Cobra Kai Season 3 ended with some major developments for Johnny Lawrence, Daniel LaRusso and their students. By the end of the season, Cobra Kai sensei John Kreese further cemented the dojo’s dominance by convincing Johnny’s son, Robby, to join up with him. In order to stop Kreese and end Cobra Kai once and for all, Daniel and Johnny agreed to combine their classes and take on Kreese’s students at the All Valley Karate Tournament. And as part of their deal with Kreese, the loser(s) must dissolve their dojo. Many fans were likely pleased to see Johnny and Daniel join forces, but how does Johnny feel about this alliance going into Season 4? Well, series star William Zabka has some thoughts.
For the past three seasons, Johnny Lawrence and Danel LaRusso have had their ups and downs and, now, they must put aside their differences for a greater cause. Still, you have to wonder how both characters feel about the situation, especially Johnny Lawrence. While speaking with Collider, William Zabka shared his personal take on his character’s mindset going into Cobra Kai Season 4, and what he had to say might surprise you:
It’s a complicated feeling. For one, Daniel just pretty much saved him. Kreese was just about to choke him out. So, I think he’s purged at that moment. There’s an emptiness [in] it, but he’s empowered with Daniel and there’s a good feeling of burying the hatchet. But there’s also an intensity. They have a common foe in Kreese now. So the feeling of that was a relief in a sense of, ‘I have a partner and we have the same goal here. But we have a lot of work to do, and there’s still a lot of history between us. And we’re both different.’ And maybe it’s like, 'We want this to work, and now here we go.’
So it sounds like Johnny Lawrence is in a relatively positive headspace moving into Cobra Kai Season 4. While William Zabka acknowledges the conflicts the character has had with Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso in the past, it sounds Johnny is glad to have the fellow sensei at his side. Still, it also seems like there will certainly be a bit of uneasiness for both characters when it comes to the new co-teaching dynamic.
It’s safe to say Johnny and Daniel are really going to need each other in Cobra Kai Season 4, especially since it looks like John Kreese is calling in reinforcements. This past week, fans learned that The Karate Kid Part III’s Terry Silver, who was alluded to in the Season 3 finale, is officially back, and he’ll once again be played by Thomas Ian Griffith. All you’d need is Mike Barnes to complete the Cobra Kai trifecta, but the aforementioned pair is deadly enough for the united Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang.
Watching Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso navigate their new alliance is sure to be one of the most compelling elements of Cobra Kai’s fourth season. There’s sure to be harmony between the two at times, but it’s fair to assume that they’ll have their share of disagreements here and there. Let’s just hope it’s not enough to throw them off balance and lose them the tournament.
All three seasons of Cobra Kai are currently available to stream on Netflix.
