If the title “Duo Leveling” reminded you of Solo Leveling, you are not the only one. And, if you think this short webtoon story is like the world of Solo Leveling, you are absolutely correct. For those who don’t know why this webtoon is getting hype, although it was released just yesterday, Duolingo is a learning tool for anyone who is curious about learning languages. So what is Duo doing on Webtoon? Well, this is the second time Duo has made his appearance in the webtoon world, first with Duolingo Unleashed and now with Duo Leveling. This time, Duo and his beloved characters are in trouble because of an adorable hooded villain – Zero! So let’s start with Duo Leveling prologue!
Duo Leveling Prologue: What Is Happening in the World of Learning?
Duo Leveling prologue begins with Karen Buchanan and Joakim Waller skillfully describing what Duolingo is in just one simple sentence – “Long ago, Duo created magical lessons to make learning accessible for everyone, all over the world.” We can see a very Duo with glasses publishing chess, math, music, and languages. But the world is not so easy, so how can Duo’s life run smoothly? One day, while at the headquarters, Duo’s computer faces a glitch, and what appears is the Quest Portal. Now you get why it sounds similar to Solo Leveling, because in this world, there are quests that will take you to different dimensions. And the point of these portals is exactly the same – one has to solve the puzzle, complete the challenges, and keep moving ahead.
The quest got so serious that Duolingo became national news. “With each new portal that appeared, panic grew. Some claimed it was an international emergency. Others referred to it as “the end of the world.” But is this Duo’s creation? Is Duo the reason why every failed learner is disappearing from the face of the earth?
Lily, Zari, and Duo Save Their Friends from Zero
Among the missing individuals, there are also Duo’s streak society members. Oscar went missing on March 18th, and Falstaff went missing on April 3rd. Now, as the ranks are shrinking, all the responsibilities are on the shoulders of the #1 rankers – Lily and Zari. Both of them have cleared 3621 portals. And they are actually saving missing people from adult mimics. And now Duo needs them more than ever – “They may just be humanity’s only hope.”
Zero appears in Duo Leveling Chapter 1 as a mysterious, cloaked figure in Duo’s research of all the traffic camera footage. This sudden appearance takes our beloved characters, Duo, Zari, and Lily, to a portal with a Chess Puzzle challenge. And if you are a Duolingo user, you already know why it’s a chess game. And ahead of the match, we get a glimpse of the other side of the portal with a symbol of musical notes, indicating the next quest will be about the song challenge. We, the Duolingo learners, know this learning tool also helps one get acquainted with the piano. In the chess puzzle, Lily manages to save the grumpy moustache man we are all familiar with – yes, it’s Oscar. Duo Leveling Episode 2 strengthens the team as they now have him in the group.
After Lily, Zari saves one of the most adorable secret society members in the Duolingo world. Yes, it’s the grizzly bear – Falstaff! Duo Leveling Chapter 3 truly highlighted Lily’s optimism and resilience as she instructed the team throughout the song note puzzle while slowly turning into a cinder block herself.
What Happens in the Duo Leveling Ending?
By Duo Leveling Chapter 4, Duo and his team come face-to-face with the devil, Zero. He takes his time throughout the chapter to speak his mind regarding his disgust for Duo’s learning process and the weaklings in the game. He believes only the best ones should thrive, and the idiots and riff-raff should be weeded out. So, he addresses the best in his eyes, Lily, and asks her to join him.
In Duo Leveling Chapter 5, Lily tricks Zero into believing she is on her team, and as soon as he shakes hands with her, Lily smirks – Checkmate! The final task was to touch an enemy to trap them. Although defeated, he tries one last time and orders the ice monsters not to get out of the portal, but Zari, with her conductor superpower, freezes everything and helps her friend get out of this quest, marking the Duo Leveling ending!
Credits [Duo Leveling]
- Script – Karen Buchanan
- Art – Joakim Waller
- Creative Direction – Joey Ellis
- Editors – Erik Kozura and Tanner Sherlock
- Character Designs: Rachel Suggs and Joey Ellis
- Duo Leveling Logo Design – Langston Wells
