Solo Leveling’s Season 2 Finale Is Nowhere Close to This Glorious Episode

Solo Leveling Season 2 is the most popular anime series of the Winter 2025 lineup, understandably, thanks to impressive visuals and a sprawling social media presence. The season focused on Jinwoo’s growth as he became an S-Rank Hunter. Season 2 kicks off with the Red Gate Arc, adapting the manhwa till the Jeju Island Arc. There have been many ups and downs in the story as we follow Jinwoo’s journey. He finally saves his mother, which is a major reason he decides to become stronger in the first place. After becoming an S-Rank Hunter, he’s always in the public eye. Jinwoo’s feats in the Jeju Island Arc were witnessed by the entire world, grabbing everyone’s attention.

Every episode of Season 2 was well-received for its incredible animation and streamlined storyboards, with praise often outweighing the criticism. This includes the finale, which, despite cutting off several scenes from the manhwa, was well-adapted. The scenes that were removed in the episode allow for further development in the story when Season 3 drops. Although it hasn’t been officially announced yet, considering the anime’s massive global popularity, it shouldn’t be long before the studio shares new updates. However, although the finale was amazing, another groundbreaking episode received a much better reception.

[RELATED: Solo Leveling Season 2 Finale Made Crucial Changes from the Original]

Solo Leveling’s Best Episode Remains to Be Jinwoo vs. Beru

Episode 12 of the second season currently has over 528k likes on Crunchyroll. Compared to that, the final episode has over 375k likes, which is still incredible, but nowhere compared to the penultimate episode featuring Jinwoo vs. Beru. Beru is easily the strongest villain Jinwoo has faced in the anime so far, and the anticipation was met well with a strong execution. The fourth Jeju Island Raid began after careful preparations and research to ensure the Hunters’ victory with minimum casualties. However, no one expected the appearance of the Ant King, whose powers far surpass those of any monster the Hunters have ever seen.

The Ant King goes on a killing spree immediately upon hatching, which jeopardizes the mission and the safety of the people. Although Jinwoo refused to participate in the raid, he sent a few of his shadows with the Hunters so he could switch places with them in case things went awry. His fears weren’t unfounded since Jinwoo had to come to the island and save everyone. The fight between him and the Ant King is one of the most thrilling parts of the show, with the anime adapting exceptionally well.

The stellar and fluid animation of the battle only adds to the thrill. Jinwoo was able to easily overwhelm his opponent. From Jinwoo’s face-off against Beru to the OST, the anime further elevates the story. Hence, it’s no wonder anime fans loved this episode so much. Right after Beru’s defeat, Jinwoo’s attention turns to Cha Haein, who is in critical condition.

Solo Leveling Season 2 Finale Missed Out On Some Major Scenes

Solo Leveling Season 2 finale was great overall, and it received widespread acclaim, with many fans considering it a fitting and impactful conclusion to the season. The final scene, where Jinwoo enters another Red Gate and summons his Shadows to fight the monsters, is from the ending of the Recruitment Arc. While the arc will be featured in the third season, the anime decided to conclude Season 2 with this epic scene. It added more flair to the story, again highlighting Jinwoo’s growth as a Hunter.

However, some of the scenes being omitted from the Jeju Island Arc affected the original flow of the story. The manhwa introduced a few characters, one of whom would play a significant role in the story. Although the anime briefly features Thomas Andre, his introduction scene was skipped in the finale episode to make room for more content. Compared to the season finale, the episode, which included Jinwoo vs. Beru, was more faithful to the manhwa.

While both episodes are amazing in their own right, not a lot of moments in anime can be compared to the epic between two otherworldly powerful beings. After Cha Haein’s life is saved, Jinwoo wastes no time in making Beru his shadow. Anime-only fans may not be aware, but Beru is already a favorite among manhwa and light novel readers. He will prove to be a worthy ally to Jinwoo in the later arcs when the latter will face more powerful villains than ever.