Cobra Kai Season 6 Finally Breaks the Show’s One Big Rule

Like “Cobra Kai,” “The Karate Kid” films present Mr. Miyagi as a great martial artist and a pretty cool guy. Unlike the first five seasons of “Cobra Kai,” they also spend some time emphasizing that he’s a nuanced character who’s far removed from the one-dimensional archetype of the old master.

Miyagi is a highly unconventional sensei with a quiet sense of humor, and he enjoys testing the resolve of his students with seemingly mundane tasks. He can become genuinely irritated when someone beats him at something, such as when Daniel catches a fly with chopsticks in front of him. He also doesn’t shy away from humiliating those he deems unworthy. John Kreese (Martin Kove) finds this out the hard way in “The Karate Kid Part II” when Miyagi defeats him with a few dodges and a nose blow. Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) gets a similar treatment in “Part III” when Miyagi returns his childish teasing after thoroughly dominating him in a fight. One scene in “The Karate Kid” that arguably goes too far even sees Miyagi karate chopping beer bottles to intimidate a couple of racists after politeness fails.

Mr. Miyagi’s mysterious backstory unfolds little by little over the course of the films, and his personality and tragic history are on full display in moments like the drinking scene in “The Karate Kid.” It’s worth remembering, however, that the franchise never suggests that Miyagi might be an evil person until “Cobra Kai” Season 6, Part 1 introduces the idea. As such, Parts 2 and 3 will likely shed a more benevolent light on the teases about his dark past… but for now, it’s refreshing to see the show treat Miyagi like a human being once and for all.