Who is Baruka in Solo Leveling? Explained
Solo Leveling season 2 is right around the corner and the fans are excited to see their protagonist back in action but now as a Shadow Monarch. As there is no official announcement regarding which arcs this sequel might cover, the trailers seem to have given enough information and as indicated by the main trailer, Baruka might appear. However, who is Baruka from Solo Leveling?
Baruka is the main antagonist of the Red Gate Dungeon arc and the boss of the Red Gate. The ice elf was an S-rank magical beast meaning that he was the strongest enemy the protagonist faced since the System chose him. As expected, their fight was intense and some allies were sacrificed. However, Jinwoo utilized his abilities as a Shadow Monarch and escaped the Gate safely.
Disclaimer: This article contains potential spoilers from the Solo Leveling Manhwa series and has the author's opinion.
Baruka's origins and role in Solo Leveling
Baruka was the leader of the Ice Elves and an S-rank magical beast. As an ice elf, he had the instinct to kill humans, just like his underlings. He appeared during the Red Gate arc, during which Jinwoo's party entered an A-rank gate.
The purpose of this quest was to assess the abilities of the new recruits. However, things soon turned south given how the A-rank gate turned into a red gate, exposing Jinwoo and his party to a much bigger threat.
Kimchul (from the White Tiger's guild) was accompanying Jinwoo but he was soon taken care of by Baruka and his allies. Fortunately, Kimchul escaped but had gone senile after witnessing the terror of Baruka.
Baruka and Jinwoo then started fighting, during which Kimchul woke up and tried attacking Jinwoo. Igris emerged from the shadows and killed Kimchul on the spot, which then led to the protagonist reviving Kimchul as a shadow soldier (titled Iron). The fight continued and Baruka utterly lost against the overpowered Jinwoo. In his final desperate try to kill Jinwoo, Baruka was crushed to death by Iron.
Baruka's powers and abilities
Now that the fans know 'who is Baruka in Solo Leveling,' they should also know that he wasn't as weak as Jinwoo made him look. As an S-rank beast, his potential wasn't to be underestimated (given how he was able to turn Kimchul senile on their first encounter). As a high-level magical beast, Baruka had the usual enhanced speed and strength.
Moreover, his sword mastery was also of key notice given how he gave the protagonist a run for his money in a one-on-one sword battle. However, the skill that defined him was his 'Stealth' ability. The ability allowed Baruka to negate his physical, and magical, presence on will. This ability might be the one that gave the protagonist the most trouble in the Red Gate Dungeon arc.
Will Baruka appear in season 2? Explained
As mentioned, the arcs set to be adapted in Solo Leveling season 2 haven't been unveiled. Moreover, anime production teams don't reveal the arcs as fans usually speculate based on the number of episodes a series features (which also weren't unveiled).
However, given the appearance of Baruka in the series' main trailer, he is set to appear in the sequel. He could be the antagonist of the first half of the series as the Red Gate Dungeon arc might run a maximum of 4-5 episodes.
Related Links
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- Sung Jinwoo's outfit in Solo Leveling season 2 key visual all but confirms the adaptation of Jeju Island arc
- Solo Leveling season 2: 6 new Shadows Sung Jin Woo will gain in this sequel