Seeing the protagonist’s family members in an anime is usually the biggest red flag for fans. Solo Leveling might have changed that perception a little bit with its latest episode. Instead of fear, the appearance of Sung Jinwoo’s mother and sister brought heartwarming joy to fans. Jinwoo and Jinah’s reunion with their mother was a reminder that anime families can also have happy endings.
The entire episode was a whirlwind of emotions, and some fans believe that it’s even better than the most shocking plot twist of Demon Slayer. While both fandoms can argue endlessly on that subject, there were some things Solo Leveling definitely executed better.
Demon Slayer got nothing against this Solo Leveling scene
In the latest episode of Solo Leveling, Sung Jinwoo finally acquired the Elixir of Life which helped him awaken his mother from the Eternal Slumber. The flashbacks and seeing Jinwoo weep like a baby pierced fans’ hearts. As Jinwoo, all his efforts were rewarded when his mother got better. Back when Jinwoo was still an E-Rank Hunter, he daily put his life on risk to support Jinah.
He had a promise to keep with his mother. He worked hard and was extremely brave, and finally ended up saving his mother as well. A fan on X compared this scene with Demon Slayer’s big reveal, and even called it better.
Hot take but… pic.twitter.com/jgLVRPX3Ks
— 𝐕𝐉☆ (@VjDontMiss) March 1, 2025
At the end of Demon Slayer Season 3, Nezuko conquered the Sun, something nobody expected from a demon. This particular scene ramped up the stakes, as it meant that Muzan would chase Nezuko even more aggressively. While that was a concern for the future, the moment in itself evoked many positive emotions.
As great as a plot twist it was, we still don’t have a proper explanation of how Nezuko managed to do that. Fans have come up with their own theories by reading in between the lines, but there’s still no conclusive answer to this mystery. This reason alone leaves a bad aftertaste, leaving fans with more questions that would seemingly never be answered.
On the other hand, Solo Leveling might not have a great build-up like the struggles Tanjiro and Nezuko went through, but the execution of the interaction between Jinwoo, Jinah, and their mother was phenomenal.
What makes the latest Solo Leveling episode almost perfect
The story started with Jinwoo fighting a losing battle in dungeons that were far beyond his capabilities. His condition during the double dungeon arc at the beginning was mortifying. Seeing him turn into an absolute god-tier character after that was surprising, but also reassuring.
He was mostly indifferent about his powers and continued to move forward in secret. Seeing him let go of that indifference and acknowledging his own growth was impactful and effective. Even though we had not seen his interactions with his mother like Nezuko and Tanjiro, but we followed Jinwoo’s journey up close.
Every tear felt like a huge weight was shedding off his shoulders. It was great to see a completely new side of Jinwoo, and the anxiousness he felt while reflecting on his actions was a powerful scene. The relief, the fleeting joy, and the doubt made a lot of sense and the journey through these emotions was realistic.
Solo Leveling is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
