By Cobra Kai is reaching its conclusion – and while it effectively ties up the years-long journey of its secondary protagonist, it also delivers a couple of quite intense and dramatic conclusions for its two primary antagonists. The creators, Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, offer an insightful explanation for this.
Alert: Major spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6 episode 3 ahead!
“It was always the plan, particularly regarding the finale with Johnny and Daniel, for them to come together and finally establish a friendship,” Hurwitz shares with GamesRadar+. “It’s amusing because I recall in the first season when we were developing the show, the initial feedback from the studio was, ‘Could Johnny and Daniel run a dojo together?’ and we were like, no, that’s not the point; that’s where we’re going, just give us about 65 episodes and we’ll reach that by the end. We wanted to progressively build a friendship throughout these seasons [and for] Johnny Lawrence to eventually find that redemption, to get back on that red mat where he could confront his past demons.”
Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) ultimately receives his well-deserved conclusion – and I believe any devoted fan of the franchise will concur that it is indeed the right way for the story to wrap up. Prior to the emotional finale, Johnny finally has the opportunity to address his former sensei Kreese (Martin Kove) about the distressing event that unfolds in The Karate Kid 2, after his defeat against Daniel LaRusso (Johnny Lawrence). The two reconcile, and it is a heartfelt moment. Little does Johnny realize, however, that this will be the last time he and Kreese will ever see one another.
In contrast, Kreese experiences a change of heart, while Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) does not. The two engage in a confrontation on a yacht and, true to Terry’s character, he exits as a villain – remaining true to his nature.