REVIEW: ‘Solo Leveling’ Season 2 Episode 2 — “I Suppose You Aren’t Aware”

The second season of Solo Leveling started off with a bang, and Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 2, “I Suppose You Aren’t Aware,” picks up right where it left off. Sung Jin-woo (Taito Ban) and Han Song-yi are trapped in a red gate dungeon as a new challenge awaits Jin-woo.

Jin-woo has enlisted the ice bears he defeated in the last episode into his shadow army. The battle against them was brutal and bloody, showing that they would be valuable allies going forward. It is a nice way to see his shadow army ability expand as he builds up his forces. They will come in handy later against the evil elves inside the dungeon.

Outside of the gate, newly-arrived Hwang Dong-soo confronts the White Tiger Guild in a flashy and violent manner. Dong-soo is trying to figure out what is so special about this E-rank hunter, and it is clear that he knows Jin-woo is hiding something. This revenge subplot also has a bit of mystery to it that will continue to build as the season progresses.

One of the surviving members inside the dungeon makes his way back to the lower-ranked group and is floored to see them still alive. He lost the rest of his team because they did not have the proper equipment, so it makes sense that he would be so angry. Seeing him take out his anger on the survivors sitting around the fire serves as a reminder that the battles they are facing in this dungeon will take a mental and physical toll.

The truth of Jin-woo‘s secret is close to being revealed. 

In the midst of this, another comment is made about how Jin-woo must be responsible. The idea that he is “just” an E-rank hunter proves to be an obvious farce, and no one out there is buying it. Still, it is interesting to see so many characters call it out without explicitly proving anything. It’s not like Jin-woo is doing a good job of hiding it, so, at some point, the secret will be out there publicly.

Jin-woo encounters the elves and is suddenly able to speak their language, a new ability he has picked up. The elves mention a voice in their heads similar to the one in Jin-woo’s and tell him they don’t want to fight. This is a shocking development, as it sets the stage for there to be more characters with a similar experience to Jin-woo. He is asked to give up the humans he is protecting, but he refuses to do so.

Even though Jin-woo is hyperfocused on getting stronger, that has never stopped him from caring about others. This likely comes from his own experience as a weak fighter. He never passes up a chance to protect others, even though he doesn’t pretend to be a hero. It is hard to tell if he wants to be the hero or just sees a way to test himself against stronger foes.

A new battle lets the action animation shine in Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 2.

His shadow army is put to the test against the elves in Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 2. Some truly excellent animation is on display as Jin-woo and his shadow army leap into battle. The movement is fluid and explosive as limbs are torn from his enemies. Jin-woo is processing so much information at a rapid pace as the battle progresses, making the stakes feel even higher.

Jin-woo explicitly mentions that the boss, Baruka, is stronger than him. He rarely acknowledges anyone as being better than him, so this is an interesting development. It won’t be enough for him to summon Igris; he must grow even stronger to win this fight.

The battle between Jin-woo and Baruka is the best part of Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 2. It is made visually clear that Jin-woo has his hands full with this fight by the way Baruka has him on the back foot. At one point, it looks like Jin-woo has finally met his match. The way he can turn the tables and get the advantage is shocking and makes for an excellent final battle scene.

The intensity only ramps up as the battle continues, delivering some of the best animation in the series to date. Baruka’s movements as he attacks while his rage explodes make this an incredible fight sequence. This display of ability makes it hard for Jin-woo to hide who he is, however, and after defeating the dungeon there are now even more guilds trying to recruit him. It will be difficult for him to stay on his own for long, and he will have to make a decision soon about what to do going forward as he gets drawn into the upper ranks of the hunter world.

Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 2 is chock full of exciting action and new twists that help push Jin-woo’s story forward. His strength can’t remain secret for long, but he must figure out how to handle the newfound exposure.

Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 2 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

Previous Episode | Next Episode