The Monarchs play a crucial antagonistic role in the popular anime Solo Leveling. The Monarchs are an ancient race of powerful beings that oppose humanity. For an extended period of time, the monarchs and a group known as the Rulers have engaged in a devastating global conflict. More recently, the Monarchs attempted to wipe out humanity in order to rebuild their forces after losses to the Rulers, positioning them as the primary antagonists opposed by the protagonist, Sung Jinwoo.

As extraordinarily mighty beings, each monarch possesses immense strength developed over centuries of combat. Even the most elite hunters would struggle against a monarch's power and armies. But who exactly are these monarchs, and what abilities do they wield in their goal to eliminate humanity?

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The Dawn of the Monarchs and Their Never-Ending War

At the very beginning, there was only light and darkness. From these primordial forces arose two races: the benevolent rulers and the destructive monarchs. Due to the nature bestowed upon them, the monarchs and rulers were fated to wage an endless conflict. However, the tide initially turned in the Rulers' favor when they captured the Monarch Legia alive.

The shadow-wielding Monarch Ashborn interfered by negotiating an alliance with the other Monarchs to restore balance in the war. But this also sparked betrayal, as the monks Baran and Rakan turned against Ashborn in a failed ambush. Though Ashborn killed Baran in retaliation, his forces were greatly weakened. As the war continued to lean toward the rulers, the monarchs were eventually forced to retreat between dimensions.

Thus, the eternal animosity between monarchs and rulers began, with both engaged in a war that spanned countless ages. Whenever one side neared victory, the other would regain ground through subterfuge or new allies. Their endless conflict shaped the very fabric of the Solo Leveling universe.

The Monarchs Enter the Human World

Centuries after being weakened in their war against the Rulers, the Monarchs sought to rebuild their armies by conquering humanity. However, the Rulers opposed this plan to protect humankind from destruction. When even the Rulers' powers proved insufficient through multiple timeline reversals, the stage was set for direct clashes between the Monarchs and human hunters like Sung Jinwoo.

The Monarchs' infiltration of Earth began subtly. The beast-like Monarch Rakan sensed the residual power of his shadowy brethren, the Ashborn, within Sung Jinwoo on Jeju Island. Soon after, the Frost Monarch also arrived, agreeing with Rakan that the time had come to restart their age-long war against the Rulers. The Monarchs then systematically eliminated the strongest hunter vessels of the Rulers around the world.

Their goal was to fatally weaken the opposing rulers before launching a full-scale invasion of Earth. However, Sung Jinwoo's newly acquired powers as Ashborn's vessel threatened to undermine their plan. This set the stage for epic showdowns between the lone hunter and the entire ancient race of Monarchs in the series' most pivotal scenes.

The Monarchs' Formidable Abilities

The monarchs possess powers and abilities that far surpass even the strongest hunters. As ancient beings of immense strength and skill, each monarch is an exceptionally formidable foe. Though they cannot enter the human world in their true spiritual forms, they have the ability to take possession of a living human vessel. When inhabiting a host, the monarch overwhelms their mind and body completely, channeling their immense strength and skills. This allows them to manifest physically but also ties them to the limitations of a mortal form. If the vessel perishes, so too does the monarch within.

Even without a human host, the Monarchs exhibit phenomenal spiritual strength and resilience. Most attacks, including from S-Rank hunters, fail to harm their ethereal essence. Only certain weapons seem to be able to damage them. Additionally, each monarch wields their own unique elemental or magical abilities. Monarchs like Frost control formidable ice magic, while Querehsha demonstrates potent plague powers. Some, like Tarnak, can alter their innate spiritual forms.

Beyond their individual prowess, every monarch also commands enormous armies of demons, beasts, and loyal soldiers devoted utterly to their cause. Bringing these immense forces to bear in battle allows the Monarchs to multiply their already awe-inspiring strength many times over. After centuries of war with each other, the Monarchs have amassed profound combat experience and instincts unmatched by any human. Both skilled commanders and spiritual juggernauts, the Monarchs represent a constant civilization-level threat wherever they set their sights.

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The Monarchs' Final Showdowns

The climactic battles between Sung Jinwoo and the Monarchs serve as some of Solo Leveling's most epic moments. After the assassinations of several Ruler's allies, three Monarchs—Frost, Beast, and Querehsha—make a direct attack on Seoul to draw out Sung Jinwoo. However, despite overwhelming odds, he emerges victorious through the full release of his shadow powers.

Enraged by their failure, the remaining Monarchs Iron and Yogumunt refuse to help when the lead Monarch Antares calls for reinforcements against Sung Jinwoo. Undeterred, Antares arrives in the human world himself, causing destruction on a global scale. With careful use of his expanded abilities, Sung Jinwoo was able to defeat Yogumunt and another monarch before facing Antares personally.

In Solo Leveling's grandest battle yet, Antares nearly triumphs but fails to anticipate the Rulers' incoming surprise attack. With a unified offensive, the Rulers pierce Antares from all sides—the first monarch slain by their direct efforts. With their king felled, the remaining monarchs are no match for Sung Jinwoo's new powers. He hunts them down over decades, avenging Earth's defenders and securing humanity's protection by becoming the sole surviving monarch himself.

The Monarchs' One Fatal Weakness

While the Monarchs possess immense supernatural strength, they demonstrate one clear vulnerability: their reliance on human hosts. To descend into the human world, they must possess living vessels. This allows them infiltration but also binds them to a physical form. If the body perishes in battle, the possessing monarch meets its end as well. It is a double-edged concession to wield power in the mortal realm.

Sung Jinwoo exploited this weakness on multiple occasions. By fatally wounding the Monarchs' vessels, he slayed formidable foes like the Frost Monarch and Querehsha before they could unleash their full abilities. The method proved so effective that afterward, Sung Jinwoo hunted the remaining monarchs himself as the ultimate insurance against future dangers. In the end, their one exploitable limitation led to the ancient enemies' downfall.

The Monarchs established Solo Leveling's cosmos as a place where forces beyond human comprehension wield influence. As the sole survivor, Sung Jinwoo assumes the Monarchs' mantle as the new user of shadows. But for how long can he even maintain control of such dark might? Only time will tell what legacy the Monarchs leave for future works set in this imaginative universe. Their imprint remains indelible.

Solo Leveling is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

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