Commentary: ‘Cobra Kai’ Succeeded In The End By Remembering Its Mission

When Cobra Kai first came on the scene, it was met with a lot of praise — largely because it approached a beloved film series from a completely different angle. The Karate Kid and its sequels largely focused on Daniel LaRusso’s (Ralph Macchio) story, leaving Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) as nothing more than a villain. The fact that Cobra Kai sought to continue Johnny’s story and try to develop it decades later is what enamored so many fans. After a while, as the show began to expand, it lost a bit of that mission. So it’s a very rewarding surprise to see that in the show’s final season, it remembered what made it so good in the first place.

Spoilers, naturally, follow.

After the Sekai Taikai was canceled, a push was made to reinstate the tournament. When it was, the San Fernando Valley was chosen as its new location, allowing the characters to fight on their home turf. Through a series of creative circumstances, Johnny was able to return to Cobra Kai and reclaim the mantle of its sensei. After the competitors ended in a tie, Johnny was forced to fight the Iron Dragon’s Sensei Wolf (Lewis Tan), and he ended up winning in dramatic fashion.

The series finale smartly starts with a flashback, reminding viewers of where Johnny was at the beginning of the show. He was a lost soul, adrift without meaning, purpose, or family. It was only through one choice — deciding to reopen Cobra Kai — that Johnny’s life began a series of dominoes that had him reconcile with Daniel and reach a place he was happy with. He had a new family, new friends, and a new dojo that allowed him to feel fulfilled and proud. So, after a couple seasons of crazy characters and fighting, Cobra Kai stuck the landing by bringing Johnny’s story full circle.

Cobra Kai is now streaming on Netflix.