to the Monarch of Destruction during his altercation with Jin-woo. While these accomplishments are impressive, they were executed collectively, raising some uncertainties. Nevertheless, given their involvement in vanquishing three of the most potent beings in the universe, it’s reasonable to infer that the strongest among the Rulers should be comparable in power.
3. Ashborn, The Shadow Monarch

Being the original Shadow Monarch, Ashborn stands as one of the most formidable entities within the Solo Leveling universe. Formerly known as the Brightest Fragment of Brilliant Light, he initially held the title of the strongest among the Rulers before rebelling against them in defense of the Absolute, ultimately ascending to the status of a Monarch.
As the Shadow Monarch, Ashborn faces potential opposition primarily from the Monarch of Destruction, although even the latter harbors concerns regarding Ashborn’s ascendancy. Bolstered by his formidable Shadow Army, Ashborn’s might appears virtually insurmountable, yet in terms of personal combat prowess, he still falls short when compared to the Monarch of Destruction.
2. Antares, The Monarch of Destruction

As the Rulers gain momentum in their conquest against the Monarchs, Antares emerges as the sole figure whose overwhelming might enables him to prolong the conflict. Among the Monarchs, the Monarch of Destruction stands out as the most formidable besides Jin-woo, potentially surpassing any individual Ruler in sheer power.
Given that the Absolute Being designed the Monarchs with the purpose of world destruction, Antares essentially embodies the very essence of their creation. Demonstrating his formidable strength, one of his dragons, Kamish, nearly decimated humanity single-handedly, and Antares commands numerous dragons of comparable or even greater power.
1. Sung Jin-woo
