This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling anime and manhwa.

Summary

Igris is one of the strongest shadows in Solo Leveling, nearly defeating Jin-Woo and unmatched by S-Rank hunters.
Igris, the first elite shadow, has unmatched strength, agility, and combat skills, making him extremely powerful.
Despite not being the strongest in Jin-Woo's army, Igris remains a relevant and potent shadow with room for growth.

The anime adaptation of Solo Leveling remains a popular topic among fans, especially after Sung Jin-Woo acquired a new general-grade shadow from Jeju Island. Beru is becoming a fan favorite, but Igris, the first elite shadow who joined the army, is also gaining ample support due to his overall charisma and unrivaled devotion. First acquired in the job-change dungeon, he has significantly leveled up alongside Jin-Woo in the series.

Igris is undeniably one of the strongest shadows in Solo Leveling. Jin-Woo barely defeated Igris, and he even came close to failing in extracting his shadow, only succeeding after he used what fans jokingly refer to as “talk no jutsu” to persuade him. This moment alone shows Igris’ incredible strength. But if that’s not convincing enough, series creator Chugong has revealed some interesting details about his strength that truly make him untouchable.

solo leveling jin woo season 3 min byung gu return

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By Cathlyn Melo

Solo Leveling’s Creator Reveals How Untouchable Igris’ True Form

Exploring Igris’ Strength

Chugong reveals that even the world’s strongest hunters, including S-rank and nation-level hunters, would be no match for Igris in his true form.
Even if S-rank and nation-level hunters unite, they would fail to stop Igris' true form.

Blood-Red Commander Igris, or simply Igris, as Jin-Woo renamed him, is the first elite shadow to ever join the new Shadow Monarch’s army. He made his debut in the first season of Solo Leveling, specifically in the Job-Change dungeon, where he was guarding an empty throne. His name was written in red, which means he was stronger than any other magic beast Jin-Woo has faced before.

Unlike Jin-Woo's previous opponents, Igris oozes a chilling aura, sending shivers down his spine. He was also the main source of the tremendous force Jin-Woo felt inside the dungeon, and, true enough, he was unbelievably strong. Normal attacks didn’t work on him, and judging from the impact of his blows, it was clear that he was stronger than Jin-Woo at the time.

In fact, if Igris had landed a direct hit on Jin-Woo during their fight, it would have killed him. A single attack from Igris could lose Jin-Woo 500 health points in an instant without his armor. Igris was insanely powerful even after he dropped his sword. In terms of abilities, technique, skills, and even experience, Jin-Woo didn’t hold any advantage at all. If Jin-Woo had made a single mistake during the fight, he would have died because of Igris.

Meanwhile, Solo Leveling’s creator, Chugong, revealed some intriguing details about Igris’ true strength in a Korean forum called DCinside. Here’s what the author had to say about the unrivaled knight:

"If Igris had descended in his true form, even if all the S-Rank hunters in the world, including the National level hunters, had joined forces, they still wouldn't have been able to defeat him."

-Chugong

From this, it’s clear just how untouchable Igris truly is in his true form. If he ascended, even the world’s strongest hunters would not survive a fight with him. It’ll be a different story with Jin-Woo, but when it comes down to the S-rank and nation-level hunters, they wouldn't stand a chance against him even if they were united. Of course, like all shadows, Igris’ current form is significantly weaker than his true form. But even as a shadow, his strength remains a cut above most.

As Solo Leveling’s story progresses, Igris is expected to level up and become a Marshal-Grade shadow. The question is how the next seasons of the anime will portray his rapid growth. With new, powerful shadows set to join Jin-Woo’s army in Season 3, many fans are expecting that Igris still gets the spotlight he deserves.

Is Igris the Strongest Shadow in Jin-Woo's Army?

Jin-Woo Barely Defeated Igris

igris fights sung jinwoo — Igris slashes against Jinwoo's defenses. (Solo Leveling)

Short answer: no, Igris is not the strongest shadow in Jin-Woo's army, despite his overwhelming strength. While Jin-Woo struggled to defeat him in the first season, partly due to luck, it doesn’t make Igris the strongest shadow. However, there's no doubt he’ll continue to grow stronger as Jin-Woo also teaches higher levels.

"Frost Monarch, do not assume the position of the king with only that much power"—Igris

Among the elite shadows in Jin-Woo's army, Bellion is likely the strongest of them all, not Igris. For context, Bellion is a devout servant of Ashborn, the original Shadow Monarch, and would later appear in the final story arcs. Without giving many spoilers, even Beru doesn’t come close to matching Bellion's strength. Despite this, Igris undoubtedly remains one of the strongest and most relevant shadows in Solo Leveling.