How a Brand New Karate Dojo Could Radically Change ‘Cobra Kai’
The following story contains spoilers for Season 3 of Cobra Kai.
Cobra Kai introduces a new dojo: Eagle Fang Karate, led by Johnny Lawrence.
This new dojo could be pivotal to the future of Cobra Kai.
And...the Star Wars parallels are pretty massive here, huh?
Both the original Karate Kid and the first two seasons of Cobra Kai have focused in on two primary dojos. First, there's Cobra Kai: filled with jerks (including Johnny Lawrence) in the original film, and eventually revived in the series with underdogs of all sorts. Then, there's Miyagi-Do; originally only known for Daniel (Ralph Macchio), and now including a whole new breed of underdogs looking for self-defense. But after a coup at the end of Season 2 found Johnny without a dojo, he needed to return to his roots as a sensei, and a sensei calling his own shots. Enter Eagle Fang Karate.
Now, landing on 'Eagle Fang Karate' was no walk in the park. Miguel suggested some rather vanilla names, like 'Johnny Lawrence Karate,' which would have been unexciting but fine. But, while it makes no sense, and Eagles certainly do not have fangs, 'Eagle Fang Karate' does sound badass. And that's exactly what Johnny wants (well, that and a nice Banquet Beer).
To understand just how important Eagle Fang Karate is to our story, though, we're going to have to think about things in familiar terms: Star Wars terms, to be exact.
There's no doubt that Season 3 of Cobra Kai felt some Star Wars influences. Big bad John Kreese (Martin Kove) has manipulated Robby (Tanner Buchanan) into his control, making him feel like the only place for him is in Cobra Kai; If Kreese, the evil puppet master, is Palpatine, then Robby really feels like his Anakin. He's a good kid who feels wronged by the people who care about him—in this case, Johnny and Daniel.
If Cobra Kai—as led by John Kreese—is the Evil Empire, and Miyagi-Do—as led by Daniel LaRusso—is the Rebel Alliance, than it really does seem like Johnny Lawrence has a chance to be this story's Luke Skywalker, and Eagle Fang is his new Jedi order.
Cobra Kai has always put its viewers in a tricky situation; Johnny and Daniel are facing off with each other, but we like both of them. With Season 3, they finally come together to realize that they...actually kind of like each other. It doesn't hurt, either, that they have a common enemy in Kreese's violent Cobra Kai.
Johnny and Daniel were never and aren't ever going to see completely eye to eye. And that's why Eagle Fang Karate needs to exist. As good a person as Johnny might be beneath it all, he's never going to be a Miyagi-Do kind of person. And that's totally fine! And that's why he can write his own rules with Eagle Fang.
The important part, at the end of the day, is that both Johnny and Daniel realize the gravity of their situation, and that a Cobra Kai led by Kreese is a danger to their community. And by the end of the season, the two have a mutual respect for one another—and come to train together in understanding of that. Season 4 is going to be fun.
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