Against all odds, Cobra Kai’s fifth season cranks it up to eleven to provide fans of the show an enhanced version of everything they’ve loved so far about the Karate Kid spinoff. That is because, the stakes in the Valley’s karate scene are higher than ever, and so are the performances delivered by most of its cast.
Cobra Kai has never really taken itself too seriously, and in its fifth season, the series ratifies its place as one of Netflix's shrewdest and bingeable acquisitions, while showrunners Josh Heald and Jon Hurwitz get to prove why they needed more time to tell this story. Sure, it’s not without its issues, some plot points take too long to resolve, but when it’s all said and done, season five will likely satisfy almost anyone that liked what they saw in its beginnings, as well as anyone who's hung on until now.
Keep in mind though, that the grown-ups are the ones fueling the karate drama this time around, at least most of it, yet it all comes off as somewhat normal response to the antagonistic tour de force that is Terry Silver, who is better described in the series as practically a James Bond villain. Thomas Ian Griffith’s performance throughout the entire ten episodes is what helps audiences immerse themselves in the sheer absurdity of it all sometimes because these are adults facing a truly psychopathic threat.
There are memes mocking how most of Cobra Kai’s plot would be resolved if only Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso went to therapy, however, in this case, it’s understandable that they (especially Daniel) fall prey to Silver’s criminal machinations due to him constantly pushing them to edge. That means both men must rise to the occasion, which in this case means Johnny ends up becoming a more responsible person, thus paying off all the character progression that Cobra Kai has very, very slowly crafted for William Zabka's story arc.
In Daniel's case, it means facing some hardships, which he’s not had to do too often in Cobra Kai, nevertheless, all that translates into him finally learning a thing or two from his former rival, besides their karate dojo’s feeding off each other’s fighting styles. Of course, his new friend Chozen also makes this happen, and Yuji Okumoto deserves all the praise in the world for making Chozen an incredibly likable hero, a perpetual source of wisdom, and Cobra Kai’s consistent comic relief.
Make no mistake, it’s not as if the kids don’t grow when compared to their past selves, it’s just that this progression feels more natural and is less of a surprise for Miguel, Robby, Sam, and Tory’s character arcs, hence why all the actors' performances are up to par, but not anything wildly different from before. Funnily enough, the teenagers’ decisions usually appear more justified than the grown-ups, yet when the dust settles, most fans will believe everyone ends up where they're supposed to be, including Cobra Kai's Tory Nichols.
Cobra Kai’s last season gave many fans the impression that the show could be losing its touch, nonetheless, this entry perfectly justifies season 4’s setup work for a more impressive plot. Impressive being the key word because, yes, Cobra Kai feels bigger, better, faster and stronger than last time around, and even if that’s not every fan’s cup of tea, it definitely plays to the series' strengths.
Nostalgia used to be one of those strong aspects, in spite of that, it’s rarely the driving factor here as the special cameos from Mike Barnes (Sean Kanan) and another Karate Kid 3 guests are more like nods, rather than being the path to walk upon like Kreese and Silver were. Speaking of which, Martin Kove’s return as sensei Kreese does not go unnoticed and does work quite decently as a side quest for the protagonists.
In that sense, Cobra Kai’s humor remains almost intact, with Johnny’s antics not doing all the heavy lifting but remaining just as lovable thanks to the character bringing up Top Gun references. Perhaps a better explanation is that the show simply has a lot going on, so much that it's surprising to see how nicely it wraps up after taking so many detours.
The fifth episode marks a significant cutoff in how the show’s story is told and where everyone’s priorities lie, but it’s hard to argue this is a bad decision at all. Instead, asking where the show is headed next will definitely make for a more interesting conversation, as the season ends with the feeling that Cobra Kai has reached the ultimate heights it could aspire to.
The new additions work perfectly, especially sense Kim, played by Alicia Hannah-Kim, who comes of just as dangerous as Silver, and whose goons are ideal to showcase tons of fights. That is because there's possibly more action than ever before in Cobra Kai, or at least, it's way more dangerous than it ever was in the four prior seasons. With the sole exception of a single fight in Miguel's trip to Mexico, it's mostly top-notch quality.
Luckily, there's more Cobra Kai on the way, and season five leaves no room for doubting that. In any case, the hardest part will be following up Terry Silver's two acts as a villain, though the promise of seeing these new evolved versions of the main cast is enough on its own to justify binging season six when it drops next year.
Cobra Kai's five seasons are available on Netflix.