Why didn't Sung Jinwoo extract Baran's shadow in Solo Leveling? Explained

Modified Mar 31, 2025 17:51 GMT

Why didn — Baran as seen in Solo Leveling season 2 (Image via A-1 Pictures)

There are countless hype-worthy moments in Solo Leveling. However, the ones that fans love seeing the most are those in which Sung Jinwoo uses his Shadow Extraction to revive a slain monster or hunter to add them as part of his shadow army. While Sung Jinwoo has extracted countless monsters, why didn't he extract Baran's shadow?

Sung Jinwoo did not extract Baran's shadow because he was a demon. As explained by the System, Shadow Extraction could not be used on those creatures whose mana was contaminated like demons. As Baran was titled the Demon Monarch, Sung Jinwoo did not think of extracting him.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling manhwa.

Sung Jinwoo didn't extract Baran in Solo Leveling as he was a demon

The System's Notification for failed Shadow Extraction (Image via A-1 Pictures)

As fans may remember, when Sung Jinwoo initiated the S-Rank Dungeon raid of the Demon Castle, he tried extracting the shadows of the demons in the lower levels. When he tried doing it, the System notified him that the mana was contaminated and the Job-Exclusive Skill: Shadow Extraction was unavailable.

This notification meant that the Shadow Extraction could not be used on creatures whose mana was contaminated like the demons. Thus, Sung Jinwoo essentially chose not to try to extract the demons within the Demon Castle.

The System's notification for the Demon Castle's 100th Floor (Image via A-1 Pictures)

The same was the case for Baran. As fans may remember, the System classified Baran as the Demon Monarch. Given that he too was a demon, there was no point in trying to extract him. Therefore, Sung Jinwoo never tried to extract the Monarch of White Flames.

This development also explains why Sung Jinwoo did not extract Baran but extracted the Demon Monarch's wyvern. The Wyvern was never a demon but was only a beast Baran used to fly across the Demon Castle's 100th floor.

Baran as seen in the Solo Leveling season 2 anime (Image via A-1 Pictures)

That said, there is also an alternative reason why Sung Jinwoo would have never been able to extract Baran. The truth is that the Baran in the Demon Castle was never the real Monarch of White Flames.

As revealed later in the manhwa, the real Baran was killed by the original Shadow Monarch Ashborn eons ago. Despite Ashborn being an ally to the Monarchs, the strongest Monarch Antares was intimidated by his powers. Hence, he instructed Baran and Rakan to take him out.

Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, Baran and Rakan lost to Ashborn. After that, while Rakan managed to escape, Ashborn killed Baran for his betrayal.

Years later, after the Rulers initiated their plan to prepare Earth for their rematch against the Monarchs, Kandiaru created the System to prepare a human host for the Shadow Monarch Ashborn. As part of this, the Architect created a clone of Baran to serve as the final boss of the Demon Castle.

Therefore, the Baran that Sung Jinwoo faced in the Demon Castle was never real but only a clone materialized to assist in the Player's growth. Thus, even if Jinwoo could extract the souls of demons, he should have never been able to do the same for Baran.