Throughout the series, Cobra Kai has, of course, rewarded fans of the original Karate Kid movie by planting all sorts of fun references, lines of dialogue, wardrobe choices, musical cues, buried easter eggs, and the like. However, less overtly, as the series progresses, a slew of other iconic '80s movies have been alluded to as well, offering nostalgic beats, references, casting choices, and more to fans of the era.
This trend continued into Season 3 of the show. Here are all the easter eggs and references relating to the '80s that fans might have missed in this latest chapter of the Netflix show.
The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
For the uninitiated, several references to The Karate Kid Part II are addressed in Cobra Kai III. First off, Daniel's business trip to Okinawa is the same location that the 1986 sequel took place in.
Moreover, the same actors who played Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita) and Chozen (Yuji Okumoto) in the film reprise their roles for the series 35 years later. The producers were even able to cast Traci Toguchi, the little girl Daniel saved from a monsoon in Okinawa in The Karate Kid Part II. The flashbacks and the Okinawan hand-drum also refer to the film.
Back To The Future (1985)
In one of the flashbacks to help illustrate how John Kreese became such a ruthless bully, an overt reference to Back to the Future can be found.
In episode 2, Nature Vs. Nurture, a near shot-for-shot recreation of the iconic scene from Back to the Future takes place in which George McFly is bullied by Biff in a '50s diner. Just like in the movie, Kreese plays a waiter who is tripped to the floor by a Biff-like bully, making him the laughing stock of the crowded diner. The line "what are you looking at?" is used in both instances.
Platoon (1986)
In Episode 6, King Cobra, a lengthy flashback to Kreese's time in Vietnam shows how he developed his "no mercy" mantra. At one point, Kreese watches one of his friends and fellow soldiers get executed before his very eyes.
The scene is very reminiscent of one found in Oliver Stone's Vietnam War movie Platoon, which not won Best Picture en route to becoming the third highest-grossing film of 1986. The fourth highest-grosser of the year? The Karate Kid Part II.
Just One Of The Guys/Back To School (1985-86)
Hardcore '80s film fans and William Zabka completists will notice sly references to the trio of bully roles the actor played in addition to Johnny Lawrence in the original Karate Kid movie.
In Episode 5, Johnny sports a radical jean-jacket vest that is all too reminiscent of the one he wore as Greg Tolan in the 1985 teen comedy Just One of the Guys. In the following episode, Johnny goes back to West Valley High, calling to mind his bullying bad-guy Chaz from the 1986 comedy Back to School.
Tango & Cash (1989)
During the second episode, Nature Vs. Nurture, Daniel and Johnny join forces to find Robbie, who has been missing since he put Miguel in a coma. While driving through L.A., Amanda LaRusso makes a reference to the 1989 buddy-cop film Tango & Cash.
The title refers to Raymond Tango (Sylvester Stallone) and Gabriel Cash (Kurt Russell), two narcotics officers who work to bring down a drug-lord in the 1989 film. In the episode of Cobra Kai, Amanda calls Daniel and Johnny Tango and Cash as an overt insult.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
During the fifth episode of Season 3, Miyagi-Do, Johnny spends a lot of time trying to rehabilitate Miguel so that he can walk again. In one of his unconventional training methods, a sly musical nod to John Hughes can be heard.
While dangling a 1988 swimsuit magazine in front of Miguel's face as motivation to get him to move his lower limbs, the iconic school bus song " Oh Yeah" by Yello from the end of Ferris Bueller's Day Off plays in the background.
The Karate Kid Part III (1989)
Despite unfounded rumors of Sean Kanan reprising his role as Mike Barnes from The Karate Kid Part III, several nods to the film another can be found in Cobra Kai III.
In addition to flashbacks of Daniel fighting Mike Barnes, John Kreese's Vietnam War buddy, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), also makes a cameo appearance in the season finale. Silver was also the main antagonistic sensei in The Karate Kid Part III. There is also a sly nod to the 1989 Karate Kid animated series. Mr. Miyagi's shrine from the series sits on Chozen's shelf in Okinawa.
Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
In Episode 5, Miyagi-Do, Daniel's wife Amanda calls John Kreese "Rambo" due to his militaristic demeanor. Believe it or not, Martin Kove played one in a Rambo film right after starring in The Karate Kid.
Kove played Michael Reed Ericson, one of the many U.S. Soldiers Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) searches for and rescues in Rambo: The First Blood Part II.