There is a part of me that wants to love Cobra Kai because I think it’s so amazing. The first two seasons were fantastic and captivated my entire moment, and this season I am like bleh.
Look, the world is full of filler episodes, filler seasons, and so much more. This episode is essential because you can see the evolution of Daniel and Johnny, but also see how they are stuck in a rut. These men are in a position to change kids lives, but also have they done the best job doing that?
The differences between Johnny and Daniel have to do with how they were taught karate. The fundamental differences in the logic behind each of their dojo’s have shaped them and I am not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing.
“Being a badass doesn’t mean being an asshole,” Johnny says.
That’s the best line in the entire episode.
Johnny has started Eagle Fang karate and one thing I can say about him is that he does want to do good, even though he’s pretty shitty at communicating with kids.
“I don’t ever want you to be the ones to start the fight, but I want you to finish it.” Johnny teaches his students. And I can respect that he doesn’t want them to be the bully, he wants them to protect from the bullies of the world. And I can admire that, being as Johnny used to be the biggest bully of them all.
But what I loved about this episode is Sam and Miguel. Look, I do love Robbie, but I think Sam and Miguel compliment each other. These two have a chemistry that can not be denied. Seeing them in the school hallway, I knew that we were in for a ride where these two come together and I am all for it.
This episode was a bunch of kids finding their way.
Dimitri and Yasmine – when Sam and Miguel catch them, I kinda was torn. I was like hey, we’re showing what could happen, but also Yasmine quickly denies the relationship and I feel bad for Dmitri. Because he is a good kid and doesn’t deserve to be kid she only hooks up with under the bleachers.
The most important part of the episode though was the public hearing about the tournament. Johnny, Kreese, and Daniel all giving their opinions and talking about their philosophies was telling. But we get to see just how off the rocker Kreese is. He’s acting like he’s this above reproach man, when they reality is he’s a psychopath.
Amanda is the only one with balls, stands up and screams that he’s a “piece of shit”. I mean sure, Daniel is like trying to tell the council that Kreese is the issue. But that’s the thing about psycho’s – you don’t see that they are psycho’s until it is too late.
Just when you think that they aren’t going to be able to save the day, the kids show up and save the day. Miguel is a powerful voice after everything that has happened to him. He delivers a prolific speech and of course, what is supposed to be a powerful moment has me wondering if it is – but hey, the tournament is back on.
I think what gets me is that we’re looking at a bunch of adults that don’t take care of these kids. We’re dealing with a bunch of kids that are blinded by hate that was installed in them by one man. And they are trying to figure their way out. I am just confused by the blindness of the panel due to Kreese’s army background.
But anyhow – my ship – Sam and Miguel are back at the dojo, being all cute and riding a high from getting the tournament back. They of course get caught by Robbie. Oh poor Robbie.
I feel like everything has gone bad for Robbie and so he’s determined to only see the bad and not the fact that everyone wants to help him. But after his shitty life, can one blame him?
His rage overtook him when Daniel and Johnny showed up to get him out of juvie. His rage took over because he doesn’t believe that anyone loves him, when it’s the exact opposite.
But his rage leads him to the one place it shouldn’t – Cobra Kai.
Oy. Cobra Kai is like a home for kids that need hope and don’t have it and they are a cult that tears them down more. Only the kids don’t see it. So how do you help these kids?
We shall see. Cobra Kai is streaming now on Netflix.
