As a longtime fan of the Karate Kid franchise and having grown up with the original films, I must say that the use of CGI to bring back Pat Morita as Miyagi in Cobra Kai‘s final season has been both touching and somewhat controversial. On one hand, it was heartwarming to see Miyagi return one more time, even if only for a brief moment in Daniel’s dream sequence. It added an emotional depth to Daniel’s journey and helped to tie up loose ends from the original films.
On Friday, the second segment of Cobra Kai’s sixth and last season became available on Netflix, offering fans five episodes filled with intense competition at the Sekai Taikai, a worldwide karate tournament featured in the show. Although much of the plot revolves around the younger characters participating, the story also delves deeply into Daniel LaRusso’s (Ralph Macchio) struggles with Mister Miyagi’s legacy. In this season, Daniel confronts his past as the original Karate Kid, and a significant part of the story culminates in a disturbing dream sequence where a CGI version of the late Pat Morita, who played Miyagi, appears. PROCEED WITH CAUTION: This article contains spoilers for Cobra Kai Season 6. Proceed at your own risk…
In the tenth episode of the last season of Cobra Kai, there’s a scene where Daniel imagines a tournament fight with his mentor, Miyagi. This dream sequence unfolds after discovering that Miyagi allegedly killed a rival in a long-ago Sekai Taikai competition. Throughout the dream, Daniel battles a younger version of Miyagi, portrayed by actor Brian Takahashi. Towards the end of this dream, as Miyagi is on the verge of killing Daniel to conclude their battle, a computer-generated image of Morita appears clearly.
The use of Morita’s likeness only lasts for a few seconds, but it comes with the same kind of issues that other CGI returns, like Peter Cushing in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. This Cobra Kai return, at least, is contained to a single moment in a dream sequence. Still, the issue of using the likeness of late actors has been an enormously controversial topic throughout the entertainment industry. When ComicBook had the opportunity to speak with Cobra Kai showrunners Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, and Hayden Schlossberg about the release of the new Season 6 episodes, we asked about the decision to create this cameo for Pat Morita.
We handle this matter with great care because it’s deeply significant to us. In fact, our discussions about it began with Ralph Macchio. Since the inception of the series, the character of Mr. Miyagi has been crucial to ‘Cobra Kai’. Despite Pat Morita passing away, we’ve honored his memory by incorporating tributes and using footage from him throughout the show.
As technology progressed, during the creation of Daniel’s journey for the final season, we aimed to portray him grappling with his connection to Mr. Miyagi. This struggle mirrors situations many people experience, where they uncover truths about their parents or mentors that were previously unknown because they weren’t shared or deemed unnecessary. These revelations force one to ponder if this newfound knowledge alters the relationship or simply sheds light on the complexity of all humans, who carry intricate pasts marked by highs and lows. It’s worth noting that Mr. Miyagi also had a complex past, as hinted at in The Karate Kid.
In continuation, it was affirmed that the Cobra Kai and Sony teams collaborated not just with Macchio, but also the family of the late actor Morita. The estate of Morita endorsed the choice to depict Morita’s likeness in that particular scene; otherwise, this scene would have been omitted.
“Ralph was a big proponent of the idea of sharing screen time with Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi one more time. So we wrote the scenes and we worked with Sony to reach out to his estate, as we have in the past been clearing things. And we were met with a warm reception to the idea of Pat’s likeness being used on the show in this capacity.” he explained. “If this was a scenario where, you know, Pat’s estate and the family had no interest in it, we certainly wouldn’t have gone down this path. This was something that was coming from a place of love. It was coming from Pat’s greatest screen partner in Ralph Macchio and our Cobra Kai team. And once we had the blessing and the approval and excitement from the people in Pat’s life, we moved forward.”
[RELATED: Cobra Kai Final Episodes Release Date Revealed by Netflix]
Schlossberg joined the conversation by explaining further that not only did Macchio desire the scene, but also because they believed the audience would be thrilled to witness Miyagi’s return on-screen in any form.
As an ardent admirer, I’ve always imagined what I’d love to witness as a fan, and that includes none other than Pat Morita from “The Karate Kid”. The mere thought of any resurrection of his character is electrifying for me. However, I acknowledge that it won’t be Pat Morita himself, but rather a technological representation. As a spectator, I believe that the key lies in suspending disbelief… We presume, as fellow enthusiasts, that we desire to experience these characters anew and envision them vividly in our minds.
You can now stream the initial 10 episodes of “Cobra Kai” Season 6 on Netflix. The last 5 episodes of the show will make their debut on February 13, 2025.
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2024-11-17 20:40