Cobra Kai Midseason-Finale Recap: Fightstarter

As a longtime fan of the Karate Kid franchise, I’ve been eagerly following the latest developments between Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence in Cobra Kai. And let me tell you, this latest episode was a rollercoaster of emotions!

In the recent episode of “Cobra Kai,” there was a focus on developing the secondary characters, confirming the participants for the upcoming World Tournament that will be featured when the series comes back in November with its penultimate set of episodes. However, this midseason finale shifted the narrative back to the main characters – the children who were already assured spots at the World Tournament, as well as their senseis working diligently to train them for the competition.

In the initial stages of this current series, I was pondering over how the writers would introduce conflict with all the major longstanding feuds resolved. However, the past two episodes have skillfully introduced tension into the characters’ relationships without reversing any previous season’s advancements. Episodes like “Best of the Best” rekindle significant rivalries (Miguel versus Robby and Sam versus Tory), yet they don’t feel repetitive due to altered contexts. In fact, their newfound friendships make it more intense to watch them clash.

Miguel and Robby have their own motivations fueling their desire to become the male team captain. Miguel was rejected from Stanford University and believes winning the Sekai Taikai championship as a captain will help him gain acceptance. Sam, with good intentions but potentially misguided encouragement, reinforces this belief in Miguel’s mind. In other words, defeating Robby equals getting into Stanford for Miguel. On the other hand, Robby is still reeling from finishing second place twice in the All Valley tournaments. When Miguel tells him he “really needs this,” it irks Robby since it implies that his lack of college plans means he has less to strive for. Their heated exchange outside the Lawrence-Diaz residence sets the stage for their upcoming fight by adding a personal dimension.

At the dojo the following day, Robby and Tory engage in a fierce battle. Robby manages to come out on top despite being behind by two points due to Tory’s tardiness. This delay allows Robby to regain his focus and prioritize his objectives effectively. In contrast, Miguel might suffer a loss due to his excessive investment in the outcome. His belief that his education is at risk if he doesn’t win adds unnecessary pressure, causing him to lose composure and perform suboptimally. Although Miguel maintains there are no hard feelings toward Robby, the simmering tension between them seems unlikely to dissipate.

Regrettably, Tory faces far greater struggles than Miguel. Initially, she’s hopeful about her mother’s recovery and confident in her abilities to excel at the tournament with her boyfriend. However, her optimism is shattered when Kreese reaches out once more, trying to lure her back to Cobra Kai. But Tory remains strong and resists his advances, staying loyal to Miyagi-Do. Sadly, upon returning home, she discovers her mother dead due to an undetected blood clot.

When there’s no other parent available to lean on, Tory becomes withdrawn, disregarding Robby’s attempts to reach out and showing up unannounced at Miyagi-Do. She keeps dwelling on a childhood lesson instilled in her by her mom: they should stand up for themselves rather than relying on a knight in shining armor. This self-reliance concept is inspiring, yet her mother wouldn’t have wanted Tory to turn away help when it’s extended. In the Karate Kid universe, karate possesses healing properties, but fighting cannot soothe grief if there isn’t a strong support network present. Tory has caring individuals in her life, but she remains reluctant to accept their assistance.

In this episode’s second match, deeper emotions come into play. I see Tory getting a bit rough around the edges, and just as things heat up, Amanda receives tragic news – her mother has passed away. Unfortunately, this event only fuels Tory’s suspicions that Sam is receiving special treatment, an idea Kreese had previously planted during their encounter. All of these events unfold at the most inconvenient time, driving Tory away from Miyagi-Do and pulling her back toward Cobra Kai. Frustrated, she storms off, leaving the senseis to declare Sam as the new female captain for the Sekai Taikai tournament. With Tory seemingly out of the competition, Eli steps in to take her place on the team roster.

The ongoing conflict between Daniel and Johnny adds fuel to the fire of their long-standing rivalry throughout the entire episode. For Daniel, Johnny’s unconventional teaching methods, such as using beer bottles in lessons, disrespect Mr. Miyagi and make him uneasy about turning over the responsibilities of a full-time sensei to his former adversary once the year ends. In an attempt to hinder Johnny’s progress, Daniel schedules him for a test drive at work right before the captains’ tests and then takes Miguel and Sam to train elsewhere. When Daniel’s deception is exposed, Johnny humorously retaliates with an Eagle Fang-inspired uprising at the LaRusso dealership.

Amanda, acting as the rational figure, makes noteworthy strides in this episode to prevent an impending disagreement between Johnny and Daniel. She shares valuable insights with Johnny about Daniel’s confusion following his discovery of a new facet of Mr. Miyagi’s character. Clearly, Daniel is still reeling from the revelation and is convinced that he understands his sensei’s true intentions for the dojo. However, Amanda does not mince words with Daniel, making him confront the fact that he’s neglected a fundamental principle of Miyagi-Do: balance, an essential concept. By shooing Johnny away, Daniel seems to be safeguarding the unblemished reputation of a man who was never truly real. It comes as no shock when Johnny uses Daniel’s wounded feelings against him, hurling accusations at Miyagi as a manipulative tactic, and Daniel responds with violence and punches him.

Over the years, we’ve witnessed numerous Daniel-Johnny rifts in this series, given their long-standing rivalry that dates back to 1984 through the original movie. However, I’m glad the writers are not sticking to the typical pattern of breakups and reunions. Instead, they’re introducing fresh twists to their dynamic. In this instance, Daniel and Johnny won’t be dividing the dojo prior to a major tournament. They’ll continue teaching together despite their personal conflicts, only to part ways following the Sekai Taikai. This approach ensures that the two remain in the same setting for future episodes.

Despite my expectations, the tournament seemed to be approaching faster than I thought. With only ten episodes left in the series, I assumed the Sekai Taikai would occur closer to episode ten. Thus, I was taken aback when this episode unexpectedly showed the teams arriving at the Barcelona tournament and Tory joining Kreese and Kim Da-Eun.

I’m finding it a bit unexpected how things are unfolding after the captains’ tests. I could use a little more time to process it all. For instance, what’s going on with Tory and her re-enrollment in Cobra Kai? Has she been ignoring Robby’s calls? And did Johnny and Daniel have any conversations during their flight to Spain? I’m also curious about how Kreese is managing to travel between countries so freely.

Mr. Miyagi’s Little Trees

“Daniel’s not his usual self these days. He’s dealing with some personal issues.”

Kenny has disappeared since the embarrassing event and isn’t participating in the Sekai Taikai competition this year. Therefore, his tale seems to be momentarily put on hold.

Daniel discovers a stained headband in the box, which hints that Miyagi was a participant in the Sekai Taikai tournaments. Could there be other less favorable anecdotes about Miyagi revealed throughout the series?

In this season, Sam hasn’t had many opportunities to stand out on her own aside from her progressing bond with Tory. However, it’s heartwarming to see her share with her father that she’s determined to seek resolution following her defeat at the All Valley tournament.

Although Demetri managed to get accepted into MIT, his resentment towards Eli for not applying still lingers. This feeling of animosity could potentially spoil their upcoming trip to Barcelona.

• This was fun! See you again in November for the next five.

2024-07-22 19:54

Cobra Kai Midseason-Finale Recap: Fightstarter

Mr. Miyagi’s Little Trees

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