Summary
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The Jeju Island Raid arc inSolo Levelinghas been one of the most captivating and intense of the series, leaving several fans stunned at the abilities of both hunters and monsters alike, especially Sung Jin-Woo’s grand entry.
While this may be the first time fans have seen a Jeju Island Raid in action, there is a dark history concerning raids on this particular island that has haunted the nation for years, leaving a bitter taste on the tongues of hunters at the mention of it. A history sodark they required aid from another country. So, what made the Jeju Island Raids one of the darkest chapters inSolo Leveling’shistory?
Survivors
Although the state of Jeju Island remains unknown before the appearance of the S-Rank gate, it is believed that it could not have been as bad as it was after its appearance. Gates are usually assigned to hunters of equal or higher rank. However, with the maximum being S-Rank, the S-Ranked hunters had to clear the dungeon.
Regrettably, the hunters present when the gate initially opened were too weak to close it and failed. This led to the transformationof Jeju Island into an inhabitable hellscapeteeming with Ants, monsters from the dungeon. Unlike most monsters, the Ants were capable of reasoning and evolution. These led to the Ants’ total domination of Jeju Island, turning it into a stronghold where they continued to breed and evolve into more dangerous beasts while threatening the safety of those near the island.
The Jeju Island Raids
The First Three Unsuccessful Attempts
With the threat of continuously evolving Ants, the Korean Government carried out raids to defeat the monsters inhabiting Jeju Island. They launched three raid attempts in three years on the Island, and while they might not have displayed these raids in the series, a fourth raid attempt is enough indication that the first three failed. Although several lives were lost throughout these raids,the death of Eunseok in the third raidwas the straw that broke the camel’s back.
His death severely destabilized his comrades and even pushed Byung-Gu to retire from hunting. Korea also felt the weight of this loss. Being one of Korea’s highly revered hunters, the Korean Government decided to abandon any further plans to reclaim the island, hoping the Ants would die from starvation. This was the status quo until they realized the Ants could fly off the island.
The Fourth Jeju Island Raid
The Last Hope
The discovery of the Ants’ evolution led toan amalgamation of the strongest huntersfrom Korea and Japan to end the Ants before they fully mastered flight. A simple plan was put in motion. The S-Ranks from Japan would draw out the foot soldiers from the Ant colony, and the Korean S-Ranks would infiltrate the colony to defeat the Ant Queen and prevent further breeding and evolution.
With sixteen of the strongest S-Ranks, the mission should have been a breeze. However, there was an anomaly they had no knowledge of and did not account for. An anomaly that further contributed to the dark history of the Jeju Island Raids.
The Ant King
An Ant created to evolve at a monstrous rate and guide his kind to supremacy, the Ant King’s appearance led to the gut-wrenching deaths of several hunters on the island. Cleanly and swiftly slicing off the heads of his victims is a noteworthy trauma connected to this fourth raid. Even Goto Ryuji, Japan’s number one hunter, was given the same treatment.
Min Byung-Gu’s death was the most tragicof them all, considering he was a survivor of the previous raids and had initially planned to abstain from the Island altogether. With the remaining Korean hunters finally backed into a corner with no means of survival, Sung Jin-Woo appeared.
Humanity’s Saving Grace
In all his aura, Sung Jin-Woo finally came to the hunters’ aid. Although his late arrival sparked controversies among fans of the series, as he could have prevented the increments to the dark history of the Jeju Island Raids, his appearance was extremely appreciated. He wiped out the foot soldiers pressing the hunters and even faced the Ant King squarely,defeating the Ant in every aspectin which it thought it would have an edge.
After a long battle and show of dominance from Sung Jin-Woo, he killed the Ant King and managed to save Cha-Hae-in from the brink of death. While the hunters and Korea in its entirety were relieved that the nightmare had come to an end, the death of other hunters could not be reversed. These tragedies, combined with the others from the previous raids and not excluding civilian lives, will forever be engraved in the dark history of the Jeju Island Raids and Korea at large.
The Significance Of The Jeju Island Raids
Limitations in Ability And Fear Of National Failure
The Jeju Island Raids are more than just intense and thrilling battles with deaths sprinkled around. It exposed the vulnerability of S-Rank hunters in the face of overwhelming power. S-Ranks are commonly believed tohave the strength to take any monsterthey come across, and the Jeju Island Raids negated that narrative. It showed that even S-Ranks are not invincible and are also subject to defeat and fear of failure, just like hunters in the lower ranks.
For the viewers, it was an emotional rollercoaster. From the display of power and abilities by the S-Rank hunters to their despair and finally the appearance of a hero when he is truly needed, every moment left fans either shedding tears or jumping in excitement. Nevertheless, even with the final victor being the humans, Jeju Island will forever be stained with the blood of the late hunters.
