- 1,059
- 206
The "universe"
The universe in Solo Leveling seems to be a bit more complex than simply having its own version of our observable universe. The first hints of this come from the original series when we learn about the Chaos World, a world ruled by the Monarchs and inhabited by each of their armies. This world is in a completely separate dimension from Earth, but is still implicitly included when talking about the the universe as a whole. In Solo Leveling Ragnarok we learn more about the different dimensions the Absolute Being created, and the story reinforces that the “universe” is composed of multiple dimensions. There’s also the “gap between dimensions” or the “dimensional gap” which is considered the “universe itself”. In Ragnarok there’s also confirmation that there are countless dimensions within the universe.Earth's Dimension
What we as regular humans would otherwise refer to as the observable universe. After a loss to the Rulers in Chaos World, the Monarchs fled to the dimensional gap and looked for a new world to make their armies. When Jinwoo gazed upon Earth’s dimension via Ashborn's memories, he looked through countless galaxies and planets before finally seeing Earth itself.Monarch Realms
Each of the original 8 Monarchs rules their own dimensions, separate from the Chaos World.Rakan ruled the world of Beasts
Querehsha ruled the Insect World
Sillad ruled the world of Ice Elves and spirits
Tarnak ruled the world of Monstrous humanoids
Yogumunt ruled the world of Demonic Spirits
Legia (presumably) ruled the world of Giants
Baran ruled the Demon Realm
Antares ruled the Tomb of Berserk Dragons
It should be noted that the precise size of these realms has not been confirmed. Chaos World itself is implied to be its own universe, as it has its own cosmos.
The Void
The Void refers to the gap between different dimensions that are otherwise connected with Gates. The Void can also be referred to as the “gap between dimensions” or the “dimensional gap”. The Void is a space of nothingness where anything can exist. This gap between dimensions is stated to be “the universe itself” as aforementioned, and also infinite in size.The World of Eternal Rest/The Shadow Dungeon
The World of Eternal Rest, or the Shadow Dungeon under Suho’s command, is the domain of the Shadow Monarch. This realm is stated to be infinite in size. It’s also made clear that this dimension is considered a part of the universe.The Sea of the Afterlife
The Sea of the Afterlife is the actual afterlife that souls go to after death. The Sea of the Afterlife is a deeper and darker spiritual universe than the Shadow Dungeon. It's described as a truly boundless expanse. The Sea of the Afterlife is so vast that trying to find the World Tree's roots inside of it is akin to trying to find a needle in a desert. Even with a needle as large as the World Tree, the Sea of the Afterlife is far vaster and more daunting than a desert.The World Tree
The World Tree is a big tree
that was planted by the Absolute Being. The World Tree exists everywhere and nowhere simultaneously, and it connects the gap between dimensions. Its roots are in the Sea of the Afterlife and stretch into all dimensions. Its trunk stretches throughout the universe. The World Tree itself is akin to a spiritual universe.Shadow of the World Tree
The Shadow of the World Tree is the... the literal shadow of the World Tree. If the Sea of the Afterlife is a spiritual universe that exists as the abyss of darkness, the Shadow of the World Tree towers above it as its opposite. This realm is a spiritual universe that houses souls that seek rebirth as new lifeforms and serves as the flow and passageway for these souls. Similarly to how water and oil cannot mix, the Shadow Monarch's influence cannot reach this realm as this realm does not defy death. The white shadow of the World Tree extends toward the entire universe.Suho’s Shadow of the World Tree passive skill allows for Suho to awaken the spirits of the fallen Monarchs even though their spiritual bodies are destroyed after they die. The Monarchs all awaken in unique worlds in which they have total control. When Suho entered Baran’s realm, it was stated to have an endless horizon. With that in mind, these “death realms” could potentially be infinite in size, and they all exist within the Sea of the Afterlife. While Sillad initially tells us that these realms were in the Sea of the Afterlife, Suho's experience in Kandiaru's death realm indicates more precisely that these realms exist inside the Shadow of the World Tree. Kandiaru's realm is stated to have no discernable end and as the Monarch of Transcendence, Suho has become the true master of these death realms. Since these realms exist inside of the Shadow of the World Tree, the infinite size implications may simply upscale the Shadow itself rather than introduce 8 unique constructs.
Different Timelines
The manhwa for Solo Leveling Ragnarok makes pretty major deviations from the original novel as it pertains to specific elements of the overarching plot, the history of certain characters, and the powers Suho acquires in his journey. In order to escape from Tiel, Suho enters the class advancement quest. In this quest, he comes across his former self from his “Tutorial” quest in the Solo Leveling epilogue and his child self that could wield Ruler’s Authority. After many, many deaths at their hands, Suho eventually finds a third version of himself. Based on the abilities this third version has, and the memories manhwa Suho sees as they battle, it's very clear that this third Suho is Suho from the Solo Leveling Ragnarok novel.Beyond this, I think information from Solo Leveling: ARISE could potentially be applied to the main story. The developers for this game sought to expand upon the Solo Leveling Universe whilst staying true to the IP, and the original author, Chugong, praised the expanded stories. He actively collaborates with the dev team to ensure the new stories fit within the series. Chugong also supervises the development of the Hunter Origin stories, which provide additional background information for select Hunters. As it relates to different timelines, I’d note that the Pure Sword Princess story showcases an alternate version of Cha Haein, who awakened with ice-based powers rather than solely light-based powers. This is implied to be a timeline lost to the many resets made with the Cup of Reincarnation. The story mode also makes some deviations from the novel and webtoon adaptations. Additionally, Park Beom-Shik's Ultimate Skill implies that in another world he doesn't get killed by a statue in the Double Dungeon.
In the context of Solo Leveling includes one universe and at least 6 universal realms (3 of which are stated to be infinite in size). Ragnarok's novel takes place in "timelines" relative to the Ragnarok Webtoon. There's a case to be made that information from Solo Leveling: ARISE could be applicable to the main story.
And that is a single Universe created by the Absolute being which is revealed to an Itarim, in Ragnarok, several Itarims created their own Universes as well like him and have their own creations, it's stated to be numerous.
@Dereck03 @DarkDragonMedeus @ActuallySpaceMan42 @PHANtomFELdway @Phoenks @Teach1121 @Helestias @Anonymous_Learner @Dark_Soul20189 @Sevil Natas
Option 1: Low 2C
Option 2 : 2C
Option 3: 2B
Last edited:
. But idk if it will be accepted as canon.
