Who is the main villain in Solo Leveling: Ragnarok? Explained

As the world of Solo Leveling continues to expand with its sequel, Solo Leveling: Ragnarok brings fans a deeper understanding of its universe through an intricate cosmic hierarchy that surpasses the familiar structures of Monarchs and Rulers.

Sung Jinwoo passes his legacy onto his son Suho as a new threat rises from dark corners of existence, creating a challenge greater than the Monarchs from the prior series. These villains are none other than the Itarim, also known as the Outer Gods, who serve as the main villains in Solo Leveling: Ragnarok.

Disclaimer: The speculations and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author.

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Supreme cosmic beings of Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

The Itarim stand as perhaps the most formidable adversaries in the Solo Leveling universe, existing as supreme beings who have created countless worlds since the dawn of time. Unlike the Absolute Being who created the world of Solo Leveling, the Itarim represent a collective of godlike entities with similar powers.

These beings attain the highest rank within the power hierarchy through their cosmic nature, which limits them only to their personal boredom and sadistic entertainment desires. The perpetual nature of their existence became dull to these cosmic beings who found endless creation cycles uninteresting.

The Outer Gods chose to entertain themselves by observing the worlds they created where civilizations waged catastrophic wars. Their callous outlook shows their essential disparity from the Absolute Being, who demonstrated basic concern for his creations through the actions of the Rulers.

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A cosmic struggle for power and the fate of mana in Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

The events of Solo Leveling: Ragnarok are triggered when the Itarim discover that one of their own—implied to be the Absolute Being—was killed by his creations. Rather than seeking vengeance for their fallen kin, these cosmic entities view this death as an opportunity to seize the now-masterless world and its vast mana reserves for themselves.

Their method of invasion reveals much about their nature. Instead of directly intervening, they dispatch Apostles—powerful servants that act as extensions of their will—to locate and secure the source of the world's mana. This approach demonstrates both their incredible power and their strange detachment.

They possess the ability to create agents capable of challenging the Rulers yet remain distant from the conflict themselves. The struggle between the Rulers and the Itarim's Apostles becomes a war of attrition that the Rulers cannot hope to win.

While the Apostles can be endlessly replaced, the Rulers, following the death of the Absolute Being, have lost their ability to replenish their numbers. This fundamental imbalance makes their eventual defeat seem inevitable until Sung Jinwoo's unique necromantic abilities provide a counterbalance.

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The Itarim: Godlike beings of endless creation and cosmic indifference

The Itarim's abilities extend far beyond conventional understanding, even within the already supernatural world of Solo Leveling. They possess eternal life, creation powers capable of forming entire universes, dimensional awareness allowing them to observe multiple worlds simultaneously, and the ability to manifest their will through powerful Apostles.

What makes the Itarim particularly threatening as antagonists is their complete lack of moral restraint or loyalty. They view worlds and their inhabitants as mere playthings and even their own kind as expendable when convenient. This cosmic sociopathy elevates them beyond typical villains driven by ambition or revenge; they seek entertainment through suffering on a scale that spans universes.

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Conclusion

Sung Suho and Sung Jinwoo as seen in the manhwa (Image via Daul/Jin/D&C Media KAKAO)

Rulers in a greater battle. To defend Earth, he unseals his son Suho’s powers and appoints Beru as his advisor, ensuring a new protector against the Apostles. The introduction of the Itarim raises the stakes, expanding the series' cosmology and revealing that even the Absolute Being was just one entity in a vast hierarchy.

This shift deepens themes of power, responsibility, and humanity’s struggle against godlike forces that see existence as a mere game, continuing Solo Leveling's legacy with thrilling new challenges.

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