Cobra Kai season 6 needs to kick the status quo, not bow to it

As a long-time fan of Cobra Kai, I have watched with bated breath as the series progressed, marveling at its unique blend of comedy, drama, and epic fight scenes. However, I must admit that the recent developments in season 6 have left me feeling somewhat underwhelmed and disappointed.

Warning: Spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6 part 1

In the last season of a drama series, there’s a great opportunity for the writers and actors to deliver an impressive conclusion based on the extensive storyline developed over the years. However, unfortunately, some finales can be disappointing to the point of ruining the show’s reputation for even the most devoted fans (*cough* Dexter *cough* Game of Thrones).

Currently, I’d assess that Cobra Kai hovers around an average mark – a letdown considering its past achievements. Despite being rescued from YouTube Red’s infrequent and brief tenure by the power of its wit, captivating characters, and impressive martial arts sequences, settling for a lackluster conclusion would hardly live up to that impressive history.

Instead of creating new storylines, recent Netflix seasons of Cobra Kai seem to rely excessively on repetitive plot devices common in less memorable young adult series. The lack of true progression leaves one feeling that the show is spinning its wheels and rehashing old, overused melodrama.

Cobra Kai’s season 6 introduces the “Sekai Taikai,” a new tournament, but it feels more like an enlarged version of the All Valley Tournament we’ve seen before. Fans have pointed out that the same filming location was used for both competitions, making the escalation seem less pronounced.

In the first part of the series, the road to the tournament was an arduous one for the Miyagi-Do students. To secure a spot on the team, everyone had to compete against each other, leading to old grudges being rekindled and some, like Johnny Lawrence, reverting back to childish behaviors despite being in their 50s.

Since the start of Cobra Kai, fans have had a soft spot for the character despite his faults. At the same time, there was a hope that he would transform into a more wholesome person. This appeared to be unfolding as he made amends with his son Robby, took Miguel under his wing as a mentor figure, and developed a romantic relationship with Carmen.

The significance of these apparent advancements in Johnny’s life should be reconsidered, as just one setback can lead him back into the depths of his past destructive habits. His erratic actions consist of excluding Daniel from training, quitting his job at the car dealership, and trying to create tension between Samantha and Tory.

He also takes a sudden interest in Miyagi-Do student Devon (Oona O’Brien), who has been a fringe character up until this point, with the favouritism he displays being unprofessional at best and a little creepy at worst. You’d think if he would be biased towards anyone in the competition it would be his biological and adoptive sons, but bizarrely they barely register on his radar.

It’s unfortunate that Miguel and Robby’s reconciliation in season 5 seemed incomplete, and now that one of them is set to become Team Captain, their relationship may be put to the test once again. This situation could provide an opportunity for resolving any lingering issues between them, but it also feels like a setback.

Is it necessary for the writers to add more fighting scenes between them, resulting in yet another draw? The unexpected camaraderie they displayed in the last season was far-fetched, but it opened up intriguing narrative paths. Reverting back to the same old pattern feels uninspired and monotonous instead.

Tory Nichols, the frequent target of bullying in Cobra Kai, has experienced an extraordinary amount of hardship and suffering, despite the show being categorized as a “comedy-drama.” However, it seemed that her fortunes were turning around in season 6. She reconciled with Sam, and there was good news regarding her mother’s health.

Her mother’s passing is short-lived and unexpectedly tragic. In a heartrending turn of events, Daniel’s mum dies after a false recovery sign, making her loss even more bitter. As a result, Daniel overlooks his sister for the Sekai Taikai competition in what he believes to be a compassionate decision, but comes off as insensitive. Unsurprisingly, she seeks solace in the arms of their ominous Cobra Kai sensei, John Kreese (Martin Kove).

After just finishing her stint as a villain, Tory finds herself in another surprising predicament with an entirely new Joker-esque backstory. Despite the dramatic music that might exaggerate this turn of events, it doesn’t actually take the show into unfamiliar territory. Instead, it reinforces the established pattern.

As a movie buff, I’d put it this way: In the storyline, Johnny is required to act like an immature man-child to create conflict with Daniel. Robby and Miguel are supposed to be constantly at odds. Tory is meant to embody the “bad girl” version of Sam. And Kreese keeps playing the role of the sinister Emperor Palpatine figure, despite efforts to make him more human through war backstories.

In simpler terms, it’s expected that most teen dramas maintain the status quo for their characters since they’re still in high school, living with parents, and not fully independent. However, Cobra Kai is different as its creators intentionally exaggerate reality.

Instead of just repeating the same old themes of rivalries, romances, and behaviors from past seasons, perhaps the writers could have considered a fresh direction for the final chapter. What unexplored paths might have opened up if our main characters had put their differences aside and moved forward?

In the last 10 episodes (parts 2 and 3), we’ll probably say goodbye to many of these characters for good. I personally hope for some fresh interactions and storylines that the show hasn’t explored before. Fingers crossed for some genuine surprises when Cobra Kai comes back in November.

2024-07-22 22:34

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