The time has come for us to see Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) joining forces against Kreese (Martin Kove) and Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) in the anticipated All Valley Karate Tournament! It took years for fans to see the rivals become allies, so seeing Johnny and Daniel interact and combine their teaching methods is the ideal element that could lead Season 4 to become the best season of Cobra Kai so far.
We will also witness Robbie (Tanner Buchanan) joining Kreese’s team and confronting his former colleagues, plus a change of romantic pairings that will add even more spice to the mix. Before viewers hit the play button on this epic match, here is a detailed recap to get everyone prepared for all the kicking and punching that is in store for Season 4.
Miguel in a Coma
Following the major fight between the Cobra Kai students and the Miyagi-Do ones in the school halls, Miguel (Xolo Maridueña) ended up in a coma after falling down the stairs on his back. Everyone was shocked by the accident, especially Johnny who was in between supporting his karate student and going to visit his son Robbie in juvie for that lethal kick. Johnny decides to stick around next to Miguel and encourages him to fight against the coma and recuperate. The sensei’s push was everything that Miguel needed to regain lucidity, although it didn’t fix his paralysis from the waist down. Still, Johnny is persistent in trying to help Miguel walk again through various unusual methods until his last attempt (going to a rock concert) reestablishes the hope of a thorough restoration.
Sam and Tory’s Rivalry
While Miguel and Robbie’s fight had physical repercussions, Sam (Mary Mouser) and Tory’s (Peyton List) faceoff lead to trauma. Ever since Tory was only a few inches away from destroying Sam’s face in the name of “no mercy”, Sam has had panic attacks and nightmares. Throughout the season, the two have very zealous encounters, until, with time, Sam can overcome her fear of Tory and fight back. We also catch a glimpse of Tory’s struggles at home, trying to provide for her mother and brother. This demonstrated that there are parts of her character that aren't so stone-cold as we had seen many times before.
Shifting Sides
The first to shift sides was Robbie, who decided to join the Cobra Kai dojo when he left prison because he felt failed by his father and Daniel. His alliance with Kreese was already expected, but we will get to see the practical implications of his decision in Season 4. Now, a character who surprised everyone by changing sides was Hawk (Jacob Bertrand). After viewers witnessed him take fights to the next level of cruelty all throughout Season 2 and 3, Hawk had a moment of reconciliation with his former best friend Demetri (Gianni DeCenzo), once it was clear that Demetri was clearly going to get injured from the Cobra Kai kids’ attack at the LaRusso’s house. The change of heart was so fast that even viewers took a while to process his return to his original friend group from when he was an outsider.
LaRusso’s Return to Japan
Cobra Kai doesn’t shy away from the nostalgic factor. Fans of The Karate Kid trilogy had their special moment when Daniel LaRusso went to Japan to save his car dealership and was able to reconnect with the late Mr. Miyagi through the memories that sparked during his time there. The trip is filled with encounters with people from Daniel’s past, more precisely figures that were introduced in The Karate Kid II. Through reconnecting with his former love interest Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita), his rival Chozen (Yuji Okumoto), and a girl he had saved back in the day, Daniel had a successful turnaround with his business and learned some new karate moves that could even play out on Season 4.
Kreese’s Backstory
One of the positive aspects of Season 3 was the in-depth exposure to Kreese’s origins when he was recruited for the Vietnam War. At the time, Kreese wasn’t the strict-faced, manipulative sensei that we know now. During the war, he and Terry Silver were selected for a special forces team, led by Captain George Turner. Kreese’s compassionate posture is constantly chastised by the Captain, up to the point in which Kreese fights with him and becomes everything that he once dreaded: a bad guy. We might see more of this backstory play out in Season 4 with Terry Silver's return to the dojo realm and reinstating their bond.
The Dojos Unite
Before we get to see Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence on the same side, it's important to understand where the partnership surged. With Cobra Kai going back to its old villainous identity, Johnny was no longer interested in standing for what dojo was representing. In response, he opens another dojo called Eagle Fang and recruits the school outcasts once again in an attempt to repeat the formula. The new additions to his karate team aren’t nearly as prepared as Miyagi-Do or Cobra Kai, but he still tries his best to help them acquire strength and tactics. During the LaRusso house fight scene, Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang joined forces against Cobra Kai, making it clear that they share an enemy.
To intensify the bond in the making, Alli played by Elisabeth Shue (LaRusso and Lawrence’s high school girlfriend) comes back into the picture when she reconnects with Johnny over Facebook. The trio meets and even though it is awkward at first, she is a fundamental piece to help them realize that if they work together, they could become unbeatable. That was the final push that turned things around for Daniel and Johnny establishing their alliance and uniting Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang Karate for good. We can expect a lot of butting heads over karate moves in Season 4. After all, they have very different ways of coaching their students and they have always struggled to get along.
Cobra Kai Season 4 is streaming now on Netflix.