What is Headon in Tower of God? Explained

One of the most interesting worldbuilding aspects of author and illustrator SIU’s Tower of God manhwa series is the history, rules, and organizational structure of the titular Tower. Likewise, a significant amount of focus from fans in this discussion goes to Headon, who is a constant in discussions of how people enter the Tower and how the Tower is run.

However, fans who’ve read the manhwa and watched the anime alike often ask, “What is Headon in Tower of God?” due to the general mystery and lack of clarity surrounding his character. Headon is the Tower’s 1st Floor Administrator, who tests Irregulars there, selects Regulars to enter the Tower on the 2nd Floor, and is said to be the “real owner of the Tower.”

Headon’s role in Tower of God

While the above is the short and simple answer to “What is Headon in Tower of God,” there’s much more to expand on. Firstly, his duties as the Administrator of the 1st Floor only apply to Irregulars like Bam and Urek Mazino. This is because only Irregulars enter the Inner Tower via the first Floor, resulting from Headon selecting Regulars to enter the Inner Tower through the 2nd Floor only.

Headon is also unique among the Administrators for other reasons, namely his ability to visit other Floors of the Tower. This is also how he’s able to select Regulars from both the Outer Tower and Middle Area of the Tower, with those selected being called “chosen Regulars.”

Headon is also said to be the most experienced Administrator. This references not his age but him being the first one to carry out an Administrator’s role after Jahad and co entered.

Headon's primary role in Tower of God is to select Regulars to enter the Tower and test Irregulars to see if they're worthy (Image via Telecom Animation Film)

As for his role in the series’ story, it is equally pivotal. He is the one who first sends protagonist Bam up the Tower with Yuri Jahad’s Black March in hand. He also helped Rachel climb the Tower after initially admitting that her will, or lack thereof, made her unqualified to climb. He did this on the condition of fulfilling a request for him. This request isn’t explicitly said in the manhwa but has been heavily implied to be a means of getting Bam into FUG’s hands.

Headon then gave her Akryung and sent her to Hansung Yu, a FUG Ranker who in turn gave Rachel Hwaryun and oversaw the completion of FUG’s plan to take Bam for themselves. Beyond this, Headon’s role in the story has mainly been restricted to allowing other characters to enter the Tower.

One exception to this is Enkidu, whom Headon helped to take over the original Enikdu’s body for an unknown reason, also marking Headon’s most recent appearance.

Headon’s alias as the Tower’s “true owner,” explored

Yet, answering “What is Headon in Tower of God” requires additional discussion due to one major fact. These are his various epithets in the series, being called the “real owner of the Tower,” and “the most transcendent being in the Tower.” On a surface level, these seemingly reference his status as the one who chooses what Regulars and Irregulars enter the Tower. This is obviously similar to a homeowner choosing whether or not to invite someone in.

However, an argument must be made for a deeper meaning to these words. The anime and manhwa mention a man who loved a star so much that he built a tower to see them. Many have understandably taken this to be the story behind the construction of the Tower itself, especially since one can allegedly see the stars at its top. This would also make sense, given Rachel’s motivations and their core to the series’ essential plot.

Further supporting the idea that Headon is someone truly special is the fact that the murals on the 1st Floor foreshadow the entire story. SIU confirmed this in a blog post, with some of the murals already making sense in hindsight 14-plus years later. With all of this in mind, there’s an argument to be made that Headon may have been the person who built the Tower. This would fit with his known titles and abilities and also explain how revered he is by others.

In summation

Headon plays a key role in both Bam's story and Tower of God's general setting and worldbuilding (Image via Telecom Animation Film)

Headon is an Administrator in the Tower, responsible for testing Irregulars who enter on the 1st Floor and selecting regulars to enter via the 2nd Floor. He’s the only known Administrator who can move between floors freely, and he plays a key role in the story’s core plot regarding Rachel and Bam. There are also clues that he is the one who first built the Tower via titles other characters give him, information obtained via SIU’s blog posts, and more.