Since the fourth season of Cobra Kai has only been out for a few days, I warn you now that this review will contain SPOILERS! There, that is your one and only warning. Now, let’s get into another awesome season of this badass show!
We essentially pick up right where we left off, which is seeing Kreese as head of Cobra Kai and Johnny and Danny deciding that they need to work together if they want to defeat him. It’s agreed upon right away that whoever comes away victorious at the All Valley Tournament will continue on, while the losers must shut down their dojo for good. At first, despite their obvious differences, it really seems like Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang are going to combine to make the best super team. And really, it seems like the students are all for it, but it ultimately ends up being Johnny and Danny who can’t yield to the others’ strengths. Meanwhile, Kreese, with a little guilt-tripping, manages to recruit Danny’s old coach and certified psycho, Terry Silver.
Obviously, karate is the crux of the show, but it’s also all about personal relationships and we gets tons of drama this season! First, Sam and Miguel seem pretty strong, but now that Robby has switched sides and joined Cobra Kai, he and Tory find enjoyment out of torturing the couple. Sparks fly for them, as well. Miguel also has to get used to the idea that his mom is dating Johnny. Awkward! It does make Miguel think about his own dad, since it’s clear Johnny still has a soft spot for Robby, the son he abandoned. Danny is dealing with his own parenting struggles, as he and his wife learn that their son Anthony has been bullying a new kid at school. Jokes on Anthony though, as Kenny joins Cobra Kai and then beats him up in the locker room at the All Valley.
Even though Robby has seemed kind of hardened and hard to reach this season, seeing Kenny, who he took under his wings, be so vicious really impacted him. Sam has also been kind of vicious in her own way this season. Yes, she’s excited to learn some Cobra Kai karate from Johnny, because she’s still really scared of Tory from all of their recent fights. However, I think she takes it a bit far in the opposite direction, whereas we see Tory kind of start to turn a corner by the end of the season. It’s clear she’s got a rough personal life, and strangely, it’s Mrs. LaRusso who reaches out to help her. Some transformation also happens with Demetri gaining some serious skills and confidence, while Hawk sort of “reverts back” to Eli after getting attacked by Cobra Kai (they shaved off his mohawk!).
All of these intertwining stories come to a head at the All Valley Tournament where we see a lot of fighting, but the last ten minutes really up the ante! Miguel hurts himself (not fatally though), so it’s Eli vs Robby for the boys final match, where somewhat surprisingly Eli comes out on top. He’s a great fighter, but I think Robby being in a weird headspace took him out of the loop. For the girls final, it’s no surprise it’s a rematch between Tory and Sam. Tory fights fair and even feels bad about the winning kick she lands, but Sam really comes into hero own unique fighting style. With all that though, the girls match was the deciding factor and Cobra Kai walks away victorious.
If you think learning both Johnny and Danny’s dojos have to get shut down is the big stuff that happened, think again! Miguel evidently skips town to go find his real father, Tory finds out Silver paid off the ref so Cobra Kai would win, Robby finds Johnny and reconciles, Terry gets Kreese arrested with the help of and badly injured Sting Ray (!), and Danny vows to take down the promised expansion of Cobra Kai by deciding to team up with Chozen! Whew! I know that’s a lot to take in, and I can’t wait to see what this means as far as other Karate Kid villains coming in next season. I’m also really intrigued to see what ends up happening with all of the students! What will happen to the Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fangs students, and will Tory an Robby continue to fight with Cobra Kai? I know this isn’t the end of Anthony’s story line, and clearly Silver’s psycho streak is back in full force. Wonder if Kreese will switch sides, especially now that he’s aware that Johnny is his “weakness.”
So exciting! Another tremendous season from Cobra Kai, and really I’m only disappointed in myself for watching it so quickly that now I just have to sit and wait for them to film the next season. Regardless, if you’ve never watched this amazing show, now’s your chance to catch up and see why everyone is so hyped about Cobra Kai!