REVIEW: ‘Solo Leveling’ Season 2 Episode 9 — “It Was All Worth It”

Now that his fight with Baran is over, Sung Jin-woo (Taito Ban) can finally craft the Elixir of Life and save his mom. Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 9, “It Was All Worth It,” takes Jin-woo to the next stage of his journey as new adventures await.

The opening few minutes of Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 9 reveal some neat new abilities for Jin-woo that will surely be useful later. The first is his new shadow dragon, Kaisel. Jin-woo uses Kaisel to fly home after switching places with one of his shadow soldiers, another new ability he has unlocked. Solo Leveling is all about Jin-woo learning new abilities as a Player, and this is a great way to continue that progression within the confines of the story.

One of the reasons Jin-woo has been fighting so hard to get stronger is to save his mother. His only hope of getting her out of her Eternal Sleep Disease is to use the Elixir of Life. This plot point has been brewing for some time now, and Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 9 is where it finally pays off. Jin-woo does not know for sure that the Elixir will work, but he has faith based on what the system has done for him so far.

Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 9 shines a much-needed spotlight on Jin-woo’s emotional growth.

This is interesting because it puts his development into more context. It is easy to realize that he has been getting physically stronger to beat more challenging villains. It’s harder to see that he has grown mentally as well, which Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 9 takes the time to show. It makes the hospital scene with his mother so much meaningful now that we realize this is a gigantic leap of faith for Jin-woo. It’s an emotionally impactful moment that pays off after a significant build-up.

This is also important as Jin-woo gets dragged out of his personal story with his family and into the larger narrative taking place on Jeju Island. Jin-woo is freed from the weight of his mother’s health, and now he can help the people he’s met along his journey. He’s pushed others away for so long, though, that it might be a little awkward if he suddenly opens up and wants to help.

Still, the Jeju Island issue cannot wait. Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 9 gives us a couple of scenes that really drive home how dire the situation is. One scene between two hunters eating dinner together gives a feeling of desperation, that the challenge of Jeju Island is not one that they can walk away from. We’ve seen glimpses of how dangerous the ants are, but this is one of the first times we’ve seen the toll their brutality is taking on those who are meant to fight them.

The Jeju Island subplot gets some attention, but other subplots keep distracting from its urgency.

They talk about how they are scared, but if they are afraid, then ordinary citizens must be a hundred times more frightened. The hunters have the chance to save lives, inspire hope, and alleviate fears. The ferocity of the challenge presented by the ants sets the stage for Jin-woo to use his abilities to level the playing field and help win the day.

Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 9 ends by setting up a measuring contest between the hunters. Jin-woo is there as a bystander to witness some mighty hunters who all want to duel it out to see who is strongest. This, theoretically, can help build respect leading into the Jeju Island raid. However, it takes away from the problem’s urgency in the short term. It is hard to sell how dangerous these ants are when frequent detours or delays pop up, so hopefully, this sidetrack doesn’t last too long and take away from the overall pressure that is building.

Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 9 sees Jin-woo getting the resolution he was looking for while starting off the next stage of his growth. Plenty of challenges are still ahead, but Jin-woo seems more than up to the task.

Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 9 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.