Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for Cobra Kai Season 6.Last week, we said goodbye to one of the biggest surprise hits of the last decade:Cobra Kai. The series initially premiered as a YouTube Red original (remember YouTube Red?) back in the summer of 2018. I grew up watching the original three Karate Kid movies, but I was initially skeptical. Did we really need a sequel series centering around a grown-up version of Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka)?
Yet, from the opening scene, I was instantly hooked on the series. However, due to the first two seasons being on a streaming platform that barely anyone had, I didn’t have many people in my personal life who I could share my love of the show with. When Netflix scooped up the rights in the summer of 2020, the show became a smash hit. Soon enough, everyone from my friends, my family, and even my college professors were talking about how much they loved the show.
Watchingthe sixth and final seasonofCobra Kaiwas a bittersweet experience, although I did know about that triumphant ending way before anyone else. In April 2024, Netflix flew me and several other members of the press out to Atlanta, Georgia for a set visit to watch the big climatic face-off between Johnny Lawrence and Sensei Wolf (Lewis Tan) atthe Sekai Taikaiduring the finale. However, because this was the final episode of the series, I was surrounded by a plethora of spoilers. We were fortunate enough to talk to series creatorsHayden Schlossberg,Jon Hurwitz, andJosh Heald, as well as some of the crew and cast members about making the series' victorious final chapter.
Bringing Johnny’s Story Full Circle
“Part of the fun of writing Season 6 was how do we get him back in that gi.”
Upon stepping onto the set of theCobra Kaifinale, we were greeted by almost the entire main cast decked out in the iconic Cobra Kai gis, including Daniel LaRusso himself,Ralph Macchio.
Cobra Kai: The Making of Netflix’s Hit Show
Netflix’s Cobra Kai delivers six seasons of action-packed, high-stakes drama and dope martial arts face-offs. Today, Collider goes behind the scenes to explore what makes the series so special.
Which Karate Gi is the Best?
“Keeping it true to itself was something that I take really seriously.”
Xolo Maridueña,Peyton List,Mary Mouser,Tanner Buchanan,Jacob Bertrand,Griffin Santopietro, and costume designerFrank Helmeralso shared what their favorite gis were over the course of the show’s six seasons.
The Complexities of Staging the Fights in ‘Cobra Kai’
While on set, we were also fortunate enough to talk to stunt coordinatorsKen BarefieldandDon L. Leeabout their work on the show and how the fights have evolved since they started working on the show in Season 4.
What’s Next for the ‘Karate Kid’ Franchise?
“We could always say hello again.”
WhileCobra Kaimay come to a close,that doesn’t mean that it’s the endof the Karate Kid franchise. On top ofKarate Kid: Legends, which is opening in theaters this summer, there is some potential for spin-off series in the future.
Cobra KaiSeason 6 Part 3 is now streaming on Netflix.
