It’s time for one more round!
Step back into a world of militant dojos, unhinged sensei and spontaneous karate brawls in every public space as Netflix’s Cobra Kai returns for its sixth season on Netflix.
This final outing is split into three parts, the first of which is out now, coming almost two years after season 5 wrapped up in dramatic fashion with the downfall of one villain and the rise of another.
The delay was caused by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) strikes that brought Hollywood to a standstill last year, with previous seasons enjoying a much shorter break of nine to 12 months.
If you’re in need of a brief refresher on all things Cobra Kai before diving into season 6 part 1, then look no further – here’s your recap of the key things to remember for the latest episodes.
Warning: spoilers for Cobra Kai season 5.
Miguel found his dad
Miguel dramatically walked out on the latest All Valley Tournament after his back injury flared up, and he was left uninspired by Johnny’s insistence that he stay in the competition.
Having long seen his sensei as a father figure, he was already feeling downtrodden over a sense that he’ll always be playing second to Robby.
So, he ran off to Mexico in the hopes of tracking down his birth father – and does so remarkably easily, it has to be said, considering the enormous size of the country.
Alas, while Hector Salazar initially appears to be warm and loving, it soon becomes clear that he is the dangerous criminal that Miguel’s mother had always warned him about.
And so, Miguel gave up on having any sort of meaningful relationship with him, getting a swift rescue from Johnny and Robby, who had gone on a road trip in search of the missing student.
Miguel and Robby made up (kind of)
The Mexico trip was the first step on the road to reconciliation for Miguel and Robby, whose rivalry peaked after the former was kicked off a high storey landing by the other – a move that left him unable to walk for several months.
After a few attempts at getting the boys to work out their problems in a peaceful, fun manner – eg a homemade escape room – Johnny ultimately concluded that they needed to duke it out one last time to process their mutual anger.
This technique of mediation does not come recommended in the real world, but in the heightened reality of Cobra Kai it worked like a charm, with Miguel and Robby striking up a fragile friendship.
But there are more challenges to come in season 6…
The dojos enter the Sekai Taikai
Representatives of the global Sekai Taikai tournament visited the San Fernando Valley to scout for dojos to take part in the prestigious event, with Cobra Kai (now led by the sinister Terry Silver) and Miyagi-Do (led by Daniel and Johnny) vying for attention with vastly different training methods.
Ultimately, the judges saw merits to both approaches and granted places to the warring institutions. This is a key storyline that will continue into season 6, so be sure to keep it in mind while watching.
Silver eyes world domination (seriously)
The Karate Kid legacy character Terry Silver is at his absolute worst in Cobra Kai season 5, having framed his former friend and business partner John Kreese for attempted murder to take full control of their dojo.
His teaching style is tantamount to brainwashing, turning kids into aggressive little karate monsters – and he doesn’t want to stop at the San Fernando Valley.
Silver details his grandiose plan to expand Cobra Kai into an international chain of dojos, which will give him an army of loyal fighters based all over the world.
Kids would have to join Cobra Kai or forever live in fear of the consequences (ie getting one’s head shoved down a toilet).
Kreese dies (but not really)
John Kreese spent season 5 locked up in prison after his former pupil Stingray named him as the perpetrator of a near-fatal beating, when in reality it was Terry Silver who was responsible – and also bribed the karate fanatic to secure his dishonesty.
False promises made by Johnny and Daniel to Kreese during a brief visit deepened the rivalry between the three men, but there was a glimmer of hope in Kreese’s life too.
Tory Nichols was a frequent visitor of the sensei while he was behind bars, remaining a believer in his strategic mind and methods of training – but he ultimately pushed her away after Johnny and Daniel’s betrayal.
Kreese appeared to meet a grisly end sometime later, getting brutally stabbed in the prison food hall, but this was subsequently revealed to be a ruse in order for him to escape his incarceration.
He does so just in time for Silver’s scheming to be exposed, with video footage emerging of the sensei confessing to bribing a referee, while Stingray also admitted to having falsely named Kreese as his attacker.
Everyone’s happy (but for how long?)
Cobra Kai season 5 ends on a generally positive note, in terms of the core personal relationships.
Miguel and Robby have reconciled and are back on good terms with their respective girlfriends Samantha and Tory, while Johnny and Daniel also appear to have largely settled their decades-long feud.
But with Kreese at large and the Sekai Taikai just around the corner, there will be plenty of obstacles to come for our group of loveable karate misfits. Tune into season 6 part 1 now to find out what’s next!
Cobra Kai season 6 part 1 is available to stream on Netflix from Thursday 18th July 2024. Stream now. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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