Images: A-1 Productions
Episode 2 prioritised action scenes above all, and the fights were nothing but stellar.
Episode 2 of Solo Leveling Season 2, titled I Suppose You Aren’t Aware, somehow feels even shorter than the first episode. The hype of Jinwoo’s return to the screen is still there, but this specific episode leaves me wondering if it’s trying to stretch things out. Don’t get me wrong, the episode delivers on the action, but it left me wondering in the end: “Is that really it?”
Warning: Major spoilers ahead
Fast-paced action but familiar beats
Perhaps the reason why this episode felt a bit short is that it prioritised its action scenes, and the fights were nothing but stellar. This episode sticks closely to the manhwa and packs in plenty of fast-paced combat. The fight sequences are as thrilling as ever, but the clash between Jinwoo’s shadow army and Baruka’s ice elves feels like a repeat of last week’s battle against the ice bears.
This time though, the highlight was the fight between Jinwoo and Baruka, the leader of the ice elves, and the boss of the Red Gate Dungeon.
Unlike the previous episode, which spotlighted Jinwoo’s army, this battle focused on Jinwoo himself. Watching him strategise in real-time, analysing Baruka’s moves and reacting with split-second precision felt like he was playing an intense video game at a professional level—but with life and death at stake.
Jinwoo vs Baruka: big questions and bigger fights
One of the more surprising moments comes when Jinwoo realizes he can understand the ice elves’ language. Baruka’s comment that Jinwoo is “one of them” caught him (and us) off guard. If you haven’t read the manhwa, this raises some big questions that will likely come up again later.
The fight itself was a bit of a back-and-forth, with Jinwoo having to rely on both his wits and strength. It’s always satisfying to see him struggle a little before figuring out a plan C good enough to win, especially against someone as strong as Baruka.
Kim Chul
Kim Chul’s role in this episode is an odd one. Blinded by rage and jealousy, he couldn’t handle the fact that Jinwoo’s team survived while the high-ranking hunters didn’t—and it ultimately led to his downfall. Kim Chul, the A-rank leader of the hunters in that mission was blinded by his rage—envious and angry at Jinwoo because the low-ranking party members survived while he and the high-ranking party members didn’t.
Believing that Jinwoo’s team hoarded the supplies from the rest of the party, Kim Chul attacks, but Jinwoo knocks him out in one blow. This moment gives us a clear glimpse into how powerful he has become at the beginning of Season 2. Jinwoo is now far beyond an A-rank hunter, capable of taking down a tank like Kim Chul effortlessly.
But Kim Chul’s story doesn’t end there. As the battle escalates, he’s killed by Igris, Jinwoo’s strongest knight. What happens next feels morally unsettling—Jinwoo extracts Kim Chul’s shadow and calls him Iron. While it’s a practical move that boosts Jinwoo’s overall strength, Iron has no memory of who he once was and follows Jinwoo blindly. Seeing Jinwoo use Kim Chul’s shadow—even after all the trouble he caused—feels morally murky. This raises a chilling thought: is Jinwoo exploiting the system, and has he become more calloused than he should be?
Despite these moral questions, the dynamics of this fight were brilliant. The classic double-DPS plus tank combination was shown wonderfully here—Iron moves slowly and taunts the enemy. Igris and Jinwoo are fleet-footed and can deliver the most devastating blows. Episode 2 ends with the leader of the White Tiger Guild ordering Ahn Sangmin to recruit Jinwoo. Then Jinwoo meets up with Yoo Jinho, who provided some comic relief—but the scene cuts there as they drove off to their next mission.
Overall, while episode 2 excels in delivering thrilling action and a bit of character development, its pacing leaves much to be desired. The episode felt like a transitional moment in the story, but its fast pace might leave some viewers craving for more substance at the expense of shorter combat sequences.
