Major spoilers for the Cobra Kai finale are down below! If you're not caught up, be sure to check out the finale with a Netflix subscription right now.
It feels like I have been waiting years for Cobra Kai to come back. Now, it's finally returned to the Netflix schedule, fans have gotten the finale that we've all been aching for—including a rather explosive finish for two of the series' main antagonists, John Kreese and Terry Silver. But why did it lead to that conclusion, of all things? The creators of the series explained it to me perfectly.
Prior to the show finishing up, I had the chance to speak to Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg about the incendiary conclusion for Kreese and Silver – meaning they literally blew up together on a yacht when Kreese threw his lighter at alcohol and took them both out. I often wondered if their violent relationship was always meant to end this way – in an ultimate act of violence. All three agreed, saying that the moment Kreese was arrested, Silver's destiny was set in stone:
We teed up as soon as Terry Silver got John Kreese arrested and had him in a jail cell, you knew there would be revenge. We saw a little bit of it at the Sekai Taikai in part two, but we knew fans wanted to see this big climactic moment between these two characters and you're always trying to top yourselves. We had a sword on size fight between Terry Silver and Chozen at the end of season five, and it just felt like being on Terry Silver's yacht out on the ocean and a big explosion would be the best way to end it.
The relationship between Silver and Kreese has always been strained at best. From Cobra Kai, we really discover how they met and got to become allies thanks to their shared time in the Vietnam War. However, it was a violent beginning for them, and that only increased as time passed.
By the end of Cobra Kai, we saw a change in Kreese (who was one of my favorite TV villains at one point). We know he had faced his demons, but he was still Kreese and would do anything to get Cobra Kai to the top. After his emotional conversation with Johnny in Episode 13, we saw how he ultimately gave up his position and went on to take out Silver. Through the new series, he became a very complex character and much different from the one we knew in the original Karate Kid films.
It's really what made Cobra Kai one of the best shows to binge on Netflix for its six-season run. I never thought I'd find myself cheering for Kreese in the end, but here we are, and the violent way the show ended both him and Silver was the best way to do it. Obviously, it was kick-ass – the old Cobra Kai way. Kreese really said, "No mercy," and he meant it.
While there won't be any more epic Cobra Kai fights or explosions, at least we know there's some peace in the Karate Kid world. Kreese found his own before he took out Terry, and so did Johnny. With that, I can leave this series with a smile on my face – and an itch to learn karate now. Just… not with someone like Silver, please.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
