Warning! The Following Contains SPOILERS fromCobra KaiSeason 6 Part 3.
Ralph Macchiois definitely open to waxing on and off again in a futureCobra Kaifilm if it’s done under the right conditions. Until then, though, Season 6 Part 3 officially marks the bittersweet swan song for Netflix’s continuation of the Miyagi-verse, which expandedThe Karate Kid’sbeloved mythology on the small screen thanks to showrunners Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg.
However, Macchio himself, who will appear again as his crane-kicking character in this summer’sKarate Kid: Legends,would definitely suit up in Daniel LaRusso’s trademark gi under the right circumstances for aCobra Kaifilm down the road. Macchio said in an interview withThe New York Times:
“Listen, I said it was the end for me when I got done with the last 1980s Karate Kid movie. So, I will say never say never. If Karate Kid: Legends does well, I would love to see a Cobra Kai movie in two or three years. As long as there’s a way to be truthful to the characters, to propel a story in a way that opens it up to generations, it’s something I’d be open to having a conversation about.”
Unfortunately,Cobra KaiSeason 6 hasn’t been as well-received as the earlier seasons of the show, as evidenced by its lower scores onRotten Tomatoeswith both the critics (“Certified Fresh” 88% on the Tomatometer) and fans (77% on the Popcornmeter). Despite some very fulfilling moments, particularly Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and John Kreese’s (Martin Kove) heartwarming reconciliation in Episode No. 13 “Skeletons,” the show drops the ball too many times. Killing off Kreese and Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) was egregious for sure, but omitting two fan-favorites also left many faithful followers understandably scratching their heads.
Significant ‘Karate Kid’ Characters Are MIA in ‘Cobra Kai’ Season 6 Part 3
Cobra KaiSeason 6 Part 3 again tries to satisfyThe Karate Kidfandom by paying homage to Mr. Miyagi, who the late Pat Morita originally portrayed in the saga’s film installments (1984-1994). Unfortunately,the AI technology hasn’t been perfected yet,at least by Netflix, so it’s more off-putting than anything else witnessing Daniel’s (Macchio) dream featuring him and Miyagi fighting together in “Skeletons.” However, it’s even more disconcerting that the final episodes notably leave out two key characters: Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita) and Julie Pierce (Hilary Swank).
One of the most disappointing revelations in Season 6 Part 3 is that Kumiko doesn’t reciprocate Chozen’s (Yuji Okumoto) romantic feelings. True, the scene unfolds as a pleasing homage toThe Karate Kid Part II(1986), but it’s sickening that Chozen finds out in a letter. Kumiko, who appeared in Season 3 ofCobra Kai,doesn’t physically return, which is odd considering that Tomita showed up to support her contemporaries at the swan song’s Los Angeles premiere.
‘Cobra Kai’ Creators Are Developing a Spinoff Featuring Two Fan-Favorite Characters
‘Cobra Kai’ never dies as two characters on the hit Netflix series since Season 1 might be getting a spin-off series.
Those who were hoping to seeThe Next Karate Kidstar Hilary Swank show up as Julie Pierce were also left disappointed. Mr. Miyagi’s other student is MIA in Season 6 Part 3, despite the door being opened by the mysterious chest of secrets Daniel discovered. Many speculated this would somehow reveal Julie’s identity. In fact,Cobra Kaishowrunners had begun mapping out a story arc for Swank, but the actress wasn’t interested in reprising the role.In an interview withRolling Stone,Macchio said, “She just didn’t want to do it for whatever reason.”
Co-showrunner Josh Heald also addressed Swank’s absence by saying:
“We started gaming things out in the writers' room, but before we got too deep, we had to reach out to Hilary and find out would she be willing to come and play with us. We had all these fun roads to go down, but we didn’t get to go down them. She’s a character that we have a lot of excitement to revisit.”
All five episodes ofCobra KaiSeason 6 Part 3 are now available to stream or binge-watch onNetflix.Fans can also revisit every season ofThe Karate Kidspin-off show while they await newCobra Kaispin-offsand a possible feature-length film. Plus, die-hard enthusiasts of Daniel LaRusso can catch up with Mr. Miyagi’s star pupil when he teams up with Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) in thissummer’s nostalgicKarate Kid: Legends,which opens in theaters on May 30.
