Why Did the Ant King Use Ice Magic in His Final Battle?

In the heat of the action in Solo Leveling Season 2’s conclusion, one can be forgiven for missing some of the subtleties in Sung Jinwoo’s battle against the Ant King. At one point during their duel, the Ant King inexplicably uses ice magic against Jinwoo, which doesn’t seem like a power an Ant monster would naturally have.

This use of ice magic was unique to the anime adaptation and was likely used as a way to flesh out the Ant King’s abilities to make him more of a challenge. Just how was the Ant King able to use this power against Jinwoo, and why didn’t he use it earlier in the Solo Leveling season finale?

The Gluttony Skill

A Powerful Trump Card

Although not explicitly stated, the Ant King, whose shadow would later be named Beru, likely attained the ice powers through his Gluttony skill. This skill allows the Ant King to acquire new abilities by consuming the flesh of other creatures. It was Gluttony that allowed the Ant King to speak in Min Byung-Gyu’s voice and later gave him the ability to use healing powers.

Although he doesn’t use these powers in the manhwa, it can be inferred that the Ant King acquired ice magic from the Japanese S-Rank Hunter Kei after the powerful monster defeated him. Kei, a member of the Draw Sword Guild, displayed an impressive use of ice magic in the anime, capable of generating giant walls of ice. He also used this ability to help break up the fight between Goto Ryuji and Sung Jinwoo during their sparring session before the Jeju Island raid. It’s a shame his character didn’t get much chance to shine, as he was given some brief characterization when he shared the same aversion to the scent of mana as Cha Hae-In.

“There seems to be someone else with a sensitive nose like me in South Korea. If a handkerchief is enough to block out the smell, her sense must be a few levels below me.” -Kei commenting on Cha Hae-In in Chapter 91 of the manga.

The Ant King’s ability to grasp new powers is nearly instant, as evidenced by his impressive control over ice magic during his battle with Jinwoo. However, it was ultimately all for naught, as Jinwoo could easily overwhelm the Ant King despite taking the abilities of defeated S-rank hunters.

Does This Create a Plot Hole?

Why Didn’t the Ant King Use the Ability Earlier?

The introduction of additional powers in the Solo Leveling anime adaptation for the Ant King may lead some to think there is now a small issue with plot consistency. If the Ant King had access to additional powers earlier, couldn’t he have used them to save the Ant Queen before she was slain by the Korean Hunters?

However, some explanations could suffice to explain the Ant King’s behavior. It’s possible that while the Ant King cared about the Ant Queen, he didn’t care so much that he needed to act to save her life immediately from what he considered weak humans. It’s also possible that the Ant King reveled in an extra excuse to exact vengeance on humans for invading his home. The Ant King viewed himself as a transcendent being who had outgrown his origins to become something new. His first action when seeing the defeated Ant Queen was to consume her, focused only on growing his own power.

“I was born to be the absolute strongest being. I devour all, growing more powerful with each enemy I consume. I am supposed to be king. In order to survive, I need to run away!” The Ant King before being dispatched by Jinwoo in Episode 24.

While the Ant King lashes out at the hunters in revenge for the Queen’s death, he seems to forget this motivation when he clashes with Jinwoo. The Ant King only sees the world in terms of power and strength. He brags about using the marine life around the island to augment his poison, and is overcome with his disdain for humans as an inferior species. In the end, faced with Jinwoo’s overwhelming strength, he reveals his true colors and focuses only on his survival.

Solo Leveling can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Amazon.