This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling Manhwa
Summary
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Solo Leveling’s world is defined by power. Only the strongest enjoy fame and glory while the weak are getting crumbled underneath the weight of both society and magical beasts. Once the weakest, Jin-Woo has risen as one of humanity’s strongest Hunters. The only ones that are probably stronger than him at this point are the Rulers, but who are they?
Rulers are yet to be introduced in theSolo Levelinganime, but they already have an impact on the plot through characters like Jin-Woo, Il-Hwan, and Thomas Andre. But what exactly are the Rulers and how strong are they?
Who are the Rulers?
The Rulers refer to a group of angelic race of warriors that are considered to be some of the strongest characters inSolo Leveling. They currently hold a position similar to God in the series. While not a lot is known about the Rulers themselves, their goal is to protect the world fromthe wrath of the Monarchs. The Monarchs are the Rulers' archenemies who aim to destroy the world.
The History of the Rulers
Since their existence,the Rulers have been fighting endlessly against the Monarchsto save the world. The Rulers and the Monarchs were created by an almighty being called the Absolute Being. Seeing no end to the war, the Rulers approached the Absolute Being seeking help to save the world. But soon they realized that the Absolute Being had no interest in seeing the world being saved and instead was finding entertainment in the eternal war.
This led seven of them to turn against him as an act of rebellion. The strongest Ruler continued to serve and protect the Absolute Being but failed when the Rulers stalled him enough to kill the Absolute Being. After defeating the Absolute Being, they used his powers to defeat the Monarchs. To balance the powers,the strongest Ruler joined the Monarchand became the Shadow Monarch, Ashborn.
How the Rulers Impact Earth
After being defeated, the Monarchs went into hiding and planned to get stronger without the Rulers noticing, so they attacked Earth. By the time the Rulers noticed it was too late, Earth was already destroyed. They used apowerful item called the Cup of Reincarnationto avert the destruction, but even after multiple attempts, Earth always ended up being destroyed. The Rulers realized the only way to ensure humanity’s survival was by making them stronger.
To make humans stronger, the Rulers allowed Gates to spawn on Earth. This connected the human world to the magical beasts shaping the current world. Gates also gave rise to various Hunters varying in strengths and giving Earth a fighting chance when the catastrophe strikes them.
How will the Rulers Impact the Plot?
The Vessels
Unlike Monarchs, the Rulers weren’t able to freely visit the human world. Instead, they lent their powers to powerful Hunters who became responsible for taking care of various catastrophic events and dangerous enemies. Il-Hwan is one such vessel, who was tasked to dealwith the successor of the Shadow Monarch, which surprisingly turned out to be his son, Jin-Woo.
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The Rulers and Jin-Woo
Initially, the Rulers were after Jin-Woo, since he was on the path of becoming the new Shadow Monarch. This naturally meant that he was an enemy of humanity and would cause great chaos. But Jin-Woo, despite his powers, cares the most about protecting his family andhence is instead humanity’s strongest ally. This nature of Jin-Woo changed the Rulers' minds, and they accepted Jin-Woo’s existence. They also changed Il-Hwan’s mission from slaying Jin-Woo to protecting him.
The Rulers, though they have minimal appearances in the series, play a vital role in how the anime plays out. The threat of Monarchs still exists. In the anime, we have yet to see how the Rulers will impact Jin-Woo’s attempt to protect his loved ones.
