Post — Aaron Ngo

Major Spoilers are included in this Webtoon Review. Please read with caution.

After finishing season one on June 1, 2020, I immediately read this filler arc. “Side-Story: Rei” wasn’t too bad. Getting to know Rei’s—Remi’s older brother’s—background was a good reminder that the fight against the Wellston’s social hierarchy was happening long before John showed up at the school. The two bonus episodes centered around Rei as a freshman—before he became King—and his friendship with another student named Kuyo. This was basically the origin story of how Rei wasn’t going to let the social hierarchy dictate his behavior after he saw what it did to his friend Kuyo.

Rei was a friendly guy who wanted to do what was best for everyone. I actually got emotional whenever I remembered he was dead in the present day. He died fighting—as a vigilante named X-Static—for those who couldn’t protect themselves. His younger sister Remi was honoring his memory and carrying his mission as X-Rei.

Kuyo succumbed to the hierarchy’s corruption and believed himself superior to the low-tier students. Rei was subconsciously leaning toward that behavior too when he asked Remi—via web chat—what her friends’ power levels were. Remi was in the fifth grade at the time and didn’t really understand the question. The mother stepped in and checked her son’s behavior afterward, which lead to him recognizing the social hierarchy’s inherent flaws regarding the ranks.

Overall, it was a nice distraction—actually, not really—from the Black Lives Matter protests that happened during that weekend. Honestly, I read unOrdinary at the perfect time. The Webtoon series helped me contextualize the USA’s Anti-Black to a certain extent, and how people seemed to want hierarchy and structure even if it meant others get stepped on. It wasn’t okay with Rei, and it’s definitely not okay with me. We—as a country—have to do better.

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