As the main protagonist of Hunter X Hunter, Gon is constantly in the spotlight. He's a beacon of hope during trying times, he shows stubborn resilience in the face of defeat, and he's totally loyal to his friends.
All of his best qualities were on display during the Hunter Exam. Gon excelled in nearly every part of the whole process, impressing many, making friends, and ultimately earning everyone's respect. His exemplary performances wouldn't stop at the end of the Hunter Exam, but it certainly helped to introduce and shape his character.
10 Gon Passed The Pre-Exam Screening With Flying Colors
The boat taking potential Hunter candidates to the exam's start point initially appears to just be a humble transport vessel, but after a heavy storm, it becomes so much more. When Gon successfully predicts that another storm will be hitting them soon, the captain realizes that he's Ging's son.
When all of the candidates apart from Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio leave the boat, the captain reveals that he's there to screen potential Hunters and decide whether they can pass on to the main exam or not. Not only did Gon prove to have exceptional awareness, but he also leapt to save a crew member when they fell overboard.
9 Gon Saved Leorio From Hisoka During The Initial Phase Of The Exam
During the First Phase of the Hunter Exam, the candidates are tasked with simply keeping up with the examiner, Satotz, who begins at a leisurely running pace. It's quickly made apparent that this is a long phase and everyone's stamina is put to the test. The examinees eventually make it out of the tunnel, but are quickly encased by thick fog, which in turn attracts various monsters.
Some other would-be Hunters even try to ambush Hisoka in order to eliminate him early, but Hisoka quickly dispatches them before turning on Kurapika and Leorio. Hisoka dances around Leorio until Gon jumps in to save him, with Gon's courage and potential impressing and intriguing Hisoka, who then allows them to proceed with their lives intact.
8 Everybody Followed Gon's Lead In The Second Phase
The revised Second Phase of the Hunter Exam sees the candidates attempt to retrieve Spider Eagle eggs while taking care to not plummet to their deaths. Gon fearlessly leads his friends Killua, Leorio, and Kurapika down into the abyss before Menchi even finishes her explanation.
While hanging on the giant spiderweb, everyone looks to Gon for the signal, as he can tell when the next updraft will be on its way. This allows everyone to drop, grab an egg, and ascend to the surface, victorious. For a child and a rookie like Gon, to be relied upon by so many potential Hunters is another early indication of how extraordinary he is.
7 Gon's Tenacious Nature Drove Him To Persist Against Netero
While on the airship en route to the Third Phase of the Hunter Exam, a bored Chairman Netero challenges Gon and Killua to a game: all they have to do is take a ball from him. After hours of countless attempts and varying strategies, Netero is too comfortable and dominant, resulting in Killua giving up.
Impressing once again, Gon refuses to quit until he forces Netero to use his other hand, which eventually happens. While this is by no means a victory, Gon views it as a personal triumph, despite not being able to truly beat Netero.
6 Gon Outwitted The Trickster Sedokan In The Trick Tower
At the Trick Tower, the location of the Third Phase of the Hunter Exam, the Hunter hopefuls form teams of five, lumping the despicable Tonpa in with Gon, Killua, Leorio and Kurapika. The first main test is a best-of-five series of 1-on-1 contests versus five dangerous prisoners, who are playing for their freedom, the same way that the candidates are playing for the right to become Hunters.
Gon's challenge involves keeping a candle from extinguishing against the sneaky inmate, Sedokan, who tampers with the candles to put Gon at a disadvantage. All seems to be lost for Gon, but he's unfazed, simply using his speed to blow out Sedokan's candle and earn the victory while everyone else watches in awe.
5 Gon Found A Way To Help His Entire Team Reach The Bottom Of Trick Tower In Time
While nearing the end of the Third Phase of the Hunter Exam, the team is short on time when they arrive at a room with two potential paths to the exit. They can either choose to have all five of them take a long route to the end, in which case they wouldn't make it in time, or they can use the weapons available to fight and decide which three would proceed on the other shorter route to the finish line.
It's eventually revealed that the group chose to take the route allowing five to pass, but broke through the wall to the other path using the weapons on hand instead of turning on each other to take the shorter path. Gon came up with this ingenious plan, once again showing his character by refusing to leave anyone behind.
4 Gon Successfully Stalked Hisoka And Stole His Tag
While all of the phases are challenging in their own ways, the Fourth Phase of the Hunter Exam is a combined manhunt and game of survival on Zevil Island. Each candidate must protect their own ID tag, worth three points, while their designated target's tag is also worth three. A total of six points is required to pass and move onto the next stage.
Gon can't believe his bad luck when he draws Hisoka as his target, but through perseverance, he learns how to stalk quietly and use his fishing rod from a distance to take advantage of momentary lapses in defense. Following his training, he defies the odds and steals Hisoka's tag, once again impressing Hisoka and fueling his desire to fight Gon once more for real once he's older.
3 Gon Carried Three Unconscious People Through A Smoke-Filled Cave Of Snakes
With Gon and Kurapika already set with six points each, they agree to help Leorio track down his target in order to pass the Fourth Phase of the Hunter Exam. They track the target, Ponzu, to a cave and let Leorio go in to claim his victory. But unbeknownst to them, Ponzu killed another candidate, Bourbon, and the latter's snakes are commanded to block anyone from leaving the cave, even after his death.
After Leorio learns this the hard way and suffers several snake bites, Gon engineers a plan to use sleeping gas in the cave, with him holding his breath and carrying everyone on his shoulders to safety, another showcase of his courageous, selfless, and tenacious personality.
2 Gon's Refusal To Quit Earned Him Respect — And A Broken Arm
The final phase of the Hunter Exam pits the remaining combatants face each other in 1-on-1 bouts, in a bizarre loser-progresses bracket designed by Netero that aims to allow just one of the remaining candidates to fail the Hunter Exam.
Gon faces the intimidating ninja, Hanzo, and despite being outmatched in terms of combat, he refuses to give up. This ultimately ends in him having his arm broken but Hanzo forfeiting after becoming frustrated by Gon's stubbornness. Seeing him in such pain was hard to watch for Gon's friends, but his tenacity and determination to not give up earned everyone's respect.
1 Gon's Quick Learning Curve With Nen Let Him Pass The Secret Hunter Exam
Although not a part of the official Hunter Exam, there's a secret section that requires a Pro Hunter to learn the basic principles of Nen. Not knowing that they're being tested, Gon and Killua learn these from Wing, who they meet during their rise through Heavens Arena.
After months of training, once Wing is convinced that they have mastered the four major principles of Nen, he declares that Gon has passed the Secret Hunter Exam. Gon and Killua learning how to use Nen so quickly both impressed and concerned Wing.