Starring: Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Courtney Henggeler, Martin Kove, Peyton List, Xolo Mariduena, Tanner Buchanan, Mary Mouser, Jacob Bertrand, Yuji Okumoto, Sean Kanan
Cobra Kai enters its final season. The first five episodes have streamed, with the next batch available in November. The end of season five would have been a proper swansong, but then Kreese initiates a prison escape and now we have season six to deal with him. The most glaring plot hole is how Kreese (Kove) is able to travel to, by my count, two different places overseas and slink around the San Fernando Valley while supposedly being a fugitive. Prison escapees aren't exactly left alone by the authorities and the media, but Kreese seems to have the run of the country, or the world. I think he should've been released early from prison for good behavior and then we wouldn't have to wonder how he winds up front and center of an international karate tournament.
Kreese, who seemingly has no life even if he weren't on the run, once again wants to resurrect an even deadlier version of Cobra Kai after it was seemingly ended in the season five finale. Kreese isn't alone. The other sensei in Cobra Kai are apparently okay with teenagers pounding the holy hell out of each other in the name of either ridding the world of Cobra Kai or trying to rebuild it. I briefly attended karate school as a youngster and I don't recall anyone drawing blood let alone breaking bones. I further remember wearing headgear and gloves when sparring, which is something that never occurred to these lawsuits waiting to happen. It seems no parents, except for Tori's (List), and of course Daniel and Johnny, even exist in the world of Cobra Kai.
Cobra Kai exists in a world of tenuous alliances which break apart at the slightest sign of disrespect. Tori and Samantha (Mouser) may now be members of the same dojo, but they can't forget their past. They soon become friends, but then Tori is such an emotional wild card that it doesn't surprise anyone that she rejoins Cobra Kai at the drop of a hat. How could Kreese trust her? Mike Barnes (Kanan) is also re-introduced as a sensei who assists Daniel and Johnny in choosing the six participants that will enter an all-world tournament in Spain. From my understanding, this tournament is a vicious, cruel, torturous ordeal which may result in permanent physical and psychological damage to the teenage participants. In this litigious society of helicopter parenting, there is zero chance such a tournament would exist. Johnny is still upset about being kicked in the face forty years ago.
Cobra Kai uses these interchangeable kids as pawns for the adults to work out their own crap built up over years. There are interesting subplots, such as the discovery of items from Mr. Miyagi's past which make him appear that he wasn't what he seemed. Daniel puts on his detective hat and probes to find out what Miyagi was up to seventy years ago, but do we really think this will end with Miyagi being unmasked as a monster or a criminal? The first episodes end with the Miyagi-do participants flying to Spain for this international brouhaha and discovering Tori has joined Cobra Kai next to Kreese. You would think Daniel and Johnny, who by now are on the outs for the umpteenth time in the series, would contact the police and have Kreese apprehended to rid themselves of this headache, but I strongly doubt that will happen. Daniel and Johnny's relationship is tiresome. They are forever on the edge of feuding again. They have fought and made up so many times I've lost count.
I was left with the same feeling I had at the end of season five: Cobra Kai was entertaining in its own offbeat way, but now it is past its sell-by date. It may have hung on for one season too long.
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