Cobra Kai season 3 features dozens upon dozens of Easter eggs and references to The Karate Kid movie franchise. The massively popular Netflix series is fueled by cultural nostalgia and slick storytelling, with references to the past playing a major role in the on-going narrative. In Cobra Kai season 3, the filmmakers pack in steady franchise references from episode to episode, and even bring back characters from the 1986 sequel The Karate Kid Part II.
In Cobra Kai, nostalgia is used to drive stories of redemption for numerous characters. Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) must reassess his behavior in the past in season 3, and ultimately reaches a sense of clarity while traveling to the homeland of his mentor, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita). Meanwhile, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) slowly rebuilds his life after Cobra Kai season 2 ended with a school brawl involving Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do students. In Cobra Kai season 3, even the baddie John Kreese (Martin Kove) receives a redemption storyline, as flashback sequences detail his shocking experiences during the Vietnam War.
Cobra Kai season 3 includes several obvious callbacks to the movie franchise, while others are more subtle and brief. The third installment brought back more characters from the '80s film franchise, and the dialogue frequently referenced events from the movies. The Netflix series often flips the script on famous moments, which creates a sense of balance that would make Mr. Miyagi proud. Here's a full listing of Cobra Kai season 3 Easter eggs and hidden references to the Karate Kid movie franchise.
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John Kreese's Window Punch
In "Aftermath," Johnny drinks a few too many Coors Banquets and gets into an argument with L.A. Dodgers fans. After being compared to "a piece of dog shit who took a dump" (because of his foul smell), Johnny follows the gentlemen to their car and subsequently plows through the driver's side window. The moment references an early moment in The Karate Kid Part II when Kreese punches through a window during a confrontation with Mr. Miyagi. In Cobra Kai, Johnny's behavior stems from his concern about the health of Miguel Diaz (Xolo Maridueña), whose appearance on a news broadcast ignites the incident.
Daniel's Bully Behavior
Daniel attends a school meeting in "Aftermath" to defend his dojo after the school brawl in the Cobra Kai season 2 finale. He states that he was bullied in high school, and makes the case that karate can have a positive influence on the community. However, someone calls "bullshit" on Daniel's claims, and suggests that he was the "real bully" in high school; a reference to his water hose prank in The Karate Kid and perhaps the controversial/illegal crane kick that he used to win the All Valley Karate Tournament. It's a turning point for Daniel in Cobra Kai season 3, as he begins to reassess his past actions.
Mi-Ya-GEE
At the school meeting in "Aftermath," an angry parent blames Daniel for teaching local kids "Miyagi crap." He mispronounces the name of Morita's franchise character, just as Daniel did during a phone conversation in The Karate Kid. This particular moment frames Daniel's daughter, Sam, as the NEW LaRusso bully - at least according to the angry parent.
The Kreese Cut-Out
In "Aftermath," Daniel visits the Cobra Kai dojo and spots a rather large Kreese cut-out: a direct reference to the black-and-white cut-out that Daniel sees during his first trip to Cobra Kai in The Karate Kid. In the Netflix show, Daniel realizes that not much has changed with Kreese, which is slightly ironic because he also tends to live in the past. A Kreese cut-out shows up again in The Karate Kid Part III.
Kreese Quotes Miyagi
When Daniel enters Cobra Kai in "Aftermath," Kreese maintains a stoic posture as usual, with his chin tilted upwards, and states "there's no such thing as a bad student" when speaking about Johnny's son Robby Keene (Tanner Buchanan). Daniel seems to immediately understand that his dojo rival just quoted Mr. Miyagi, who speaks the same words in The Karate Kid when making a point about bad teachers.
Miyagi, The "Little Bastard"
In "Aftermath," Kreese suggests that Mr. Miyagi's name has been "dragged through the mud" because of the Cobra Kai season 2 school brawl. He also tells Daniel that he wishes he could see the look on the face of the "little bastard." Unsurprisingly, Daniel reminds Kreese that he was beaten up by Mr. Miyagi in both The Karate Kid Part II and The Karate Kid Part III, stating "That little bastard kicked your ass.... more than once." And like that, Kreese shuts his mouth and gives one of his classic stern gazes.
The '47 Ford
During the opening seconds of "Nature Vs. Nurture," a high school student appears in a 1965 flashback sequence and refers to his '47 Ford convertible as a "piece of junk." Of course, this is the same vehicle that Mr. Miyagi gives to Daniel in The Karate Kid, and so this particular moment teases a future transaction. It also sets up Kreese's backstory, as he appears moments later and has a confrontation with the owner of the '47 Ford.
A Modernized Tomi Village
In "The Right Path," Daniel travels to Japan to save his car dealership and stops by Tomi Village - Mr. Miyagi's former home that is featured in The Karate Kid Part II. Daniel is stunned to learn that the community has been fully commercialized, and must grapple with his idealized version of the past.
Kumiko's Traditional Dance
"The Right Path" reunites Daniel with his former love interest, Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita). In The Karate Kid Part II, the female character dreams of becoming a professional dancer and performs traditional numbers. Cobra Kai season 3 shows that Kumiko has retained her youthful spirit, which has a positive affect on Daniel throughout his trip.
Rock 'N' Roll Over You
The Moody Blues song "Rock 'N' Roll Over You" plays during a soccer sequence in "The Right Path." It's the same track that scores a moment in The Karate Kid Part II when Daniel and Kumiko enter a bar and see men breaking ice. It's a subtle nod to the sequel's glorious soundtrack.
A Death Match For Kumiko's Heart
In "The Right Path," Kumiko reveals that she never married because she didn't find someone who would fight "to the death" for her. The line references the climax of The Karate Kid Part II, in which Chozen Taguchi (Yuji Okumoto) squares off against Daniel. The two men seem ready to fight to the death, but Macchio's character ultimately shows mercy after defeating his enemy. Decades later, it's not forgotten by Kumiko in Cobra Kai.
Ice Ice Baby
A brief close-up shot in "The Right Path" references the ice-breaking scene in The Karate Kid Part II, all the while serving as an establishing shot for a meeting between Daniel and Kumiko. It's one of several misdirection visuals in Cobra Kai season 3.
Kreese Remembers Vidal
During the opening minutes of "Miyagi-Do," Kreese meets with a locked-up Robby, and tells him about the moment when he realized that Johnny was the "real deal." He recalls a quarterfinal match at the All Valley Karate Tournament, in which Robby's father competed against a third-generation black belt named Vidal, who is indeed one of the characters from The Karate Kid. "Cool story," Robby snarls, before telling to Kreese to tell someone who "gives a shit."
Miyagi Shimpo
During the Okinawa episode, Daniel and Chozen discuss the origins of Miyagi-Do and its founder Miyagi Shimpo. In The Karate Kid, Daniel and Mr. Miyagi also discuss Shimpo, which creates a sense of narrative balance, and thus allows Macchio's character to better understand the past.
Honk!
Daniel has a revelatory discussion with Chozen in "Miyagi-Do" about secret techniques that he never learned from his sensei, most notably a pressure point blow. During a competition sequence, Chozen appears ready to get revenge on Daniel for embarrassing him in The Karate Kid Part II, stating "I have waited a long time for this." But rather than delivering a death blow, Chozen merely says "Honk!" and twists Daniel's nose, which reverses what actually transpires in the sequel. The Cobra Kai moment establishes Chozen as a friend, not a foe, in the Netflix series.
For Your Collection
When Daniel leaves Okinawa in "Miyagi-Do," Chozen offers a Miyagi-Do scroll and says "You keep for your collection" - the same words that he speaks to Kumiko in The Karate Kid Part II, albeit with significantly more snark. In the Cobra Kai season 3 scene, Chozen is further established as a likable figure, rather than a menacing baddie.
A Full-Circle Yuna Moment
Before Daniel leaves Japan, Kumiko introduces him to a woman named Yuna (Traci Toguchi), the "Girl Bell Ringer" from The Karate Kid Part II who Macchio's character saves during a typhoon. In Cobra Kai season 3, it's revealed that Yuna is now the Senior Vice President of Sales for Doyona International, and so she has the power to save Daniel's business. It's a full-circle moment that wraps up the mid-season conflict while providing a heart-warming close to the Daniel's Japanese trip.
A Warm Brew
In "Miyagi-Do," Mitch (Aedin Mincks) offers his friends a "warm one," which prompts Eli "Hawk" Moskowitz (Jacob Betrand) to ask "Who the hell wants a warm beer?" The scene references a line from Tommy (Rob Garrison) in The Karate Kid while motorcycling with his pals.
A Bad Idea
In "Miyagi-Do," Daniel's wife Amanda (Courtney Henggeler) confronts Kreese and asks him call of his band of "karate thugs." The Cobra Kai sensei responds by calling the woman "a feisty one" and states "but I like that," with the latter line being a reference to his dialogue in The Karate Kid when speaking to Mr. Miyagi. In Cobra Kai, Kreese gets slapped by Amanda, who isn't intimidated by the man's contrived displays of masculinity.
Kreese Learns Tang Soo Do
A flashback sequence in "King Cobra" reveals that Kreese learned Tang Soo Do while training for a special military unit during the Vietnam War. He was taught by Captain Turner (Terry Serpico), who states that he learned the Korean style of martial arts from Master Kim Sun-Yung during the Korean War. In The Karate Kid, Kreese teaches Tang Soo Do to his Cobra Kai students, a style that contrasts with Mr. Miyagi's techniques that were influenced by the kata and Gōjū-ryū styles that originated in Okinawa.
Blow-By-Blow Re-Make
During a training sequence in "King Cobra," Captain Turner uses a move that Kreese later uses during The Karate Kid. It's a subtle reference that suggests Kreese took his training incredibly seriously, and was faithful to the techniques that he learned during the Vietnam War.
The "No Mercy" Origin Story
Kreese's "no mercy" philosophy was learned from Captain Turner, evidenced by a moment in "King Cobra" when Serpico's character makes it clear that his unit should have "no hesitation, no second thoughts, and no mercy." Overall, the episode steadily reinforces the fact Kreese learned a lot from his captain, which sets up a deadly twist in the Cobra Kai season 3 finale when the two men square off over a snake pit.
Open Season
In "King Cobra," Kreese places a call to Daniel and suggests that the Miyagi-Do sensei should prepare his men for battle, stating "It's open season... on them and you." The line calls back to The Karate Kid, in which Kreese says the same thing to Daniel and Mr. Miyagi at Cobra Kai, but with a slight tweak: "It's open season... on him and you." In the Netflix series, Daniel knows that Kreese means business, evidenced by his terrified facial expression.
Boat Training
In The Karate Kid, Daniel learns balance lessons from Mr. Miyagi, which is referenced in "Obstáculos" when he spends an afternoon with his daughter, Sam (Mary Mouser), and remembers teaching her how to balance on the boat as a child. The sequence is especially important for Cobra Kai season 3, as Sam opens up about her on-going anxiety issues that stem from a physical confrontation with Tory Nichols (Peyton List) in season 2, and then again during a face-to-face meeting in season 3.
The Miyagi-Do Kata
In "Obstáculos," Sam calms her mind while performing the Miyagi-Do kata: a thematic reference to a sequence featuring Daniel and Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid Part III. In this scene, Daniel enters the room and strengthens his bond with Sam during a "cast the rod" training sequence, which links to their fishing trip from earlier in the episode.
Digging Two Graves
In the opening minutes of "The Good, The Bad, and The Badass," Daniel instructs his students and paraphrases Mr. Miyagi's thoughts on revenge from The Karate Kid. Specifically, he compares having "hate in your heart" to digging two graves, which further reinforces the character as someone who values empathy and compassion over the concept of "no mercy."
Feel The Night
"Feel the Night" marks the return of Ali Mills (Elisabeth Shue), and the opening seconds include an exterior home shot that appears to match the character's home in The Karate Kid. Since nostalgia and authenticity are so crucial to Cobra Kai's success, the visual nod is a strong way to set up Ali's season 3 storyline.
The Rhythm Section
In "Feel the Night," Sam shows Miguel the Miyagi-Do drum technique that Daniel learns in The Karate Kid Part II. The moment reinforces the chemistry between the two young Cobra Kai characters, who subsequently share a kiss shortly after. In a way, the scene parallels the developing romance between Daniel and Kumiko in the 1986 movie sequel.
The Mangled Radio
When Ali returns in "Feel the Night," she reunites with Johnny and light-heartedly remembers that he ran over her radio in high school - a reference to The Karate Kid's opening act. Cobra Kai season 3 wisely acknowledges the characters' history, and goes all the way back the beginning of the franchise-starter.
The Illegal Crane Kick
"Feel the Night" includes another reference to The Karate Kid when Daniel speaks with Miguel and talks about his '47 Ford and the alleged illegal kick from the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament. "Hey, hey, hey - the rules state anything above the waist is legal," Daniel says.
Golf N' Stuff
When Johnny and Ali reunite, they spend some time at Golf N' Stuff - the same place where Ali and Daniel had their first date in The Karate Kid. In Cobra Kai, the sequence is somewhat cathartic, as it allows both characters to remember their good times together and thus resolve any negative issues from the past. For Johnny, it's a big moment because it puts him in the right head space to pursue a relationship with Carmen Diaz (Vanessa Rubio). The episode title "Feel the Night" also references the titular song that plays during both of the aforementioned scenes in The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai.
Encino Oaks Country Club
When Daniel reunites with Ali in "Feel the Night," it's at Encino Oaks Country club - a location that's featured in The Karate Kid. In fact, Ali even recites the words that Daniel says in the original movie when identifying himself: "Daniel with an L." Once again, Cobra Kai goes all the way back to the beginning of the movie franchise for the sake of nostalgia.
A Spaghetti Incident
During The Karate Kid, Daniel gets plastered with a plate of spaghetti at the Encino Oaks Country Club. In Cobra Kai season 3, Johnny manages to avoid a pasta fail while wearing his sweet Scarface-like threads; a symbolic way to show that he's no longer a walking disaster fueled by Coors Banquets.
Tory The Cobra Kai Badass
The Cobra Kai season 3 finale shows Tory (Peyton List) wearing a skull-themed top, which is a direct reference to Cobra Kai's skull costumes in The Karate Kid. Since List's character is somewhat of a villain, the clothing positions her as the undisputed badass of her dojo.
A Redesigned Fender
Ali references The Karate Kid in the Cobra Kai season 3 while asking Daniel if he told Mr. Miyagi that she was responsible for car damages. In the original movie, Macchio's character tells his sensei that Ali "redesigned" the fender.
The Origins Of Cobra Kai
The Cobra Kai season 3 finale reveals why Kreese named his dojo Cobra Kai. In a flashback sequence, he's captured by Viet Cong soldiers who then force him to battle Captain Turner over a snake pit. Kreese ultimately decides to show "no mercy," even as U.S. troops arrive to save them all. It's a powerful moment that provides clarity about Kreese's backstory and motivations, and also shows why he's so deadly serious about protecting his dojo at all costs. It's not just a business, but rather a concept that's symbolic of his post-war existence.
Silver Owes Kreese
The Cobra Kai season 3 finale reveals that a soldier named Silver was originally supposed to battle Captain Turner over a snake pit. Kreese then took his spot, and essentially saved his life because Silver wasn't in the right frame of mind to fight. The writers have since confirmed that Silver is actually Terry Silver, the financier of Cobra Kai and Kreese's war buddy who appears in The Karate Kid Part III.