Strike first. Strike hard. No mercy.
Part of me has always seen Cobra Kai‘s motto and understood it. Why? Well, because when you’ve been bullied your entire life, it makes sense to want to protect yourself from everything and anything.
But these kids – there has been too much that has happened to them. And here’s all the things you need to know from episode two.
DANIEL AND JOHNNY AND THE SEARCH FOR ROBBIE
Did I ever in my life think that Daniel and Johnny would be working together? Nope. I don’t think that these two would ever need to be in the same room. But it’s funny, when you care for people – you can overlook the past.
And Robbie is missing. Johnny may have been a shitty Dad, but he wants to be there for his kid. And even though he’s an asshole, I can understand that he’d want to be there for his son.
They are searching and end up at Malibu Canyon Recovery, to visit Robbies Mama. Johnny is being an asshole and combative, because you know – God forbid that he stops being a dick for a second.
She doesn’t know where Robbie would be, but basically Tweedledee and Tweedledumb would be not too far behind. Johnny didn’t know where to find them, but Daniel did. The two were in jail.
These two are idiots. They want to talk shit and act like they know all, but quickly they become intimidated by LaRusso and one of them gets Johnny slapping him because well, he’s talking too much shit.
They know that Robbie hung out in Panorama City. So they go their looking for him and they are at a gas station, when they see the van that they think that Robbie would be in – the one stolen from the LaRusso parking lot. But it’s some strange guy and a pursuit takes place.
I have to admit I laugh when I see Daniel and Johnny in the pursuit and the fight that follows at the garage. Like, it’s comical – but the music that is over the chase and the whole fight – well, it’s all perfect.
But quickly, you see the two of them turn against each other, because they are too different. They are so different and they have different ways of approaching things, and Johnny’s is completely irresponsible.
And then in the same breath, Johnny is angry. Johnny is scared and wants to be there for his kid. He may not have been the most responsible parent, but he does love his son.
When Johnny leaves in the van, Daniel gets a call. He says that he’s on his way.
It’s then when we see where he’s gone. He’s back at the rehab center, where Robbie has gone to see his Mom.
Look, I get that Daniel LaRusso is a good man. He wants to help everyone and be there for everyone. I get that he’d protect his family at all costs. I can admire this. But what bugs me about what happens next – is that we see no signs that he talked to Robbie’s parents. We don’t see that the road that he believes is best for Robbie.
Do I think Robbie needed to turn himself in? Yes. But I also think that there was a better way to go about it, rather than isolating the kid from the last person that he trusted.
Robbie is arrested and Daniel is trying to calm him. But I think that I’d be just as angry and feeling betrayed as Robbie.
When Robbie is arrested and tells Daniel he doesn’t need to visit him – my heart breaks a little.
This kid deserves a good life.
MIGUEL HAS BEEN THROUGH TOO MUCH
Miguels still in the hospital, he’s woken up though, which is a blessing. He’s a kid that always tries to be strong, but right now he needs to let people take care of him. His Mom is just happy that he’s woken up.
Miguel wants to know where Sensei is. He wants to see Johnny. As we know, Johnny has tried to see him, but he’s had to sneak in.
Miguel, does end up seeing Johnny eventually, when he sneaks into the room. Miguel is angry – the doctors have told his Mom that he may never walk again. He is upset. He listened to everything that Johnny told him and look where that led him. He asks Johnny to leave.
To be honest, I would normally have a lot of feelings about this, but I don’t blame Miguel for being angry. He’s filled with fear. And his life is about to change, when all he wanted was for it to be a positive change.
TORI
It’s so hard to watch the character of Tori. It’s not because I don’t like her, because I do. But the thing is – Peyton List doesn’t ever seem like the bad ass, and seeing her playing one throws me a little.
Tori has a hard life. Her Mom is on dialysis, she’s taking care of her little brother, and she’s really late on rent.
When she runs into the apartment manager, he is the worst and the most scuzzy of humans. He tells her basically she can trade sex for her rent. Look dirtbag, she’s a kid. You’re an asshole.
I may not like Tori, but I do love that she’s a strong character. Even the original Sensei of Cobra Kai, John, knows that she’s talented. Do I think she should be doing karate? Nope. Cause why? Well, cause she’s reckless and if there is anything that I have learned in life, it’s that reckless and angry people make stupid decisions.
When Sensei comes by to see her, she doesn’t tell him the problem, but tells him that she can’t do karate. She can’t afford the dues, and even when Sensei says it’s on him, she still says no.
He notices that she has a problem. The problem is her landlord. One of the few times – maybe the only times – that I will like John is when he stands up and takes care of Tori’s problem with rent. I may not agree with the way he did it, but I do appreciate that someone was on Tori’s side.
COBRA KAI
I don’t even know what to say about Sensei because (1) I don’t really care about his flashbacks, it doesn’t make him relatable and (2) he’s a psychopath.
This man should never be near children. But he’s taken over the dojo. He wants to break these kids. He wants to make a cult. And the way he does it is breaking them down.
After practice, he tells them he has a friend for them. It’s a rat. It’s not what I saw coming, but like hey, a lot can surprise you. He tells the kids that they should name him. And then when they do, he tells them to feed it to a snake. When kids refuse, he sends the ones that refuse out.
He is straight up crazy.
And when he’s questioned, because after the fight at the school, is it smart to make cuts? He says that a true Cobra Kai‘ feels no sympathy and that they need to get rid of the weak and find their core.
Ummm… did anyone mention to him that these are kids?
I know that Johnny’s gone on with his life and is focused on his son, but like also – he shoulda closed doors before every letting this asshole near a kid.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- Johnny not wanting to lie to Daniel’s wife – I can’t stop laughing. It was so good to see them getting along, but also hilarious as fuck to see him not give a fuck and not lie for Daniel.
- I missed Sam this episode. I wanna see how she’s doing after episode one and her having a panic attack going to school.
- The flashbacks – well, I didn’t care about them. I feel like nothing is redeemable when it comes to Sensei.
- Johnny’s joy over gas station foods and his love of Corn Nuts is gross.
- Daniel acting like Robbie has too much of Johnny in him and that’s the issue? PLEASE.
Cobra Kai‘ may have found its core, but what we learned this episode is that everyone is angry, and we don’t think that will ever end up well.