Solo Leveling has delivered numerous thrilling moments that resonate deeply with its fan base. Among these, the instances where protagonist Sung Jinwoo employs his ability, Shadow Extraction, to resurrect defeated monsters or hunters for his shadow army are particularly memorable. Yet, fans often question why Jinwoo did not extract the shadow of Baran, the formidable Demon Monarch.
Why Didn’t Sung Jinwoo Attempt to Extract Baran’s Shadow?
The straightforward answer lies in Baran’s identity: he was a demon. According to the System’s guidelines, the Shadow Extraction ability is ineffective on entities with tainted mana, a category that includes demons. Given Baran’s title as the Demon Monarch, Jinwoo did not consider extracting him.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling manhwa.
During the S-Rank Dungeon raid at the Demon Castle, there was a pivotal moment when Jinwoo attempted to extract the shadows of various demons. However, he was met with a notification from the System, indicating that the mana was contaminated, making the Shadow Extraction skill unavailable. This alert clearly communicated that demons, due to their corrupted mana, were off-limits for his extraction techniques.
This scenario was equally applicable to Baran. Identified as the Demon Monarch by the System, Baran’s status further solidified Sung Jinwoo’s rationale against attempting his extraction. Thus, there was simply no reason for Jinwoo to pursue the shadow of the Monarch of White Flames.
Moreover, this explains why Jinwoo successfully extracted the shadow of Baran’s wyvern—an important detail. Unlike Baran, the wyvern was merely a creature used for flight across the 100th floor of the Demon Castle, and not a demon itself.
In addition to the reasons mentioned, there is another critical aspect to consider regarding Baran’s non-extraction. It is essential to understand that the version of Baran encountered in the Demon Castle was not the original Monarch of White Flames.
As the narrative unfolds, it is revealed that the true Baran had been slain by Ashborn, the original Shadow Monarch, long ago. Even though Ashborn was allied with the Monarchs, Antares, the strongest Monarch, felt threatened by his power and devised a plan to eliminate him, targeting Baran and Rakan.
Ultimately, Baran and Rakan were no match for Ashborn, leading to Baran’s demise while Rakan narrowly escaped. Following this treachery, Ashborn executed Baran, solidifying the latter’s fate.
Years later, the Rulers aimed to fortify Earth for an impending confrontation with the Monarchs, prompting Kandiaru to design the System. Ingeniously, this included creating a clone of Baran to act as a final challenge within the Demon Castle.
Consequently, the Baran that Jinwoo faced was merely a construct, a clone designed for gameplay purposes and not the genuine Demon Monarch. Thus, even if Jinwoo had the capability to extract demon souls, Baran’s clone would not be a viable candidate for such an ability.
- The complexities of Jinwoo’s powers
- The significance of tainted mana in the Solo Leveling universe
- The role of clones in creating challenges for players
In conclusion, the reasons behind Sung Jinwoo’s inability to extract Baran’s shadow are multi-faceted, encompassing the nature of demons, the implications of tainted mana, and the historical context leading to the creation of Baran’s clone as a key adversary.