The most awaited Korean manhwa anime adaptation has finally started airing. Solo Leveling is breaking many records with its first episode on Crunchyroll. One character stands out the most and that is the smiling statue. In this article, we will look at the smiling statue from Solo Leveling, its goal, and the reason behind that sinister smile.
What Is The Smiling Statue From Solo Leveling
Chances are if you’re on social media then you must have come across the menacing smiling statue. But what is the smiling statue? We see our protagonist the weakest hunter in the history of mankind Sung Jin Woo enter the double dungeon with the other hunters come across the statues and nearly wipe all of the hunters there with a menacing smile.
From Statue to Terror
The double dungeon arc starts with Jin Woo and the hunters entering the D-rank and then discovering the double dungeon by entering it and encountering all the statues that wipe almost all of them. Jin Woo sees the stone tablets that mention a god and talks about worshipping it. This statue is known as the “Statue of God” and the dungeon’s name is the “Temple of Cartenon”. As the hunters enter the dungeon they see an altar and the statues. The statues start moving and killing everyone unless the hunters fulfill the tasks described on the tablet.
In the end, Sung Jin Woo is the only one left after barely surviving the attacks from the Statue of God, and he is on the altar ready to be killed. That is when the system appears in front of Jin Woo’s eyes when all hope is lost he chooses to accept it and somehow survives.
The True Identity of The Statue of God
In reality, the Statue of God is not the final boss of the story or anything like that but it is more of a puppet of the “Architect” and compared to the Solo Leveling power levels the statue is only above an S-rank hunter in terms of power. The Architect is the hidden boss of the double dungeon and a loyal follower of the “Monarchs” who will appear later in the story.
The Architect is the moderator of the system that is responsible for Sung Jin Woo’s powers, which Sung Jin Woo faces off against in the future of the story.
A Symbol of Power & Terror
The Statue of God has left a huge impression on not only Sung Jin Woo which tremendously helps in shaping his character. But also the other survivors like Juhee who’s a B-rank hunter can’t even attend E-rank dungeons because of the trauma she got from the double dungeon. The Statue of God has become a symbol of power and terror in the eyes of the survivors and the audiences. Thus making it one of the most popular things to come out of Solo Leveling.
Cultural Impact
Not only this scene of the smiling statue of god but Solo Leveling as a whole has had a huge impact on the Manhwa industry. It’s like the Dragon Ball of Manhwa which has inspired almost every other manhwa that has come after it and still does to this day. Other manhwa creators take a lot of inspiration from Solo Leveling whether it’s in the art aspect or making characters with personalities similar to Sung Jin Woo. Many readers started reading manhwa because of Solo Leveling, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that Solo Leveling opened the gates for most of us to discover this lovely medium of literature and fiction.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this smiling statue has become an iconic trademark of the Solo Leveling anime and manhwa. People will remember Solo Leveling through the image of this menacing smile and Sung Jin Woo’s drip and badass moments. This scene will be joining the Hall of Fame for best anime smiles.
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