#like. something something. terry says his greatest weakness is kreese. and i feel like he definitely is weak in a way to him.

[macchiatosdumptruck]

I am once again having Kreese/Terry/Daniel thoughts

[yenforfairytales]

COMPLETELY AGREE. D8

Allll of this

And can you guys believe that I forgot to include Terry burning down a whole building just because Daniel conspired with someone else as an example of Daniel's hold on him lmfao

Like I just consider that completely normal Terry behavior now and didn't bat an eye.

Because he wasn't punishing Daniel. He was punishing Mike. Daniel just got a warning.

Insane batshit things Terry will do to other men: beat them to death, frame for murder, burn down buildings, stab with sword.

Compare to Danny boy: warnings, threats, holding back in a fight.

Sure, it's all terrible, but he takes it down a little and goes easier on Daniel on the scale of pain and permanent damage.

That apartment fight was... something. Terry was exploding with anger. And Daniel didn't say one word. Many thots.

I equate cutting Kreese out of his life to cutting out a cancer and how it makes you feel - disease free.

Not only does Terry have no issue at all with doing it, but look how happy he is after he does it - he’s free.

Lookit this happy free baby. Maestro to his greatest concierto.

He's not angry. He feels nothing. He doesn't even visit Kreese in prison to taunt him or anything!

Completely out of his mind and heart and it bothers him none.

But when Daniel tries to cut himself out of Terry's life? 👀👀👀

Unthinkable! Offensive! Flames! Flames on the side of my face!

I'm sure many fans thought that speech would've been something Terry told Kreese through a prison window.

And he even declares to Daniel that his ultimate taunt will be taking over the world with Cobra Kai.

Every where you look, you'll see me, Danny boy.

But no. It was for Daniel because Terry wanted Daniel to know that he'll never get away and this could've been us but you playin'. We could've had it alllll 🎶

It’s his marriage he seems intent on breaking - his kid’s he wants wrapped up in CK - it’s Daniel he wants to break - just like before.

It's everything Terry is lacking. He never got married. He never had kids. A ready made family and the missing piece wants to walk away? Stubbornly resist?

"There's always been a little Cobra Kai in you."

"There's the Cobra Kai student I remember!"

Think about Daniel often, do you? He sees Daniel as should being on his side. I think it's always bothered Terry that Daniel chose Miyagi-Do over him.

The other key too - to seeing Daniel as Terry’s weakness is the ANGER — they both bring it out in each other - but with Kreese he just seems tired but Danny-boy, oh Danny makes him mad. Danny-boy makes him finally lose his temper - Danny makes the real Terry emerge from under the fake facade Terry had been plastering on.

Daniel's seen Terry's true face. Might be the only one who freely does. That carefully crafted mask of sophistication and culture cracks all because of Daniel. It's so true!

It’s Daniel that makes him lose his temper - his control - it is Daniel that causes his downfall - and if that ain’t the definition of a weakness, will I don’t what is.

And Terry Silver controls everything. He's a control freak. From himself and everything(and everyone) in his life to the smallest details.

Daniel does that to him.

Amazing. Daniel is his greatest weakness. The only person to bring Terry Silver down twice! Both times because Daniel just wanted to walk away!

And Terry still loves him! What does that say about Terry? I agree that he hasn't felt this alive in ages. I guess it's like you said, Daniel is the most fun but infuriating when he doesn't play the game right.

You kno what

Maybe Terry called Kreese his greatest weakness because he wanted to get rid of him, since Cobra Kai doctrine dictates they shed their weakness, but could never fathom getting rid of Daniel, thus refusing to label him as a weakness. He's just a rival, sure, yea... 🤣

Was this a little cracky? Maybe.

Am I also 99.9% serious? Yeth.

I just have to console myself as a certain Silver would about what life would have been like if stubborn Danny would've just joined Cobra Kai.

Or if Daniel had appealed to Terry's better nature after the S4 tournament. Imagine him walking up to Terry's house after Kreese has been dragged away lol. Cap off a perfect night. 🥂

Might be a hot take, but I’ve always thought that Johnny is Kreese’s weakness, and Daniel is Terry’s. Like, I know some people think Terry’s weakness is Kreese (and to some extent, yes), but Daniel seems to be his absolute obsession, his total undoing. Kreese at least had the best friends/comrades in arms thing, but the Daniel thing is just plain weird from any side. This once 17 year old brat has such a hold on Silver that the man threw away 30+ years of peace at the mere mention of his name. It was never about Cobra Kai. It was always about Daniel.

YES. I completely agree. And as more time has gone by since Season 4 came out, I've noticed even the more casual fans have noticed. Someone took this screenshot from YouTube, but I've seen similar comments on reddit too.

And Kreese, being another master manipulator, knew exactly what he was doing when he brought up Daniel to Terry again in 4x01...

There was literally no reason for Kreese to bring up Daniel LaRusso unless he knew that Terry would care. Why would Terry care. 👀

Kreese knows how to get people to come to him. How to dangle something that they want in front of them that only he can seemingly give.

When no other tactic worked on bringing Terry back into the fold, Kreese brought out the big guns and dropped Daniel's name.

Not to take away at all from the love and friendship that Terry felt towards John. But it became nostalgia and obligation, ultimately ruining their bond.

Little side note-- the fact that we watched Kreese make others do what he says in order to get what they want for three seasons made the prison scene in 5x07 even more satisfying:

AND the first person to play the uno reverse card and use this tactic against Kreese was Daniel. Terry's student. You gotta love it.

There's always been a little Cobra Kai in you...

I mean, we could speak at length about the parallels between Kreese and Terry and their star students Johnny and Daniel. The narrative mirrors and foils. But it's precisely their respective relationships with their students that is more compelling.

Anyway. I'm going to quickly list examples of Daniel's hold on Terry and then focus on the meat of the issue.

Terry falls apart and goes ALL IN on everything Cobra Kai only AFTER Daniel rejects his apology.

Terry gives Daniel multiple warnings to not interfere but never tries to gets rid of him like Johnny or Kreese after no warnings at all.

Terry dated a woman who looked a lot like Daniel with similar values.

Terry treats Kenny near identically to Daniel as a student but in the sincere way he wishes he had with Daniel.

Terry loses his cool when Daniel wants to surrender and walk out of his life.

Terry tells Chozen he considers Daniel his only rival. As in Equal.

I'm sure there's plenty I'm forgetting but you can find posts in the silverusso tag about all these topics and more. x.x

Now, let's get to one of the most important and defining scenes for Terry's arc. And again, it's a direct result of Kreese's manipulation:

Kreese, knowing what makes Terry tick and how to get him further on his side, comments that Daniel really knows how to hold onto a grudge. As if he doesn't. Anyway, it's twisting the knife into Terry again when he's clearly already low.

You don't think Kreese noticed how hurt Terry was at the rejection?

He notices everything. He learned in Vietnam from his Captain how to use love against someone as a perceived weakness. Many thoughts on that.

Anyway

The way in which Kreese says, "So... what now?" Tells me that he told Terry this was going to happen. You also have to remember their conversation leading up to the garden scene:

Terry was damn near close to defending Mr. Miyagi and Daniel over Kreese's own personal grudge. To the point where Terry was rolling his eyes and sighing over his friend being overdramatic about what happened in the past.

He was tired of hearing about it.

I'm sure Daniel told Terry the truth about that Halloween night. And look who Terry seems to side with...

Kreese wanted violent retribution and Terry was the one that talked him down. It was Terry's idea to apologize to Daniel and we'll just allll get along. Easy peasy. Surely, Daniel would forgive him.

But, Daniel proved Kreese right in Terry's eyes. As I'm sure Kreese hoped would happen. Couldn't have worked out better. I bet on the car ride over to Miyagi-Do, Kreese was complaining how this was a waste of time and LaRusso isn't the sweet kid you remember etc.

From that day forward, Terry is determined to prove Daniel wrong. About him, about Cobra Kai, about everything. Terry is going to make Cobra Kai work and help kids and he'll be the best sensei ever and Daniel will be sorry!

You'll be sorry you weren't a part of it!

I firmly believe that Daniel is Terry's true weakness and he didn't even realize it. But Kreese did.

And if Daniel had seen it, then he could've had Terry eating out of the palm of his hand.

The one movie quote they haven't used in the show yet is, "For person with no forgiveness in heart, living even worse punishment than death."

I'm hoping they'll use this with Daniel realizing he can help heal himself, and Terry, by forgiving him. Of course, Terry will have to do something more to redeem himself. I'm just saying.

And then maybe Terry can see that Daniel was his weakness all along, but there's still time to make him a strength.

One could argue that he already felt that way while he was being arrested. The way he was looking at Daniel... That awe. Daniel LaRusso got the best of him, again, all because he couldn't let him go.

Here's to hoping that Season 6 ends our suffering lmao.

I mean, who else has ever given Terry Silver goosebumps?

[terrence-silver]

Some Yandere!Terry Silver headcanons, please?🐍🖤

giffie provided by the beautiful @atmostories

- When Terry hates, he hates all the way. No middle grounds. Without limits, reservations or boundaries. Same goes for when he loves someone, as rare as that may be. He relinquishes all sense, all reason and absolutely embraces bias and favouritism without even hiding that he does. As I keep reiterating, his person is simply the best, the greatest, the loveliest, the most correct person that ever was, purely by virtue of them being his person. There might be a great trace of narcissism to such a stance too seeing as how Terry can't comprehend a world where anyone associated with him isn't purely the most admirable individual because why on earth would he of all people associated with anything less in the first place? Sure, objectively, you might be the most commonly mundane person, but not to Terry. No. To Terry you're extraordinary and he'll demand everyone else to hold such an opinion under duress if need be, and he tends to turn real antagonistic and standoffish real quick if he finds someone isn't fawning over his person the way they ought to. But, if they fawn too much, well -- that doesn't please him either and might just inspire jealousy. No winning with him. He loves that he's so hard to appease.

- He is also one for control. He is a control freak to excess. So, a Yandere!Terry might hold a certain resentment if he falls in love. Because one can't control who and when they fall for someone. It is usually entirely spontaneous and unpredictable and Terry doesn't like surprises, especially not of the emotional kind because he might feel it leaves him exposed and vulnerable. Endows him with another weakness he didn't previously have - so, in light of that, for a while, he might be out to hurt you. Toy with you. Test your resolve. Prod and poke at you, like a voodoo doll - sadist that he is. He might even take you and tuck you away somewhere within some dark corner of his mansion and not let out out until he figures out just what to do next, strategically. Or he might observe you. Stalk you. Research you from afar. Collect some of your things, or steal them rather. Outright manipulate and induce mental anguish in a roundabout way - he doesn't quite enjoy the emotions you've inspired in him, due to his own issues of just needing to have ever miniscule thing in order, at all times, even the things connected to his own heart. Especially those things. So, once you do, for the longest time, you're Terry's enemy and you've officially declared war. The devil works hard, but Terry Silver works harder.

- He gives obsession by definition a whole new meaning, because in spite of his partial resentment and adoration towards you, he'll also want all of you. All. Literally all. The good. The bad. The very worst. The very best. Everything in between. There's honestly just no telling how far it goes when he starts adopting actual tid-bits of your behaviour or mannerism into his own because that's how he shows his love. His attachment. Through imitation. Through...adopting some miniscule trace of your habits or your appearance, or maybe he just starts tapping his fingers to excess on the surface of a table in anticipation once he catches wind of you doing, or perhaps, he starts incorporating your favourite color into his attire, purely because it's your most preferred one. Not unlike a black hole, Terry has the tendency to consume. Consume fear. Consume power. Consume markers of hedonism. Consume identities, if need be. Either due to grief. Remembrance. Possession. Merely because he can. Because he wants to. Your body's his. And your heart is his. Your soul is his. Everything you own is his. Your very personhood might as well be his as well. He sees no reason why he shouldn't usurp everything his darling has to offer and then some. What he does with his new stake of ownership is another thing entirely - whether he loves or destroys or both is of little importance, because he sees, he likes, he claims and then proceeds doing whatever he pleases. End of discussion.

- People from your past might mysteriously start, uh, falling off. Disappearing. Distancing themselves from you. Surely, Terry had no part in it, except, well, now that he's here, he sees no reason why you should need anyone else? Isn't it a given he's the best? And as such, more then a worthy replacement for any amount of individuals serving as your support system prior to him arriving? Surely, he's a far superior choice. He outmatches anyone and everyone. You don't need those other pesky nobodies. Those distractions. He slips sweet poison into your ears and convinces you he's all you ever needed and craved, but you simply didn't even know. But, oh, he's the face of kindness and he came along in the nick of time to help you. What an angel. He's all favours. Good, well-meaning advice. Strategic encouragement. Protection. Being eerily there whenever you need him. And he'll make sure you need him all the time. He wants you to be unable to function without him, crippling all your defenses. He says the exact perfect thing you want to hear, at the exact, perfect calculated time, like someone capable of reading minds. He gives affection and then removes it. Gives it and removes it. Hot and cold. Hot and cold. He keeps repeating the process, both overstimulating you emotionally, only to suddenly deny you enough times where you're a simpering, stuttering pathetic, dependable little mess for him. Putty in his hands. He'll play you like a fiddle. And you'll dance to his tune eagerly because he'll make sure you adore him and want to appease him so much he'll land himself with a sweet little slave. No, no - he's not an egoistic narcissist, he's just looking after his investment and making sure nobody infringes upon it. And how could anyone possibly, if there's nobody beside you but him?

- Although, that being said, nothing's for free, right? Not even him caring for darling you. Don't you know how very exclusive that is? How rare? How unusual. Terry hasn't been significantly close to much of anyone but John Kreese, and that's a camaraderie forged in blood and war, two decades in the making, so for you to be deemed so very special, above all others, the least you can do is repay Terry's emotional courtesy, after he's allowed you into his inner circle like this. After he's allowed as much as your fingers to graze his skin. Don't you know he doesn't fancy being touched by much of anyone else, almost? Don't you know he isn't kind to just about anyone, but his people? Don't you figure you owe him something after he's provided you with every luxury and comfort known to man? Practically pampering and fussing you to trips and trinkets and indulgences? How lucky you are. How privileged. One in a million. And of course, being something of a petulant, unpredictable Yandere himself, what he expects in payment is your undying desire, devotion and discipline. He wants you yearning for him, always. He wants your undying, absolute loyalty. And he wants you attuned, focused and his. He expects to domineer every aspect of your life just due to the fact that he showed you the vague mercy of allowing you in. He's nitpicky and a perfectionist, so, if he singled you out as something or someone he wants, he expects the fact he put in actual time, effort, conditioning and proper seduction into you to a fruitful venture. Don't you know that for a billionaire with his own world-wide conglomerate, time's the most expensive capital in the world? So, if he gives you some of his, he expects it given back by the tenfold.

- For all his many shenanigans, cat and mouse games, tricks, ploys, schemes, obsessive outburst, denial, once Terry loves you, he loves you, and not in five, ten, fifteen, fifty years will that state of mind ever change for him and in spite of his best, most desperate borderline strategic methods to prevent being commanded by a feeling, he still ends up very much controlled by it and really, everything he does to you, ultimately, he does to himself too, invertedly, falling into a trap of his own making. If he strived to make you his slave, he becomes yours. If he tried to make you putty in his hands, he eventually became just that where you are concerned. If he wished to make you disciplined, devoted and full of desire for him, that's the stance he takes towards you. He becomes a mirror image of all his actions and they reflect back on him, and his dedication to you becomes a lifetime affair. You're his most prized person. His madness. And rock. And light. And everything. Where Terry's concerned, you're one. You're an Ouroboros. Snake biting a snake's tail. Infinity. Where he begins and you end is hard to gage, because in his plans to slowly consume you, you've consumed him as well, it's best not to test or try him where the question of just how far he'd go for your sake is in question, because Terry would go to any lengths, by any means, for any and no reason, and if he had to pollute and burn down and kill and manipulate the whole world for your sake, he would. His adoration, turns out, can be a very dark place to be.

[danwhobrowses]

Cobra Kai Season 3 Review

Well this is definitely one way to start the new year

New Season, New Dojo, and the third season of Cobra Kai was definitely something I wanted to binge right away and y’all gonna hear about it.

Spoilers for Cobra Kai Season 3, watch it because it’s definitely good

So yes, I did enjoy it. I mean it’d be hard not to at this point, Cobra Kai remains one of my favourite spinoff shows ever. It’s not without its flaws, or cheese, but when it’s great it’s great and that’s how we’re gonna run it down.

To start, let’s get the downs out of the way first

What wasn’t so great

Circumstances by misinterpretation It’s a general peeve of mine in movies and shows when conflict is made because characters don’t talk to each other properly or they take what someone says another way. In Cobra Kai’s case this annoyed me the most with Miguel and Tory’s conversation in Episode 6, Tory had a chance to be a much more conflicted character but they made her revert to being ‘all angry’ because she thought that Miguel said she was crazy, there’s also Robby in Episode 8 - who himself is in no position to act like he wasn’t snaking in on Sam back at Season 1 - who decides by one look that Sam and Miguel are back together and then angry at her for not letting him punch Miguel. I get that kids will take things the wrong way a lot but sometimes it’s just a lack of creativity, forced conflict and all just to push more characters into Cobra Kai.

Wherefore art thou, characters? Aisha in the last 2 seasons was frankly a symbol of how to work Cobra Kai’s mantra in a healthy manner. So it stung plenty even before Season 3′s trailers to know that Aisha would not be reprising her role. It was a bit of a crude write-off and I have no idea why we wouldn’t have brought her in, she could’ve left Cobra Kai but also struggle to stop Sam’s aggression or even helped Miguel’s rehab. Likewise being without Stingray did remove a lot of comedy elements, they weren’t pivotal losses but considering we brought back minor characters like Brucks, Anthony (who is in like 1 scene, lost a lot of weight though so good on him), Cousin Louie, Sid, Trey, Cruz, Armand and Yasmin does make you ask questions. In the same vein, we didn’t really introduce anyone new, that girl Tory beat looked like she could’ve been decent and we could’ve had more new characters enter via Johnny’s new dojo but it’s not a big deal.

Johnny is a 2 Time Champion too, why do people forget that? Daniel may have the fame, but Johnny was also a 2-Time All Valley U18 Champion, so when the all valley guy goes to Daniel saying ‘we need the two time champ’ it’s a bit annoying, because Johnny is that guy too.

Johnny’s Choice Right so Elizabeth Shue is hot and Ali is ‘the Ali’ but Vanessa Rubio/Carmen is hot too, there is a connection there not only via Miguel but a genuine attraction is still there too. Basically going on a date with Ali the day after sleeping with Carmen was that cliché daft move and it kinda undoes a lot of Johnny’s character progress over the last 2 seasons to be his own man, rather than a reflection of who he was. I mean yeah we got him to realise it right at the end but he was still going in for the kiss and you can’t undo that.

Sam vs Tory While I’ll get into the Sam progression in the good parts, but the feud of Sam and Tory never has clicked with me. I know it was the whole love quadrangle thing but it just feels like in Season 3 they were forcing it a bit much so Sam could have a Karate Kid 3 moment but Tory is not Mike Barnes the Badboy of Karate. She’s an angry girl but it just feels a bit weak to continue with this feud, especially when it’s because...uh...yeah. I mean it can’t be about Miguel anymore, it needed a lot more substance to be a worthwhile feud.

Daniel the Saviour I wanted Johnny and Daniel to team up and beat Kreese, not Daniel beating up Kreese to save Johnny. It was the problem I had with Season 2′s main fight where the Miyagi-Do lot had all the major wins in the school fight, Cobra Kai is not Daniel’s show, it’s Johnny’s, and it just grinded me the wrong way that the big moment that would finally unite the two together was off the back of Daniel defeating Kreese alone, especially since this is the second fight Johnny has had with Kreese interrupted before he could get the win himself.

Thankfully that’s practically all I have, and none of these kill the enjoyment at all, it’s just that if I was reviewing the script, these would be my editor’s notes. So let’s gush about the great stuff

What was BADASS about it Just to preface, this is not all in ranking, some of it just leads into other points and stuff.

The Cobra-fication of John Kreese The Kreese flashback was very well-done in showing the audience how Kreese became the man he is. There’s of course the multiple swerves which we will get to but we almost humanized Kreese at times especially when using it to keep Tory on the side of Cobra Kai.  Kreese in present day too is just, so good. Easily one of the best villains in tv right now, he’s like a supervillain in the real world: conniving, slimy and manipulative, and unlike Johnny and Daniel he has awareness outside the 80s vacuum, as shown when he gets to Amanda too. Kreese will forever be the top villain of the franchise, and every episode he’s in he shows it. I also like to say I like how Cobra Kai’s origins are the other side of the coin to Miyagi Do’s. Both developed from a martial art in a foreign land, brought back to the homeland of the learner, the only difference is that Cobra Kai was born in war and never learned peace, while Miyagi Do was born in peace and had to adapt in war, this can also be the key factor on what could save Cobra Kai: adopting and adapting in peace, but Kreese is never gonna allow that because of how emotionally numb his regret, guilt and torture has shaped him to be like.

Terry Silver is coming back! When I saw the ponytailed soldier not get named I was a tad annoyed, shouting ‘just admit it’s Terry Silver!’ but boy did they swerve me XD Turns out Terry Silver was ‘Twigs’ all along. Not only that but the finale implies that he will return to back up Kreese in Season 4...he better still have that ponytail.

Miguel and Johnny return to their roots While ‘Eagle Fang’ is intentionally a ridiculous name, Johnny going back to zero allowed Johnny to restore not only his character but his paternal bond with Miguel on his road to physiotherapy. The moments of recovery - while a little fast tracked - felt earned and it also restored Miguel to his kinder and softer self, even to the point where Daniel feels comfortable around him to chat and get along with. Overall it’s good to root for the main characters, and between the shenaniganry of Johnny’s obscure methods and Miguel basically training Johnny to be a normal human being leads to some entertaining moments and some nicer character moments, especially when Miguel starts calling Johnny out on his bullshit.

The many faces of Trauma The theme of this season seems to be dealing with trauma, which of course works in line with the show theme of confronting the past. Sam dealt with trauma the most having suffered PTSD from the whole school fight and it was a good display of how the fear can paralyse you. While it does feel a little weird given how she won that fight it was definitely something to give her character. There was also the confrontation of Miguel’s injury by Sam, Tory, Johnny and Miguel himself, Johnny and Daniel’s downfall in the wake of their dojo war, Hawk and Demetri having to re-encounter Kyler, baggage came for every character and they had to handle it in different ways; Sam particularly went from being very aggressive to compensate before returning to focus after having to confront her fear of Tory.

The New Quiver To add to the long list of Kreese’s manipulations, Kreese decided to overhaul his class with people he better liked, which called for the return of Kyler as well as increasing the aggression of Tory and Hawk. His final masterstroke being twisting Robby’s mind and turning him to Cobra Kai, setting up our primary antagonists for Season 4.

Good Character Redemption Several characters get the chance to redeem themselves in Season 3. While some don’t take that opportunity, the ones we do get are Yasmin, Cousin Louie, Chozen and Hawk. Yasmin’s one was a little undeserved I think, but being less of a bitch isn’t a bad thing, Cousin Louie’s was small but his dedication to family was on positive display now rather than his over the top insufferableness in Season 1, we’ll get to Chozen in a minute because it’s Hawk’s redemption that gets the most impact. While he definitely doesn’t deserve instantaneous forgiveness for his actions in this and the past season, seeing Hawk finally wake up and realise that Kreese is using him and that his change has gone too far was a fantastic moment, I wasn’t even sure he would do it until I saw it myself, finally Eli is back.

Amanda falls down the 80s Rabbit Hole One of the common compliments of Daniel’s wife Amanda is that she seems to be the only sane person in the middle of this karate war. She at least tries to keep Daniel grounded to the real world things, but the incident at the Golf n Stuff completely turned Amanda to confront Kreese. So now Amanda is all in, because she’s had to deal with Kreese’s trickery and manipulations, while we will grieve the loss of Amanda being the ‘Straight Man’, it’s cool that she’s now in this whirlpool of Karate 80s Supremacy Wars.

Ali with an Eye for Psychology Elizabeth Shue’s return as Ali provided us with a lovely episode and a bit where Johnny and Daniel got to relive some of their greatest and worst hits over the first Karate Kid film. While I say making Ali not to blame for the break up with Daniel is a bit pandering the fact that she bridges Daniel and Johnny to be civil with each other is poetic, given how she’s technically the lynchpin of their entire rivalry. While I may not have liked how close Johnny was to making moves on her, getting the reconciliation through Ali was a nice touch and does complete that arc.

Daniel’s Okinawa Adventure The Okinawa portion was probably the second best highlight of the season. I’ve stated enough my love of Part II in previous posts but the nostalgia really hit it right. The return of Kumiko was absolutely beautiful (side for a moment where it kinda looked like she and Daniel were reconnecting, because as I said I like Amanda too so there’s conflicting feelings there) and her reading Miyagi’s letters was extremely emotional. The return of Chozen was great too, I was waiting for the part that he broke his stoicism and they picked a perfect moment for it, Chozen showed a lot more humility as an adult especially that lowkey note that he may’ve considered suicide. Also being happy to train Daniel the pressure point tactics and being relieved by Daniel’s forgiveness was nice to see. And it all comes around with Yuna, the girl Daniel saved from a typhoon, who fixes their sales dealership and thus Daniel’s company, thanks mostly to Kumiko. Overall, the Okinawa portion is great and Kumiko is great too.

WE FINALLY GOT DANIEL AND JOHNNY WORKING TOGETHER I almost put the LaRusso house fight as a down point because it didn’t reach the same heights as the school fight, but I had yet to see what the actual final fight of the season was and ho boy. We had already done the ‘false hope’ episode of Daniel and Johnny working together early in the season when they were chasing after Robbie, so having the ‘break bread’ moment near the end meant there was nothing to stop them to continue working together.  Daniel getting the final fight aside - I think the roles should’ve been reversed and we saw Daniel’s reaction to his house and Miyagi’s picture being destroyed, go for Kreese, see Robby and then Johnny for the save for what he did to Miguel - the final third of the last episode was like a straight up video game in the best way. Got that character twist in Johnny seeing Robby drink the Kool-Aid before going straight for the boss fight, and it is like a video game boss fight: Stage 1 of health in the back room, Stage 2 of health in the main dojo having changed tactics and having to fight the side grunt then Stage 3 of Health outside the Dojo with Daniel. It’s all very well done and culminates in the setup for Season 4, Daniel and Johnny working together, the All Valley stage to determine whether Cobra Kai continues or if it disbands forever, that’s the way to end it.

What to hope for in Season 4? Season 4 can go either way because we don’t know if Season 5 will happen. If it does I do see Robby taking the All Valley to keep Cobra Kai alive, while we do have rivalries in Miguel/Robby, Sam/Tory, Hawk/Kyler it does seem like we just need a couple more rivals to get through, we’ll also see if we can set up feuds for Daniel and Silver so he cannot interrupt the Johnny/Kreese rivalry again - I think Johnny is owed that win. Expect to see Tory and Robby get together as the ‘from the block’ power couple and Daniel and Johnny to have some growing pains. I do wonder what their alliance name will be, I am very curious because they dangled it over us, I wonder if it’ll just be something simple like ‘Karate Kid Dojo’ but we’ll only find out next year.

Notwithstanding is the return of Twigs the Ponytail Silver, but I do wonder if Mike Barnes the Badboy of Karate will show up, alongside Jessica (Part 3′s kinda but not Love Interest) and Julie (from the Next Karate Kid). You have to wonder where Johnny and Carmen’s relationship will go to, I want to hope that Johnny doesn’t screw it up considering that like Amanda to Daniel she keeps him quite grounded. I also hope for more mending with Hawk, not only with the Miyagi-Do but with Johnny himself, because there is a lot of Johnny in Hawk. I wanna hope that there’s a chance for Tory and Robby to see sense but unless it’s the final season I would not hold my breath.

In the end the best thing to look forward to is that it will be awesome, given that it was greenlit a year in advance and continues to be a wave of nostalgic joy. Season 3 kicked off 2021 in a good way, striking first, striking hard and giving fans no mercy...but in a good way.