There still seems to be the open "issue" what to name a Dojo that combines both Cobrai Kai and Miyagi-Do Karate philosophies, they didn't solve it this season. Personally i'm also wondering for 6th season, they have hopefully a good and believable idea ( even for a show that is intentionally corny) to create drama. Spoiler: Spoilers for Season 5 Now that Silver has been exposed and Cobrai Kai students abandonend him it is questionable what Kreese can do on his own, since basically every "bad" guy either joined the good guys such as Tory perhaps or has quit completely, so the formula for two competing Dojos won't work.
I finished up season 5 yesterday and enjoyed it immensely. Not quite as good as the first few seasons, but still so much fun. The focus on the adults was nice for a change, and Chozen was the standout this season imo. He was absolutely fantastic and his character growth was really cool to see. I wish we would have gotten more of certain characters, especially the guests, but what we got was good. One gripe I've had is that Daniel seems to be the only character who doesn't have much character growth. He's still reckless as all hell and super emotional... but then I realized after Silver confronts him at Stingray's house he probably has PTSD from all the shit that's happened in the past, and what was happening in the present didn't help at all. I think the season finale also works fine as a series finale. I really don't see the need for a sixth season since everything, for the most part, is wrapped up. Another 5 minutes at the end might have been nice, but I can live with where we leave our heroes. From what I've read, the creators of Cobra Kai haven't even started writing a sixth season and they are currently working on another series, so maybe they'll bow out (even though they've said they have ideas for another season). If season 5 was it, well, it's been one fun and corny ride. There were characters I loved and characters I loved to hate. The writers got it and the cast obviously loved it as well. Bravo!
You know I never realized until I was just looking at Thomas Ian Griffin's bio that he is actually 1 year YOUNGER than Ralph Macchio. Griffin was born in 1962 and Macchio was in 1961. Crazy. I always thought he looked too young in Karate Kid 3 to be a Vietnam War buddy of Kreese, but I didn't realize he was that young then. I felt like this could have been the finale. Spoiler The valley has been 'saved'. Kreese is a fugitive so he can't do anything openly. The whole plan of Cobra-Kai going for this world tourny was never an interest of Daniel or Johnny to elevate to a world stage and just stop Terry Silver. It would be kinda cool to get a 'Rambo' (first movie) type film with Kreese in the forest evading law enforcement lol.
Wow... Ralph has really taken care of himself to be looking that young. It never occurred to me that he could be older than Griffin. I mean, Ralph has always been able to play younger, much like Matthew Broderick and Michael J. Fox, but still. Crazy!
My wife mentioned a theory as to why certain actors and actresses look far younger than their age. The ones that aren't in scandals or caught up in Hollywood insanity are the ones that age the best. Look at Angela Bassett. She's 64, and she looks like she may be 40. Hell, I think she looks better now than in the 90s. Ralph Macchio has definitely aged well. And really, so has William Zabka. Think about it... life drama ages your appearance faster. The less stress from those kinds of things, the younger you'll look for longer. I have a theory as to how the villainy will be for a season 6. Spoiler: Just in case Kreese will team up with the woman sensei. (I forgot her name.) She will see a more kindred spirit with him because Kreese was not quite into business like Silver was. Really pay attention to the flashback scene with young Kreese and Silver... Silver is suited up looking to expand like it's an empire, while Kreese is more focused on students. But the one thing that makes me think this? In that same flashback, Kreese winked at the little girl. I'm pretty sure that's the sensei. I think they already had a bond, like a family friend or uncle figure. Kreese is more about legacy, which is exactly what she wanted based on what Silver offered her outside the plane when she arrived.
Spoiler Yea, I think that little girl was meant to Kim Da Eun (their karate teacher's granddaughter) although the actress playing her was born in 1987 and that flashback took place in 1980. So she's playing an 'older' character than she actually is. The one thing I really hope doesn't happen in S5. I don't want this world tournament to happen. I'm kinda tired of just how many inexperienced teenagers suddenly become capable of being super great at karate and beating people who trained their whole lives. I mean I know it happened WITH Daniel, but I mean Jesus... pretty much the entire group is like maybe 1 or 2 years experience max at this point with Kenny being at it for like a few months?
Spoiler good catch with the little girl. I totally missed that. And I completely agree with the Kreese and sensei theory. That makes a ton of sense if we get another season
Cobra Kai creators discuss season 6... https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/cobra-kai-season-5-ending-explained-1235371843/
The idea that there's a huge international karate tournament that's been going on for at least forty years and Daniel has never heard of it is kind of hard to believe! Then again, it's a very silly show. Kreese just walking by the guards at the end because he was dressed in the doctor's clothes was also very silly because he still looks exactly like Kreese, just in different clothes. But again they can get away with it because it's a very silly show. I like all the kicking and stuff! I thought Miguel's dad was going to turn out to be a bigger deal but then he wasn't mentioned again after the second episode. It felt like they just wanted Johnny, Miguel and Robbie back with the others as fast as possible (and that's fine with me, really.)
I can see Kreese getting out like he did. Like Michael Garibaldi once said, people pay attention to the uniform, not the face.
Sony has announced a new Karate Kid movie for June 7th, 2024. No one is attached and nothing else is known. https://variety.com/2022/film/news/sony-karate-kid-movie-2024-pushes-madame-web-1235375372/
I have to ask "why?" Yes, Cobra Kai is a success, but I believe that was due to the series format allowing time to build on the OT characters, and how they have changed / respond to threats like mature adults, rather than teens / young adults. Even Kreese--through the series format--has been allowed to grow beyond the sneering psychopath he was in I and III, so it makes one wonder what another movie will do that's as compelling as the series (whether the OT characters are involved or not)?
I’m a few episodes in and Silver is a straight hardcore psychopath. The kind of person who if a good guy straight up shot him in the head I’d still see them as a good guy.
Star Wars fans (Lose their shit over Andor saying shit) Cobra Kai: "NO MERCY MOTHER******!" One interesting question at this point in the series (I just saw the line I just referenced). When Johnny Lawrence was in charge of Cobra Kai, it seemed like a pretty positive influence. Johnny's version of Cobra Kai wasn't evil. It empowered people, it made socially impaired nerds feel like they could take control of their destiny. I'm hoping wherever this series goes it acknowledges that. Sometimes the best defense actually is more offense. Sometimes you have to know when to attack in order to defend yourself. The version of Cobra Kai Johnny ran before Creese showed up was actually pretty awesome. This is easily the strongest season so far since the 1st. At this point I'm kind of wondering why nobody has considered talking to Silver's wife.
I was watching this for awhile because of nostalgia, but I lost interest. Too much of the high school teen angst vide stuff going on.
I could see this coming back when the show concludes next season ( i think it's been said so by the producers). Johnny has come a long way since the first season - from an actual loser to a father, actual teacher/Sensei ( though his methods are still somewhat unorthodox ) and with a new kid incoming a father/possible husband. He would need a steady and stable source of income and he loves teaching Karate, so unless the name Cobra Kai is tainted beyond repair after season 5 he can reopen the dojo. If that is not possible there's always the hinted at fusion of both Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do to form a new dojo and he could lead it with Daniel being a part time Sensei. I should apply as a script writer
“Kai” in Japanese means “meeting” (despite Cobra Kai’s Korean Tang Soo Do roots). Since the two styles have come together to fight a common enemy, and since the name Cobra Kai may be permanently banned (between Silver and Kreese’s shenanigans over the years), I suspect the new school might simply be called Myagi-Kai. Doesn’t quite roll of the tongue like its parent styles’ names, but it is the obvious choice.
Would they really combine Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai though, the latter name is mud. The issue when we last saw it was how to combine Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang.
Myagi-Fang might be a bit over the top (and I think Myagi would likely disapprove) and Eagle-Do a bit generic (and removed the Myagi cultural lineage). I was thinking that Myagi-Kai more elegantly combines terms of a similar cultural origin - although not the same, Myagi being Okinawan and Kai being Japanese. It would also serve to diminish the tainted Korean Tang Soo Do origins of Johnny’s system without erasing it completely. History should never be fully purged, IMO, no matter how distasteful some people may find it. That all gets into a bit of esoteria that would probably be beyond what’s needed. I’m currently working in Chung Do Kwan style Tang Soo Do (derived from TSD’s first GM Hwang Kee, not the fictional “rogue” school founded by Kim Sum-Yung) and, while obviously deadly, it’s never had a “No mercy for the weak” culture as it’s portrayed in the show. There are schools out there like that, but that’s the exception, not the rule. I remember we were all getting a little nervous that the show would paint TSD in a somewhat unflattering light if anyone started getting curious about the differences between it and TKD (which historically derives from Kee’s wartime TSD). I dunno, I’m sticking with Miyagi-Kai, if anything.