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The following contains spoilers for Solo Leveling.
In the anime adaptation ofSolo Leveling,there is still much to be revealed about the origins of magic and the powerful forces behind what we see take place on screen. In Season 3, we will likely hear a few characters cryptically discussing a concept called the “Fragments of Brilliant Light” when referring to other characters.
While Season 3 may give some hints about what is meant by this phrase, it’s possible that an explanation for it might not be fully fleshed out. Just what are these Fragments of Brilliant Light, and why are they so important to the plot ofSolo Leveling?
Creations of the Absolute Being
Origins of Light
Despite initially seeming like a concept, item, or ability that someone possesses inSolo Leveling, the Fragments of Brilliant Light are actually beings who have granted special humans immense powers. It is thought that Earth and the world the series takes place in were brought into existenceby an entity known as the Absolute Being. The Absolute Being separated the light from the darkness to create powerful, but opposed entities called the Rulers and the Monarchs. The Rulers, whose power is represented by light in the series, managed to overcome the Absolute Being by wielding the power of their light and gained an edgeover the eternal war against the Monarchs.
In an attempt to wrest back control of the conflict,the Monarchs planned to invadeand destroy Earth, a plane where these two entities cannot enter in their true forms. This led to the Rulers granting a portion of their powers to awakened humans who would become vessels and house the Fragments of Brilliant Light. They are called this because they contain a fraction of the power of light that originates from the now deceased Absolute Being. It appears that as the light is continually passed down to different beings, only a fraction of its true potential or power remains. This seems to be evident from the way that Ruler vessels have cracks form on them when wielding this power, and some vessels cannot handle the strain of activating too much of it at once or for a long period of time.
Important Characters Revealed
The Series Power Players
In the main series, it is revealed that four of the National Level Hunters, Chairman Go Gunhee, and Jinwoo’s dad Il Sung Il-Hwan, were all chosen to become vessels for the Rulers and in the process became Fragments of Brilliant Light. The Monarchs will repeatedly use this phrase in the presence of vessels and when attempting to communicate with the Rulers directly by interacting with these chosen vessels.
Jinwoo himself is also technically a Fragment of Brilliant Light, but the origin of his powers is more complicated. The Shadow Monarch Ashborn, who gave him his power, was originally a Ruler who tried to protect the Absolute Being from being destroyed by the other Rulers. After dying while staying loyal to the Absolute Being, Ashborn became a Monarch, retaining a dark remnant of the Absolute Being that granted him his powers over death and shadows.The nuanced backstory of Jinwoo’s powersbasically means that he has both the powers of light and darkness inside him, which is one of the reasons why he seems so extremely overpowered compared to everyone else. Ashborn was also known as the Greatest Fragment of Brilliant Light, and Rulers associate themselves with the phrase as well.
“You truly are second to none, my king… you’ve been able to stand your ground against those transcendent beings…!” -Beru complimenting Jinwoo in Chapter 159 of the manhwa.
Not every host of the Rulers is created equal, as some vessels are more capable of drawing out more power than others.Humans using a Ruler’s power in this wayoften suffer damage from overusing the light, though this does not seem to apply to Sung Jinwoo. Chairman Go Gunhee thought himself too old to wield his powers effectively anymore, and Jinwoo’s father ultimately could not handle the power output in his final battle, and his body disintegrated after protecting his son.
As the story continues into the sequelRagnarokand beyond, the concept of using foreign powers to boost oneself becomes more important. Initially, hunters are thought to be unable to grow their powers, making Sung Jinwoo unique as the only hunter who can level up. However, other hunters will eventually find more sources of power, with some becoming Monarchs and others being influenced by beings from other dimensions. The remaining essences of God-like beings seem to be the key to mastering power in the world ofSolo Levelingas it transitions from a simple underdog story to conflict on an epic scale.
Solo Leveling
Cast
A-1 Pictures' Solo Leveling is an anime based on Chugong’s popular web novel. Set in an unforgiving fantasy world where hunters explore dungeons filled with monsters, the vulnerable Sung Jinwoo gains a significant power boost after he is picked to be a solo player by the System.
