Cobra Kai returns for it’s sixth and final action-packed, nostalgia-driven, heartwarming, and
brilliant season. Years of careful planning and story development has led to this.The Sekai
Takai. The world championship of karate. Johnny (William Zabka) and Daniel’s (Ralph Macchio) forty-year relationship has led them back to the arena that started it all, back in the Valley in 1984. Can they overcome their differences and lead their dojo to the top of the world?
A month has passed since the massive brawl and tragic death of a competitor Kwon (Brandon H.Lee) halted the conclusion of the Sekai Takai. Johnny is trying to prepare for the birth of his child with Carmen (Vanessa Rubio) and be a good dad to Robby (Tanner Buchanan) and Miguel (Xolo Maridueña), who are trying to figure out the next steps in their future now that it looks like karate will be in the rear view mirror.
Meanwhile, over at the LaRusso household, Daniel has been struggling to come to terms with the death at the Sekai Takai and learning that Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) might not have been the person he thought he was. Daniel has cut karate completely out of his life, and doesn’t want to be associated with anything other than his car business and seeing Sam (Mary Mouser) off to a good college.
Behind the scenes, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) just won’t let old wounds heal. The
thought of his dojo not being recognized as number one is eating him up, and he is working
to get the Sekai Takai back on again so he can finally get a win over Daniel.
Something Cobra Kai has done since season one is weave into it’s story lots of Easter eggs
and callbacks to the original films, and it’s done in a way that pays respect to the original
works and enhances them to see where these characters and places have ended up today. This series has us going back to the very beginning–the arena where it all started for Daniel and Johnny back in 1984.
Seeing the growth of Johnny from the original film to now has been a joy to watch.
Zabka has been nothing short of amazing portraying Johnny. From a person stuck in the
80’s with so much trauma that he never really grew up, to the man we see in the final
episodes of Cobra Kai. The love shown to all the legacy characters has been a joy to watch
throughout this entire series. The way the actors were able to slip back into characters they
played forty years ago, and portray them spot on shows the dedication to get the story right.
John Kreese (Martin Kove) the villain we love to hate, who has been the cause of so much
pain for everyone, is back and he has a chip on his shoulder with Silver this time. He blames Silver for always leading him astray and being his tormentor. It was Kreese’s fighter who tragically lost his life in the mass brawl during the midseason finale, and he holds Silver responsible.
Every season the fight choreography gets better and better, and this year is no exception.
While there are no massive brawls in these last few episodes, the level of intensity involved in the fights feels bigger than ever. There is more detail in the moves and movements, and the
level of fighter has increased, too. Our actors are a lot more comfortable after playing these
characters for six years, and having real world-champion fighters in the cast helps make the
fights more realistic and engaging.
This season we saw the introduction of Zara Malik (Rayna Vallandingham), a real life world
champion at Taekwondo, and the level of intensity she brings to the fight game is incredible to watch. We also meet Axel (Patrick Lewis) and Sensei Wolf (Lewis Tan) from the Iron Dragons, the new bad dojo our heroes are competing against this time. The Iron Dragons have been here before and done it all. This is the biggest test for our team they have ever faced.
It’s not just the fights that keep improving in these final episodes but camera work. The
angels we get to see during the fight sequences are right up close and in your face; you feel
like you are taking the hits. The music is the right combination of nostalgia in the songs that
made the original movies great and modern songs that vibe with younger audiences. We see the perfect mix of action and music to get the blood pumping.
Cobra Kai concludes it’s final season with so much love and respect for the characters, places, and everyone involved in the franchise for over forty years. It was a real joy to watch
from the first episode to the last. It has it’s cheesy moments but it’s a real labour of love and
one that the entire family can and should watch. There are a few f-bombs in the final seasons,
but other than that it has the heart and soul of The Karate Kid. Hopefully it’s legacy will still be enjoyed for another forty years.
Directed by Joe Piarulli, William Zabka, Joel Novoa, etc.
Written by Robert Mark Kamen, Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, etc.
Starring Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Courtney Henggeler, Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan, Mary Mouser, Jacob Bertrand, Gianni DeCenzo, Martin Kove, Vanessa Rubio, Peyton List, Dallas Dupree, Thomas Ian Griffith, etc
10/10 = DROP EVERYTHING AND WATCH IT NOW
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