Cobra Kai: Season 6 - Part 3

I find Cobra Kai to be one of the most interesting series on television currently. This series managed to bring The Karate Kid franchise back into the spotlight in ways that many would never have expected, and did so by telling a story that began as a truly compelling and relatable grassroots adventure that has since become a ridiculous global tale that feels almost like a soap opera. I strongly believe that Cobra Kai kicked off as a quality series, but has as the years rolled on lost its brilliance and charm a tad as it stumbled further and further into stupidity. And yet, despite believing this, I can't get enough of this show. Showrunners Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg have struck the nail right on the head with this idea, but the question is now whether they have managed to conclude Cobra Kai on a high or instead in a way that reflects its current trajectory.

This sixth season, which frustratingly has been split into three parts, has been uneven at the best of times, and frankly I found the second part to be lacking in the places that Cobra Kai often excelled. Sure, there was great action with well-choreographed scenes, but at the same time the childish feuds reached levels that just became exhausting and the villains and antagonists truly lost their charm after being the same thorn in Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence's sides for the past seven years. The small-scale silly arguments and snide jabs from the earlier seasons were lost in the wake of murders, immense corruption, and heroes being locked in underground dog cages. It became madness that detracted from the martial arts action that we know and love and there were many times that I was left lost for words with the direction the story was taking.

Thankfully, I can state right away that Part 3 is a much more focussed and rooted narrative. There are moments that are just hilariously silly again, and some cringey and stupid elements too, but the majority of the story is about karate and the gang preparing for the Sekai Taikai tournament, which is being restarted and is set to happen in the Valley - as everything seems to these days... It's a more emotional story that looks to tie up the various narratives into a tight little bow, but it also has a clear focus, and that is on the adults. William Zabka's Johnny and Ralph Macchio's Daniel take centre-stage and drive forward a story that often puts the young cast in the backseat, regardless of whether it's on or off the tournament mats.

This focus does allow Zabka and Macchio to shine, but it comes at the cost of you beginning to forget that characters like Xolo Maridueña's Miguel, Mary Mouser's Samantha, Tanner Buchanan's Robbie, and Peyton List's Tory once were a core focal point of Cobra Kai. And this is without even mentioning many of the additional supporting stars, who are well and truly left to the wolves in this final slate of episodes. I've mentioned in former thoughts on Season 6 that some of the characters felt like an afterthought this time around, and Part 3 simply affirms that. I also think this emphasis and spotlight on the adult cast illuminates how they aren't exactly the strongest of performers themselves. The emotional range of some of these actors feels limited at best, and I'd go as far as saying that Zabka being the best of the bunch says a lot for the performances this time around.

On top of the uneven performances and a plot that feels alien at times from where Cobra Kai began - a plot that is still crammed with the signature cheesy dialogue - the way that this final part delivers unapologetic fan service didn't exactly rub me the right way either. Cobra Kai has never shied away from this, but witnessing a version of Pat Morita's Mr. Miyagi fighting off hordes of The Karate Kid-inspired skeleton attackers alongside Macchio just seemed unusual and a bit wrong even. The Miyagi legacy that has always permeated this show has never been presented in this way, and it's clear why that was the case.

But here's where things get really weird. Even though this final season of Cobra Kai has been its weakest yet in my opinion, it's also, like every season before it, still effortless and entertaining television that you won't want to look away from. Every time something ridiculous happens and tries to push you over the edge and stop watching, a plot twist happens and draws you back in. Sure, the VR-training scene that feels more fitting of Back to the Future and the yacht explosion that feels like it was ripped from an episode of Baywatch are some of the lowest lows of the season, but when it gets back down to it, when the lights dim and the cameras are pointed at the karate mats, Cobra Kai, as it always has, shines like a diamond.

It's not the perfect ending, nor is it one that is without its issues, in fact it has many, but this last bunch of episodes of Cobra Kai are mostly entertaining, and considering the series' heritage, that's about all you could ask for.