Cobra Kai has been a big hit for Netflix, but even successful shows aren't guaranteed to run for a long time when it comes to streaming. Fortunately, it seems that the folks up top are very pleased with how The Karate Kid sequel series has done because Netflix just renewed it for Season 5, before Season 4 even released. As cool as the early renewal is, I definitely have some questions about what this new season means in terms of Season 4.
I didn't necessarily assume Season 4 of Cobra Kai would be the final season of the series, but with the stakes that are present, it did seem like a season that could cap things off. Daniel and Johnny threw down the gauntlet with John Kreese, and the losing team of the All-Valley Karate Tournament will be forced to shutter their karate school indefinitely. Those are the type of stakes befitting a final season, and when Terry Silver was confirmed to join the fun, it seemed like the end could be in sight.
Now, that's not the case... or so we think. I'm curious if Cobra Kai's Season 5 renewal could mean the All-Valley Tournament could stretch into the next season, especially given how many characters we'll have to follow in the tournament. Or the tournament could end in Season 4, and Season 5 will feature a lot of the fallout that came from it. It's hard to speculate at this time, considering we still haven't seen a ton of footage from Season 4 right now.
Another big question as Cobra Kai looks ahead to Season 5 is who will or won't be along for the ride. While one can expect that many of the older stars like Ralph Macchio and William Zabka will stick around, Xolo Maridueña (Miguel) recently signed on to play DC's Blue Beetle in an upcoming movie. Also, Tanner Buchanan (Robby) just was in He's All That, so it would stand to reason his celebrity is on the rise as well. Those are just a couple of stars who could get offers in the future, which could complicate their roles in the series.
Sure, there are downsides, but there are definitely upsides to Cobra Kai's return for Season 5. Few fans will complain about more episodes, plus there are still many stars from The Karate Kid that could make a return to the franchise in Season 5. Namely, I'm referring to Hilary Swank, who we still haven't heard will appear in Season 4. She would be a great addition to the cast, even if it's just for one or two episodes, like others who have returned.
Ultimately, we can only say so much about Cobra Kai Season 5 because Season 4 still hasn't premiered yet. Luckily, the upcoming season isn't that far off. Cobra Kai's fourth season is slated to premiere on Netflix in December 2021. Keep up with what's happening on Netflix in the meantime with our list of all the great shows arriving in September.
