If you had told me back in 1984 that we’d still be following the antics of The Karate Kid 40 years later, I would have laughed in your face.
As The Karate Kid movies progressed, they became less compelling.
Still, the magic surrounding them never subsided, and nobody could have predicted the advent of streaming or the success of Cobra Kai.
The one-time YouTube original was a hit from the start, but it became a juggernaut when it ultimately landed on Netflix.
We’ve gotten to know Daniel again, grown close to his family and discovered the warm heart that resides inside Johnny’s chest.
But when two former enemies become allies, you always know there’s another combatant coming around the corner.
It’s an incredible feat of the industry to have reassembled the most crucial characters in The Karate Kid universe for Cobra Kai.
Kreese was a legend himself, and as the final season is on the horizon, taking him down and putting him in his place once and for all is on the table.
Can Daniel and Johnny use all of the resources in their hands to do the job?
Well, Netflix promises big things for the supersized final season, and in the first Cobra Kai Season 6 trailer, you can sense the good guys are poised for a stunning victory.
So, what’s the catch?
How can a 15-episode final season be anything but as badass as Cobra Kai itself?
When the season is split into three parts, the air goes out of your balloons just a little bit.
The first batch of episodes drops on July 18.
While they don’t say the three sections will be evenly divided with five episodes each, it seems a logical conclusion.
Netflix could also choose a 6/6/3 route or any other number, but five per drop would be just enough to get fans excited and have them aching for more.
I’m still of the opinion that Netflix should, for their most anticipated shows, consider weekly drops.
Conversations stop within days of a release, which is a waste of what we old folks used to call water cooler talk.
Some shows take a long time to garner in-depth discussion, and when entire seasons or lumps of episodes drop, there’s no time to cultivate those conversations.
While Bridgerton is taking a one-month off approach (to keep subscribers for two months in a row), the second batch of Cobra Kai episodes will drop on November 28.
That’s a significant chunk of time between drops.
When will the final episodes drop, then?
Not until 2025. Ouch.
It would have been fun to conclude the story the year of its 40th anniversary, but they’ve decided not to take advantage of the round number.
Regardless, we’re damned excited about bringing this story to a close. If it follows in the footsteps of the first five seasons, it will be jam-packed with excitement and surprising guest stars.
What more could a 40-year fan of any franchise want?
Check out the trailer now, and let us know what you hope Cobra Kai Season 6 accomplishes for its swan song!
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Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
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