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Sung Jin-Woo has defeated quite a few dungeon bosses inSolo Levelingby this point. From the leader of the ice elves, Baruka, to the ferocious Ant King on Jeju Island, he has overpowered these magical beasts one after another through sheer strength and determination. However, Jin-Woo has yet to uncover the secrets of the double dungeon and its hidden boss, at least in the anime adaptation.
The first episode ofSolo Levelingthrows Sung Jin-Woo into a double dungeon where he, along with a few low-level hunters, encounters some not-so-friendly giant statues. From thetowering statue of Godto the statue holding the commandments of the Cartenon Temple, each of these statues showed the dungeon’s true horrors that the hunters never forgot.
What’s Inside the Double Dungeon?
The First Look at Cartenon Temple
In a construction area somewhere in Seoul, alow-level gate appears, requiring a strike team composed of mediocre hunters, including Sung Jin-Woo, to clear. It was supposed to be an ordinary day for these hunters trying to make a living until they discovered a second dungeon, which they all believed could bring more earnings to the table. Or so they think. What awaits the hunters is a temple that looks harmless at first glance but is, in reality, ridiculously deadly.
“Hey, isn’t this place dangerous?"—Kim Sang-Shik
The Cartenon Temple looks like a scene straight out of a fantasy or horror movie. There are giant statues of different kinds, some wielding weapons, others holding musical instruments. At the center of the temple, a godly statue sits on the throne, exuding an aura far more intimidating than the rest. The curious hunters scan the entire area, wondering where theycould find valuable runestonesand magic crystals. Unfortunately, before they could find anything, the hunters found themselves in grave danger at the mercy of the towering statues.
The Hidden Boss of the Double Dungeon
No, It’s Not the Statue of God
It’s only natural thatSolo Levelingfans identified the godly statue of the Absolute Being as the boss of the double dungeon due to its unusual size, towering over any other statues and its central position in the temple. Additionally, it is the only statue that shows an expression so revolting and sadistic it sends shivers to Jin-Woo and the others. Of all the emotions the godly statue could display, it chooses to smile, very typical for avillain with an ulterior motiveand an evil plan.
As soon as the statue of God moves, panic grips the hunters in fear for their lives. Worse, the statue seemingly shoots laser beams from its eyes deadly enough to pulverize its targets. The statue of God can also move from its position, forcing the hunters to run for their lives or risk being crushed like helpless insects. In other words, there is no safe place to run unless they can follow or solve the riddle behind the temple’s commandments.
“It can’t be! There’s a rule in this room?"—Sung Jin-Woo
Speaking of riddles, Jin-Woo’s only clue to escape from the dungeon is written on a huge tablet held by an unusual hooded statue. There are commandments engraved on the tablet that only Jin-Woo successfully deciphers, allowing his fellow hunters to escape the madness, leaving him behind to die or, in his case, to become a player in the system.
Who Is the Hidden Boss of the Double Dungeon?
Sung Jin-Woo’s Correct Guess
Unbeknownst to the survivors, Sung Jin-Woo already suspects that the statue of God was not the final boss of the dungeon, despite its terrifying strength and abilities. He has a guess about who it was, and as the plot unfolds inSolo Leveling, he learns that he was right all along. As it turns out, the hidden boss of the double dungeon is none other than the hooded statue holding the temple’s commandments instead of the statue of god.
“You should not be asking who I am; you should be asking what you are”—The Architect to Sung Jin-Woo
Even more surprisingly, the hidden boss of the temple possesses all the knowledge behind the mystery of the system, its mechanism, and the reason Jin-Woo became a player. In short, the hooded statue is thearchitect of the system. All this time, the hooded statue has been observing and testing Jin-Woo’s worthiness to become the human vessel of the Shadow Monarch, Ashborn himself. And when Jin-Woo passed the architect’s test, exceeding his expectations in the process, he initiated the system to steer the vessel’s growth.
This plot twist is just one of the many interesting reveals inSolo Levelingthat sets it apart from other series. Just when fans think they know everything about the double dungeon and the system, the series throws unexpected reveals their way, influencing and changing the course of events and keeping them on edge.
