I Have Mixed Feelings About ‘Cobra Kai’ Season 6 Part 2—But Boy, I Am Looking Forward to Part 3

This season is wild

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Published Nov 18, 2024

Curtis Bonds Baker/Netflix

*Warning: Minor spoilers ahead*

After finishing the first five episodes of Cobra Kai's final sixth season, I knew that something terrible was coming. I wasn't quite sure what it was, but from Kreese's terrifying return to LaRusso's newfound obsession with Mr. Miyagi's past, I just...had a bad feeling. At worst, I theorized that someone from Miyagi-Do would sustain a serious injury, or that LaRusso would end up in a life-threatening situation after trying to play detective with his sensei's belongings. And sure enough, I wasn't completely wrong—part two is quite intense and features a bombshell finale that I never could've predicted.

This dark turn of events caught me totally off guard (the way my heart dropped!), but it's not the only reason I have mixed feelings about these episodes. On one hand, I enjoyed the fight sequences so much, and it was refreshing to see new talent from other rival dojos. I also loved seeing certain characters reconcile and step up for the Miyago-Do team when they were struggling. However, several moments left me feeling really annoyed—and I think I know why. For some odd reason, there's little to no character development among most of the adults on this show. And I think this is why, quite frankly, Miyagi-Do was so out of sync and why the Sekai Taikai tournament was such a hot mess.

Netflix

Just take, for instance, Lawrence and LaRusso's actions in the most recent episodes. It appears they couldn't keep the peace for long, because they constantly bicker and offer conflicting advice to their students, which clearly impacts their performance on the mat. Not only that, but LaRusso is so consumed with Mr. Miyagi's history that he (unwisely) follows a suspicious lead at the risk of letting down his students.

Then of course, there's Chozen, whose recent heartbreak left him in such a messy emotional state that he feels the need to destroy every orchid plant he sees. (*Sigh*)

CURTIS BONDS BAKER/NETFLIX

I will say, though, that there's a solid twist that involves an old villain, and seeing him spice things up is quite entertaining. Plus, my fave, Kenny, is officially back in action as team Miyagi-Do—a pleasant surprise. But more than that, I enjoyed seeing the kids band together on their own.

Miguel delivers the ultimate pep talk and helps Robby snap out of his funk, then Robby proceeds to encourage his entire team when they are on the brink of giving up. So, in an interesting twist, it seems like the kids have become more mature than their senseis. (This explains why Miguel played the peacemaker and confronted both Lawrence and LaRusso about their behavior.) And as for Tory, I won't judge too harshly, given that she's still mourning her mother's death. But I will say that I expected her storyline to play out a bit differently. (Psst, you can read more about my Tory theory here.)

CURTIS BONDS BAKER/NETFLIX

All in all, this second installment has been a mixture of exciting, shocking and seriously frustrating. And it feels weird to hold those conflicting feelings in tension, but it hasn't stopped me from looking ahead to season three. I won't spoil the shocking twist at the end, but I'm pretty confident it'll lead to a seismic shift. Yes, I dread seeing a repetition of the same toxic behaviors and patterns, but I'm curious to see what becomes of the Sekai Taikai, what the recent incident means for Kreese and how it will impact Miyagi-Do.

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Nakeisha Campbell

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