(warning, spoilers for the final season of Cobra Kai ahead!)
One of the most iconic moments in pop culture is in “Karate Kid” when the hero, Daniel LaRusso, crane-kicks his foe and bully, Johnny Lawrence, in the face. He wins respect, the girl, and the All-Valley karate tournament. It teaches audiences that the bully can never triumph as long as the hero has heart and will. But whatever happened to that ol’ Johnny Lawrence? “Cobra Kai” addresses that question in full whilst adding embarrassing teen drama, rivalries, shocking twists, and awesome kicks.
Throughout the course of the show, we’ve expanded from the regional All-Valley Tournament to the world-renowned Sekai Taikai in Barcelona. The final season was released in three parts on February 13th, and finally, the show came to its killer conclusion. After five seasons of solid—if not great—episodes, there was a lot of pressure for “Cobra Kai” to end strong. So, did “Cobra Kai” stick the landing?
In the final season, there was one major plot point: the Sekai Taikai. If you have never watched “Cobra Kai,” that sounds like absolute nonsense. But, as a certified six-year karate watcher, I’ll walk you through it. Or… kick? (Sorry, too puny).
The Sekai Taikai—a world-class karate tournament—was “Cobra Kai”’s last hurrah. The classic All-Valley tournament was forsaken in favor of a competition with bigger stakes, along with providing the characters an opportunity to become world champions. Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso banded together to ensure that their students were taught the best aspects of both dojos, Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do. After a kid died in Barcelona, the tournament was called off, and its destiny was uncertain. Still, “Cobra Kai”’s final season had to end with a fight, and so, in a twist of nostalgia and fate, the semi-finals of the Sekai Taikai were fought in the All-Valley arena. For the first match, Robby Keene, Johnny’s son, was the fighter for Miyagi-Do, and he was up against Axel (basically Drago from “Rocky 4”). If you know me, you know that I have always been a Robby fan first and a person second. Thus, in the middle of the third round, when Axel jumps forward and intentionally breaks Robby’s knee… I lost my mind. I threw my hands up in the air. I screamed at the top of my lungs. My body was burning; it felt like my cells were being torn apart at the seams. Perhaps I am too biased, but I can honestly say that this moment almost ruined the finale for me. Don’t get me wrong, I understand why it happened. Miguel Diaz, Johnny’s first student and pseudo-son, takes Robby’s place in the tournament. Miguel has come so far, from being kicked off a school balcony and paralyzed to fighting his way to be able to walk again. It makes sense to reward him with becoming a world champion. But regardless of how much sense it makes, it also frustrates me to no end. Still, “Cobra Kai” capitalizes on this moment to finally bring the show full circle, and has the Miyagi Do run out to avenge Robby wearing Cobra Kai gis. In order for this moment to happen, Johnny and Kreese had to reconcile.
Perhaps you’ve watched “Karate Kid 2,” and you’re familiar with the moment where Kreese breaks Johnny’s trophy and starts to choke him out. “You’re nothing!” Kreese spat. “You’re a loser!” Finally, after nearly forty years, Johnny and Kreese have a tearful reconciliation, which brings redemption to both. It was beautiful. I am not the biggest Johnny Lawrence fan of the bunch, but even I can say it almost moved me to tears. Was it a little rushed? Yes, but still, the sheer beauty of the scene made it perfect. Also, at this moment, Kreese gives Johnny full permission to lead and manage the Cobra Kai dojo. Still, Kreese is not fully redeemed yet. The moment comes when he faces down—on a yacht, of all places—maniacal “Karate Kid 3” villain Terry Silver. And, in a perfect ending to both, they blow up on the boat. No, I’m not joking. In the kids’ karate tournament TV show, the villains were blown up on a yacht. I’m also not joking when I say that it was absolutely brilliant.
Back to the tournament: Miyagi-Do wearing Cobra Kai gis also meant hearing Daniel LaRusso, of all people, say the iconic words, “Cobra Kai never dies.” The Miguel-Axel fight that follows is nothing short of brilliant. I wanted to hate it, but everything from the choreography to the flashbacks that pushed Miguel forward to victory was so touching.
“Cobra Kai” has been asking questions since its inception about the importance of legacies and fate. Are you doomed to follow in your father’s footsteps? Your sensei’s? Your mentors? The answer that the show delivers in its final season is a resounding no. You can be better than your worst mistakes. Was this last season of “Cobra Kai” rushed? Well, a little bit. But I don’t tune in to watch “Cobra Kai” as a cinephile, I watch it to see my karate soap-opera!
In all honesty, I love “Cobra Kai”, regardless of its flaws. Was “Cobra Kai” cringey? Yes. Was it corny? Yes. But “Cobra Kai”’s legacy will be one of humor and love, showing that anyone is worthy of redemption.
And remember, “Cobra Kai never dies!”
I didn’t know if we needed a picture, but here would be the one:
