Warning: The following contains minor spoilers for Solo Leveling’s manhwa!!
Solo LevelingSeason 2’s finale added a new character who would play a key role in the series' future: Beru, Jinwoo’s latest shadow soldier, extracted from the Ant King. The Ant King was the major antagonist in the Jeju Island Arc, and its fight against Jinwoo was nothing short of amazing, which may disappoint viewers thinking that the anime already showcases Beru’s best moment. However,fans will get to watch the best of Beru whenSolo Levelinggets renewed for a third season.
From Jinwoo’s shadow army, his best soldiers so far are undoubtedly Igris, Tusk, Kaisel, and Iron, with them appearing mostly during major fights as support. Yet, since it is set to be a regular character, more than just fighting, Beru’s future role is unlike anything fans can imagine and isone of the best things tolook forward to inSolo Leveling season 3.
Beru Will Stand Out in Solo Leveling Season 3 as Jinwoo’s Strongest Shadow Soldier
Beru Is Better as Jinwoo’s Ally Than as an Antagonist
InSolo Leveling Season 2, episode 12,Beru is the first shadow soldier of Jinwoo, awakening with the rank of commander. This means that even if it has been stated in the series thatJinwoo’s shadows soldiersdon’t retain their original strength after being extracted, Beru is currently the strongest subordinate of the Shadow Monarch. This is a great complement to enhancing the level of Jinwoo’s army.
The absolute loyalty that affects all the other shadow soldiers also applies to Beru, which is something that even excites Jinwoo. In theSolo Levelingweb novel chapter #124, upon using shadow extraction on Beru, it’s revealed that Jinwoo became more confident after realizing that a creature as powerful as him became his soldier, admitting that it is even hard to follow with the naked eye due to its natural amazing speed. This has also been highlighted in the season finale when the regular hunters weren’t capable of noticing that Beru was the one killing the ants that escaped from Jeju Island.
Moreover, while he has lower stats, Beru still possesses the abilities he showcased as the Ant King, including Gluttony, which gives it the abilities of those it devours (similar to Rimuru fromThat Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime), which includes the healing power it took from the S-Rank Hunter Min Byung Gu. This signals thatBeru will star in some blood-pumping battles in the next season ofSolo Leveling.
Beru Has Its Own Fleshed-Out Personality
As a Commander, Beru Is the First Talking Shadow Soldier of Jinwoo
Thougheach shadow soldier possesses their own ego, which is something highlighted later by Jinwoo and proven by Igris’s more stoic behavior and Iron’s silliness, Beru is different from them as it is the first and only shadow soldier so far currently capable of engaging in conversation. This way, it became easier for Beru to display his personality, which has turned it into one ofSolo Leveling’s fan-favorite characters.
Behind his intimidating exterior, Beru is actually a simple warrior with a very caring side, as he worries over Jinwoo, looking to protect him at all costs along with his family.Beru also has an interest in Korean history, much like the S-rank healer Min Byung-Gu, which is believed to be due to having developed a similar personality after copying his memories.
Beru Is One of Solo Leveling’s Funniest Characters
Beru’s Undying Loyalty Will Create Many Hilarious Situations in Solo Leveling Season 3
There’s an instinct, buried deep within the Shadow Soldier’s psyche, to protect Jinwoo, but Beru is a tad too extreme in following it. While this would appear strange considering many fans believed he was conceived to be at the top of his species rather than serving someone, Chugong,Solo Leveling’s author in a past interview, highlighted that Beru was never designed to be a king.
Beru is more of an Ant Warrior than an Ant King. He was originally an existence born to become the strongest soldier to protect the queen, and he has no obligation to propagate his own offspring or create an ant kingdom. He is far from being a king. Nevertheless, the reason I specifically gave him the title ‘Ant King’ is… well, because ‘Ant King’ sounds cool, doesn’t it? - Chugong, Solo Leveling’s Author.
Whether it is for the natural respect of the hierarchy as an ant, the loyalty of shadow soldiers, or his own personality,Beru sees Jinwoo as his king, whom he amusingly calls his “liege,” being excessively devoted to the point of adoration,which makes some of the funniest moments in the series. Because of this, evenBeru and Jinwoo were nominated as best couplein a poll on the Kakao Page website (whereSolo Leveling’s manhwa is published) for the 2020 Kakao Awards.
From kneeling to asking for forgiveness to show off for being chosen by Jinwoo,Beru is one of the most hilarious characters inSolo Leveling, which manhwa readers expect that could be conveyed in the anime, which has a more serious approach. Nevertheless, there are manyanticipated moments inSolo Leveling Season 3and knowing that more characters will get great roles only fuels fan interest and expectation ahead of the next installment of the series.
Source:Chugong Interview on Reddit;Beru and Jinwoo Couple Voting on Reddit
