The following article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling manhwa and anime.

Sung Jin-Woo is a god-tier being in Solo Leveling, and that’s not going to change anytime soon, even in Season 3, unless creator Chugong writes another novel where the strongest hunter ends up tragically defeated by someone else. Most likely, he is and will always be at the top of the ranks, looking down on the weaker beings with untapped potential.

And speaking of untapped potential, Solo Leveling is infamous for sidelining characters with compelling abilities and backstories. These characters could have matched or surpassed Jin-Woo under the right circumstances or if fate had played out differently. From S-rank and National Level Hunters to Jin-Woo's elite shadows, here are the characters who might have had even more potential than Jin-Woo.

Solo Leveling: Every Main Character's Rank, Class, And Guild

With the Solo Leveling anime being a smash hit, here's a look at each main character's rank and skills.

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By C.M Edwards

Kang Tae-Shik

The Cold-Blooded B-Rank Hunter

First Webtoon Appearance: Chapter 27
First Anime Appearance: Episode 3

When Jin-Woo killed Kang Tae-Shik, Solo Leveling lost the opportunity to expand on his fallout, as well as his raw talent. He was one of those characters who could have been so much more if it weren’t for his sadistic and ruthless urges. So, it’s understandable that most fans consider him a missed opportunity, someone who was clearly a case of power gone wrong.

If Kang Tae-Shik had only stayed on the right path, he could have been fighting alongside S-rank and A-rank hunters on the frontlines. Given his combat ability, experience, knowledge, and unrivaled instincts, it won’t be a surprise if he undergoes a second awakening in the long run. If he were luckier, he could have been the perfect recipient of Norma Selner’s upgrader abilities. Unfortunately, he was removed early from the story, turning his potential into wasted talent.

Go Gun-Hee

The Gentle Giant

First Webtoon Appearance: Chapter 63
First Anime Appearance: Episode 1

Long-time fans can attest to how powerful old men in anime are and Go Gun-Hee of the Korean Hunters Association is no different. At his age, even Jin-Woo can’t help but recognize the intimidating strength hiding underneath his failing body. If it weren’t for his age and his declining health, he could have been fighting on the frontlines, sharing the responsibility of saving the world with Jin-Woo. After all, he truly wanted to share the same battlefield as Jin-Woo, but Solo Leveling had a different plan for him.

In Go Gun-Hee's prime, he was considered Korea’s S-rank among S-ranks, meaning he was the strongest of his time. In other words, he was the Jin-Woo of his era. But even if age and fate clipped his wings in Solo Leveling, he remains a respected figure for most hunters, especially to Jin-Woo.

Liu Zhigang

China’s Strongest Hunter

First Webtoon Appearance: Chapter 107
First Anime Appearance: Episode 25

Liu Zhigang is one of the coolest characters to ever grace the pages of Solo Leveling. He is also one of the best when it comes to defeating high-level magical beasts, dungeon bosses, and the like. Being China’s pride and glory allows him to command respect across nations, including Korea. But despite all this muscle, Solo Leveling only gave fans glimpses of his feats, making the full extent of his power unknown.

While Liu Zhigang is obviously a monster on the battlefield, he could easily become a central figure in an exciting arc where he had to fight Sung Jin-Woo toe-to-toe like Thomas Andre did in the International Guild Conference Arc. If fully unleashed in a high-level conflict against Jin-Woo, there’s no telling how far his overwhelming physical strength and unmatched instincts could have taken him.

Sung Il-Hwan

The Beast from the Gates

First Webtoon Appearance: Chapter 56
First Novel Appearance: Chapter 68

The famous saying, “Like father, like son,” is true about Sung Il-Hwan and Sung Jin-Woo's father-son relationship. Both characters possess immense strength, capable of overpowering and outpacing higher beings, including the Monarchs. If Sung Il-Hwan had been free from the control of the Rulers much earlier, he could have been a valuable hunter, maybe fighting on equal ground as his son in the fourth Jeju Island raid.

In other words, Sung Il-Hwan has all the qualities needed to emerge as a legendary figure in the world of hunters. Most characters see him as a magical beast, but that is true to some extent, considering he is truly an apex predator on the battlefield. As proven in the fight with Hwang Dong-Soo, he is powerful enough to rival the strongest hunters in Solo Leveling, including Sung Jin-Woo himself.

However, as with the many characters mentioned in this article, most of his story remained off-screen, leaving only glimpses of what could have been before his heroic self-sacrifice.

Igris

The Silent Protector

First Webtoon Appearance: Chapter 38
First Anime Appearance: Episode 11

Admit it, it’s difficult to forget Jin-Woo's fight with Blood-Red Commander Igris in the first season of Solo Leveling. Of all the shadows in Jin-Woo's army, the red knight was probably the toughest to deal with, mostly due to his enhanced strength, speed, and durability, and not just because Jin-Woo was considerably weaker at that point. In fact, he even gave Jin-Woo a handicap by refusing to use his sword against him.

Moreover, Igris’ swordsmanship is also incredible, and the same goes for his combat intelligence. But above all else, Igris’ loyalty to his master is absolute. He acts as a spear and sword for his master, striking down enemies without hesitation or failure. With centuries of battle-hardened experience, combined with exceptional skill, Igris could grow even stronger, possibly matching even the person who turned him into a shadow.

Thomas Andre

The Unbreakable Tank-Like Hunter

First Webtoon Appearance: Chapter 83
First Anime Appearance: Episode 21

If Choi Jong-In is the Ultimate Soldier of Korea, Thomas Andre is probably the Ultimate Weapon of the United States. And if Jin-Woo did not become a player in the System, he could have been the strongest hunter in the world of Solo Leveling.

What’s more, he could have been the champion of the Rulers with the power to break the Monarchs. Unfortunately, the series is so hyper-focused on Jin-Woo's growth that there isn’t enough time for his legend to fully unfold.

The best thing about Thomas Andre is that he’s not like any other anime characters who are all talk, muscle, and bravado. Behind his tank-like build, he could dictate any fight with his brute strength and monstrous aura. And despite his arrogance, he also has an intriguing backstory and huge personality that could win over even the haters and the most skeptical fans.

Kandiaru

The System’s Architect

First Webtoon Appearance: Chapter 6
First Anime Appearance: Episode 1

A mysterious and formidable being that exists beyond human comprehension, Kandiaru is the creator of the System, which guides Jin-Woo from day one. In other words, he is the one responsible for Jin-Woo's rapid growth, someone who dictates the flow of events, including the quests and rewards Jin-Woo receives from the system. If it weren’t for Kandiaru’s system, Jin-Woo would have been dead long ago.

In the Double Dungeon story arc, Kandiaru proved that he had what it takes to push Jin-Woo into a corner. His ability to nullify Jin-Woo's powers inside the dungeon easily made him an incredibly difficult opponent. Worse, he can use the same powers as Jin-Woo, almost as if he were his shadow rival. In terms of potential, Kandiaru is probably a character full of promise, considering Jin-Woo never found his real body in the original series.

Antares

Jin-Woo's Most Dangerous Enemy

First Webtoon Appearance: Chapter 163
First Novel Appearance: Chapter 228

Apart from the Itarim Gods, which Jin-Woo faces in Solo Leveling: Ragnarok, Antares, otherwise known as the Dragon Monarch or the Monarch of Destruction, is probably the closest character Jin-Woo has to an equal when it comes to power level. He is leagues above other monarchs, so much so that his descent into the human world is a sign of apocalyptic devastation.

Even the successor of the Shadow Monarch, Jin-Woo himself, struggled to outpace Antares, relying not just on his strength but also on every trick in his arsenal just to stand a chance. Of course, Antares was the final villain in the original series, which makes it only right for him to be Jin-Woo's toughest challenge. At his peak potential, Antares could cause the collapse of civilizations, eventually altering the balance between Rulers and Monarchs.

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