On February 13, 2025, Netflix released the third and final part of the 6th season of Cobra Kai, marking the end of the 7 year run of the popular sports drama show. Cobra Kai is a spin-off show of the hit 1980s Karate Kid movies, which starred Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence. In the original movies, amateur Daniel LaRusso becomes All Valley Karate Champion after defeating 2-year title defendant Johnny Lawrence of the Cobra Kai dojo. Spin-off series Cobra Kai focuses on the adult life of the two, where Johnny is now a middle aged man without a sense of direction, facing alcoholism and an unexciting life. Daniel, on the other hand, is a successful car dealership owner, remarking an extreme reverse of roles from the original movie, where the former is portrayed as an entitled rich teen and the latter a scrawny new kid.
When Johnny meets a high school neighbor boy named Miguel Diaz (Xolo Maridueña) who is eager to learn karate from him, he ends up reopening Cobra Kai. The series continues to explore the rekindled rivalry between Johnny and Daniel, who also ends up opening his own dojo, while simultaneously placing emphasis on the younger generation. The cast also includes Mary Mouser, playing Daniel’s daughter Samantha LaRusso; Tanner Buchanan, who plays Johnny’s estranged son Robby Keene; and Peyton List as Tory Nichols, another strong fighter. The show also sees Martin Kove and Thomas Ian Griffith reprise their respective roles of John Kreese, Johnny’s sensei, and Silver, Kreese’s nemesis, from the original Karate Kid trilogy.
Cobra Kai manages to live up to its title as the spinoff of one of the most influential martial arts movies series of all time. While the plot may seem childish at times, with unrealistic violence (usually involving and incited by teens), a whole town becoming obsessed with karate, and corny dialogue, it still accomplishes its main job of providing nostalgia for original fans while simultaneously appealing to a younger audience.
The final season of Cobra Kai focuses on the Sekai Taikai, an international karate competition that the students participate in. The Sekai Taikai arc is perhaps one of the most unpredictable and exciting arcs of the whole show, complete with the introduction of complex new characters and a series of thrilling plot twists. But what most fans enjoyed the most was the refocusing of the plot onto Miguel and Johnny. Many fans complained that while the first two seasons of Cobra Kai centered on the dynamic between student Miguel and sensei Johnny, the seasons after that shifted more focus onto the struggles of other characters, such as Robby and Samantha. Fans were especially content to find the spotlight back on Miguel in season 6 part 3, which saw Miguel become the international male karate champion of the Sekai Taikai.
Unfortunately, season 6 part 3 suffered from incomplete plotlines and lost plot trajectory. Part 2 ended with the death of Kwon Jaesung, a strong fighter from South Korea who served as a major antagonist throughout last season. This marked a major cliffhanger that shocked all viewers. It also presented the first death of a teenage character, which created a new mature tone that had never been previously explored in the show. This tone shift was unfortunately brushed over by the writers in part 3, losing the tension constructed in the previous part. This led part 3 to disappoint viewers and feel less riveting than preceding parts.
Some things that Cobra Kai does well is maintaining the balance between sports and drama. Cobra Kai does not overindulge in developing romantic relationships to the point where they no longer have any relevance to the sports action. Despite this, romance and drama elements are still very present and utilized by the writers to stir up inter-character tension to drive the action. One such example is Robby and Tory fighting in opposite dojos during the Sekai Taikai, which was an excellent way of building tension and anticipation while also playing into the pressure of being a teenage athlete tasked with navigating adolescence and professional growth at the same time.
I would give the show a rating of 4.5/5 stars. Cobra Kai’s well done fight scenes, tension building and dramatic development, and strong cast of characters create an effective space for viewer enjoyment.
Through its well-balanced and action packed plotlines, Cobra Kai earns its title as an excellent teenage sports drama that skillfully continues the legacy of the Karate Kid series. All 6 seasons are currently available for streaming on Netflix.
