Forty-one years after Daniel LaRusso’s famous crane kick knocked Johnny Lawrence to the mat, Cobra Kai is taking viewers back to where it all began. The latest entry in the Karate Kid franchise released its final episodes on Netflix this past 13 February, a long-awaited conclusion to what its creators attested would be “the biggest season of Cobra Kai yet.”
Season 6, Part 3 seems like a world away from when Johnny first opened his revitalized Cobra Kai dojo in a humble strip mall, aiming to help bullied youth stand up for themselves through karate. His success led to more figures from the original Karate Kid movies entering the fray, from Daniel’s own reopening of Miyagi-Do to the villainous returns of Cobra Kai founders John Kreese and Terry Silver. These not only renewed a decades-old karate rivalry, but sparked an all-out conflict between opposing philosophies that made its way to the world stage.
Everything in the story has led to part 3, which returns to its Southern California roots. One month after the grim incident in Barcelona, the Sekai Taikai—the world-renowned karate tournament—is cancelled, and those who witnessed the scene are left to deal with its grim aftermath. However, the wealthy, conniving Silver pulls some strings—including disclosing his true motives to Johnny and Daniel—that convince everyone to complete the Sekai Taikai once and for all. This time, the final fights are set for one key location: the same arena that saw the fated All Valley final in 1984.
As competitors and senseis dial into the competition, many of the characters have their own matters to sort at home. The teens ponder out their own university and career plans, while the adults are left to deal with matters of their own—grim secrets, heartbreak, starting a family, and more. With plenty on the line, Cobra Kai sets the stage for a truly epic finale—one that unites a rocky past with a hopeful future.
At first glance, the immediate standouts of part 3 are the final fights. Cobra Kai has had its fair share of well-choreographed, well-shot fight sequences, and the finale of the Sekai Taikai is no exception. In seeing the best youth fighters take to the mat in the finals, our heroes are faced with some of the most daunting matchups yet—and the cast and crew pull out all the stops in some of the most thrilling action in the series.
Being Cobra Kai, the episodes also carry moments of the show’s trademark levity. We get to see more of Johnny being his comically oblivious ‘80s self, notably his awkward, yet endearing way of organizing his proposal to his girlfriend before the latter gives birth to their child. We see the teens lightening up away from the intensity of the mats, prominently while organizing a training simulation for team captain Robby. Seeing an AR recreation of his hulking, no-nonsense Sekai Taikai opponent goofily dancing around must be seen to be believed.
Augmenting the experience are nostalgic call-backs for longtime fans of the franchise. The finale continues to weave in plenty of references to the franchise’s ‘80s roots, from a humorous nod to the signature chopsticks scene to the triumphant return of Joe Esposito’s song “You’re the Best.”
Meanwhile, viewers that have stuck around since the YouTube Red days will delight in spotting small allusions to earlier episodes. One grand entrance the heroes receive at the Sekai Taikai may remind longtime viewers of Johnny’s idea of a Cobra Kai advertisement (seems the rights to a certain song may not have cost too much after all). Audiences will also get to hear the full story of Johnny’s infamous Applebee’s incident—the truth of which proves to be quite sobering.
But of course, the heart of Cobra Kai lies in its storytelling.
While the teens get plenty of chances to shine on and off the mat, especially amid the pressure of the Sekai Taikai and the need to shape their own futures, the key focus of part 3 is squarely with the adults. Of note is how both Johnny and Daniel engage in emotional final confrontations with their respective senseis—amplified by strong performances from Ralph Macchio and William Zabka.
In particular, Daniel, who spent much of the season struggling to come to terms with Mr. Miyagi’s past, finds himself in a dream where his mentor reminds him of Miyagi-Do’s core tenets. The poignant reunion leads to closure that finally allows Daniel to let go of the past, becoming at peace with Mr. Miyagi’s legacy. While Daniel does eventually uncover the far less-sinister truth regarding his late mentor’s backstory, the true satisfaction already came from his realization to not let the core pillars of Miyagi-Do be overshadowed by such grievances.
Indeed, a recurring theme throughout the finale is characters being at peace, whether with their achievements, their circumstances, or the past. Compared to earlier episodes, which at times see moments like Johnny and Daniel’s students talking about visions of karate glory or getting into a dream school, we see more of the students—and even their teachers—learn to put aside their self-centeredness and see value in their circumstances. By the end, many of the heroes are far removed from a rivalry that has seen pride and pettiness on multiple sides.
At times, the “winning isn’t everything” cliché actually empowers the remaining heroes to really let their karate prowess shine through. With the pressure lifted off their shoulders, the heroes become more galvanized to give their all—leading to showdowns that will excite audiences old and new.
In other cases, the trope less glamorously subverts the franchise’s signature second-wind narrative. But while this may disappoint viewers hoping to see their favourite characters win, it does lead to some fulfilling conclusions that see the characters in happier places than before.
The series does contain other plot threads that feel more rushed in their conclusions. Demetri and Yasmine’s relationship drama—stemming from an incident involving the former in part 2—is resolved quite hastily here, moved aside in favour of other plotlines. As well, Kreese and Silver have their own climactic showdown before the final Sekai Taikai match begins—but despite its own grand conclusion, there is no acknowledgement of its outcome, save for a small comment from a key opponent’s sensei.
Despite these, the series still hits all the right notes when it matters most. At its core, Cobra Kai is a story about growth and overcoming past sentiments, whether through settling old feuds or coming to terms with previous mindsets. The senseis and their students have explored the highs and lows of their signature mantras, from Cobra Kai’s aggressive “Strike First, Strike Hard, No Mercy” mindset to Miyagi-Do’s emphasis on self-defence and balance. Drawing everything in the franchise together—with a dash of ‘80s nostalgia that shows reverence to the source material—Cobra Kai’s grand finale brings a satisfying catharsis to a decades-old rivalry.
(All six seasons of Cobra Kai are available to watch on Netflix.)