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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors“We Need a Hero” makes its case through an absence: after Jinwoo overwhelms Liu in a friendly match, he turns down the Fourth Jeju Island Raid to stay with his newly awakened mother. The operation begins without him and appears to be going smoothly—until danger emerges. That choice makes episode 22 less a showcase of the hero fans might expect than a deliberate setup for the raid’s stakes.
What happens in “We Need a Hero”?
The official Solo Leveling episode page labels the installment episode 22 and gives it the title “We Need a Hero.” ORICON identifies it as season 2 episode 10, episode 22 overall. The episode brings Japan’s and DFN’s S-rank hunters together for a friendly match, where Jinwoo faces Liu and displays strength that changes the balance among the elite hunters.
That demonstration is followed by a decision rather than a departure for Jeju Island. Jinwoo declines to join the Fourth Jeju Island Raid because his mother has recently awakened from a long coma. Liu and Choi Jong-In lead the operation in his place. The official synopsis says the raid initially appears to proceed smoothly, then signals unforeseen danger.
Why Jinwoo’s absence is the episode’s central choice
The match makes his absence matter
The duel with Liu gives the episode a clear measure of Jinwoo’s power before the raid begins. The operation is not simply missing an available fighter: it is proceeding without the hunter whose strength has just been put on display. That contrast gives the opening raid scenes a suspenseful question—whether the assembled hunters can manage without him—without needing to bring him along immediately.
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His mother gives the decision personal weight
Jinwoo stays because his mother has awakened after her coma. The reason is specific and personal, not a claim that he doubts the raid or cannot participate. It gives him a stake beyond the hunt and makes his refusal legible as character motivation, while the raid’s looming danger keeps that choice in tension with the larger conflict.
How the episode sets up the Jeju Island Raid
ORICON’s March 4, 2025 episode preview describes the Fourth Jeju Island Raid as an effort to avenge the failure of the Third Raid three years earlier. Episode 10 moves the story into that operation, placing Liu and Choi Jong-In at its head and letting the initial signs of progress give way to a warning of trouble.
This is a transition episode, but not merely connective tissue. It establishes the raid’s purpose, shows the level of strength being left behind, and creates anticipation by starting the operation before its danger is fully revealed. The anime’s choice to defer the expected Jinwoo spectacle is what gives his absence narrative force.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What can—and cannot—be said about the manhwa comparison
The episode’s setup invites a natural question: what did the anime change from the manhwa? A useful comparison would examine why Jinwoo declines the raid, how the duel establishes his strength, how much time the story spends preparing the operation, and which hunters receive focus before danger appears. Those are comparison points, not verified findings here.
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Available fan discussion is anecdotal and does not establish a complete scene-by-scene account. Specific claims about chapter numbers, omitted scenes, or changes involving Goto or other hunters therefore should not be treated as confirmed. The episode identity and plot beats are supported by the official synopsis and ORICON’s preview; they do not establish whether manhwa readers broadly prefer one version or another.
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Episode details
| Detail | What is established |
|---|---|
| Title and episode number | “We Need a Hero”; episode 22 overall and season 2 episode 10, according to the official series page and ORICON. |
| Friendly match | Jinwoo faces Liu in a match between Japan’s and DFN’s S-rank hunters and demonstrates overwhelming strength. |
| Why Jinwoo stays behind | His mother has recently awakened from her coma. |
| Raid leadership and setup | Liu and Choi Jong-In lead the Fourth Jeju Island Raid; it initially seems to go smoothly before danger arises. |
| Raid’s stated purpose | ORICON says it is mounted to avenge the failed Third Jeju Island Raid three years earlier. |
| Original-work credits | ORICON credits DUBU (REDICE Studio), Chugong, and h-goon, and names D&C Media as publisher. |
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