As far as anime protagonists go, Sung Jinwoo from Solo Leveling has proven to be more than the typical underdog character thanks to a major trait that is often easy to overlook. There's no doubt that Jinwoo begins as the lowest E-rank hunter, being known by the infamous nickname of "humanity's weakest weapon" and being the subject of mockery among other hunters due to his frail physique and lack of endurance. However, even as the weakest E-rank hunter, there's a reason why Jinwoo could survive repeatedly against all odds.

Solo Leveling's society revolves around power, with the strongest hunters having all the fame and recognition of their countries due to their importance to keeping the population safe. Sung Jinwoo experienced firsthand the harshness of the hunter's world, where there is no place for mercy, being left to die in the Double Dungeon. However, it was in this traumatic event that Jinwoo displayed his true strength that set him apart from other hunters.

Sung Jinwoo's Intelligence Allowed Him to Survive as an E-Rank Hunter

Jinwoo Showcases His Tactical Side In the Double Dungeon

In the first two episodes of Solo Leveling's anime, Jinwoo is the only one capable of deciphering the puzzles in the Cartenon Temple, which requires keen intelligence and mental strength to keep composure and calmly assess the situation. This is not something that any hunter, let alone anyone as weak as him, could have achieved. This highlights how Jinwoo managed to avoid death in every dungeon he participated in thanks to his quick thinking and not just by mere luck.

Despite awakening, Jinwoo's strength and regenerative capacities are barely superior to those of normal humans. This is proven by how, when having his rank measured after the Double Dungeon incident, Jinwoo's mana levels were just 10 when the average hunter had at least 70 in the reading. That's why even the lowest-level dungeons were a great challenge for Jinwoo, and why he never emerged unscathed and was often hospitalized. But living at the brink of death shaped Jinwoo's character and made him a strategist who will study his surroundings and enemies to find a way to survive.

Jinwoo Had the Odds Against Him Before Being Chosen by the System

Solo Leveling’s World Is Ruthless Against the Weak

In Solo Leveling's world, hunter's ranks work as a luck system, as there is no way to know how much affinity to mana the person will have upon being awakened, nor are they able to increase their rank. But even if Jinwoo's stats were the lowest among the E-Ranks, it's possible that with strong equipment he could have been a more effective hunter.

However, as weak hunters do not make much money despite risking their lives in dungeons, only the strongest ranks are able to afford the equipment needed to increase their resistance, if even slightly, and potentially do more damage to magic beasts. Moreover, even though hunters have a fixed amount of mana, they can refine their skills, but Jinwoo lacked proper training, which explains how he was capable of fighting more efficiently after following the daily quest of the System meant to strengthen his body and how he could attack better after getting another weapon.

Jinwoo's Quick Thinking and Strategy Is Easy to Miss as he Gets Stronger

Even After Leveling Up, Jinwoo Has Been Saved By his Battle Sense

Jinwoo might have become overpowered after constantly leveling up thanks to the system, but he primarily fights based on his willpower and analyzing his opponent's weakness. Like when he found the weak spot of the Giant Spider, who had reinforced skin, or in the battle against Kargalgan in Solo Leveling Season 2, episode 6, where Jinwoo preferred strategy to brute force, using his ability, Ruler’s Hand, to grab a chain and surround the dungeon’s boss with it to immobilize him, which denotes his great battle sense.

Additionally, as he gains strength, Jinwoo uses his intelligence in other ways, since he now has to act as a general, commanding his Shadow Army with hundreds of magic beasts that he can particularly sense, knowing all their strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, Jinwoo has been shown to easily measure the strength of others as well as predict his opponent's movements with accuracy and respond accordingly, like during his fight against the Ant King, which is a massive leap in difficulty when compared to the goblins he used to fight at the beginning of the series.

Nevertheless, thanks to his tenacity and strong intuition, Jinwoo was able to survive as the weakest E-Rank, which surely played a role in why he was chosen to be a player. So even after getting the short end of a stick with the lowest stat possible, Jinwoo has succeeded thanks to his own capability. Therefore, even if he keeps leveling up in Solo Leveling Season 3, Jinwoo's intelligence is part of his inner strength and contributed to his development, allowing him to challenge everything established in his world and bringing him closer to unraveling the secrets of the system.