Since Cobra Kai season 6 will mark the end of the Netflix series, it is hard not to be worried about several aspects after the show’s successful five-season run. After the original Karate Kid movies started bringing diminishing returns, the franchise was abandoned in 1994. However, the original movies’ formula was given a second chance in 2010 with The Karate Kid, which starred Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith. Unfortunately, despite being an appreciable addition to the franchise, the film failed to be as influential as the original Karate Kid film. That is when Cobra Kai came along.
When it was initially released on YouTube Red, Cobra Kai received rave reviews from critics but did not garner a lot of attention. However, after landing on Netflix, the show became an instant hit, spawning one follow-up season after another. After a solid five-season run, Cobra Kai is now heading towards its endgame with season 6. This makes season 6 one of the most exciting installments of the franchise but also raises some major concerns.
The main story beats in the first four seasons of Cobra Kai were primarily driven by the rivalries between the characters. However, in season 5, most rivaling duos, like Robby and Miguel, Johnny and Daniel, and even Tory and Sam, take a step towards burying their beef and starting afresh. While the resolution to the bad blood between these character duos felt satisfying and added new layers of complexity to the characters’ narratives, it limited the number of overarching conflicts season 6 can have. Owing to this, it is hard not to be concerned about whether season 6 will be as compelling as its predecessors without the exciting rivalries.
Towards the end of Cobra Kai season 5, Terry Silver finally faces the consequences of his actions and gets arrested. Considering his influence in the Valley, he might still find a way to keep himself out of prison. However, even if he manages to return in Cobra Kai season 6, none of his former students would want to train under him. Even his most loyal student, Kenny, dumped his Cobra Kai gear before leaving the dojo in season 5’s finale, proving that Silver can never redeem his ruined reputation. This seemingly ends Silver’s story arc since redemption appears unattainable for the Cobra Kai villain.
While concluding several underlying plot points in its final arc, Cobra Kai season 5 makes room for new ones by walking through John Kreese’s prison escape. This paves the way for Kreese’s return in season 6. Since Johnny and Daniel refused to comply with Kreese in season 6, he might even attempt to take them down as he sets out to seek revenge on Silver. However, since Kreese is technically a fugitive, there isn’t much he can do to fight back against his enemies. He can pull a string or two from behind the scenes, but that would not make him a formidable antagonist.
Cobra Kai has always benefited from the lore set up by the original Karate Kid movies. Since Kreese and Silver were already established as badass villains in the original films, Cobra Kai just had to reinstate them in its storyline and add more depth to their narratives. It is also worth mentioning that John Kreese has been around since Cobra Kai season 2, and Terry Silver has been a part of the show’s roster since season 4. The Netflix series took its time to gradually develop both characters as villains instead of suddenly graduating them to the forefront of antagonism.
Therefore, if Cobra Kai season 6 introduces new villains, it may not have enough time to make them as compelling as Kreese and Silver. As a result, the final season of the series could risk falling short of meeting the high standards set by its predecessors. Season 5 seems to have paved the way for Kim Da-Eun to reign supreme in season 6, but she did not get enough screentime in season 5 to be considered that big of a threat in the final season.
By introducing an international karate tournament, Cobra Kai season 6 is attempting to pull off something that has not been previously done in the franchise. With so many beloved characters on one side, this approach might work wonders and make season 6 the franchise’s best installment. However, it could also backfire since focusing on an international fighting platform could dilute other narrative elements of the series. In the Miyagi-verse, karate has always been used as a narrative device to either highlight the moral decay or the rite of passage of a character.
The franchise’s primary appeal has always come from its portrayal of the personal journeys of its characters and the lessons they learned from them. By being too fixated on expanding the scope and scale of the overarching tournament, season 6 could diminish the impact of its predecessors’ intimate character-driven approach. Not to mention, season 6 would risk stretching the suspension of disbelief a little too far if most of its main characters make it beyond the early rounds of a high-stake tournament like the Sekai Taikai.
Cobra Kai‘s creators have confirmed they are not involved with the upcoming Karate Kid movie. However, when it comes to the movie’s cast, it includes familiar faces like Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio. Since Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han was not a part of Cobra Kai‘s storylines, his involvement in the movie does not affect the show’s final season. However, since Ralph Macchio has been one of the primary characters in the series since season 1, his appearance as one of the leads in the film could drastically change the narrative direction of Cobra Kai season 6.
If Cobra Kai season 6 does not address Daniel’s future in the franchise, his appearance and arc in the Karate Kid movie could seem a little too contrived and inconsistent. However, if Cobra Kai season 6 subtly paves the way for the movie, it could end up jeopardizing its own conclusion. Either way, Daniel LaRusso’s involvement in the movie complicates many story elements for the Netflix series.
Even though Cobra Kai season 5 does not end with a tournament, a lot goes on in its overarching storyline. While Daniel walks down a self-destructive path and almost loses his family before reminding himself of Mr. Miyagi’s valuable lessons, Johnny Lawrence finally takes the high road and prepares himself for fatherhood. Meanwhile, Terry Silver tastes defeat after he reigns supreme with his dojo domination, and Kreese faces his downfall before rising from the ashes with his prison break. Since season 6’s narrative will primarily be driven by its central international tournament, it could pale in front of season 5.
Daniel’s story has gone through several ebbs and flows throughout Cobra Kai‘s runtime. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Johnny Lawrence. Even though Johnny has made some crucial decisions in the last few seasons, his characterization has somewhat stagnated. Most of his arcs primarily revolve around his inability to sustain a job and fix his relationship with Robby. This is strange since Johnny Lawrence was initially introduced as the show’s main protagonist. Cobra Kai season 6 must fix this and ensure that both Johnny and Daniel get well-rounded closures.
Unlike the original Karate Kid movies, Cobra Kai often blurs the lines between good and evil. While this approach makes all characters likable and relatable to some degree, it has left viewers divided on who they should root for or against. Some want Robby to win the Sekai Taikai since he has no wins under his belt despite being a great fighter. Others want Miguel to take the win because of all the sacrifices and morally right decisions he has made in the past. There are also others who are rooting for Hawk to win, even though he won the recent All-Valley Tournament.
Similar divides exist for the female contenders. Since only two characters — one male and one female — will ultimately win the Sekai Taikai (if at all), the conclusion of the tournament will always leave some viewers dissatisfied. Even if no one wins the Sekai Taikai tournament, many viewers will likely complain about the show’s lack of closure. This puts Cobra Kai season 5 in a tough spot where it must find a way to balance everyone’s expectations while still having a narratively coherent and conclusive ending.