A new batch of images from Cobra Kai season 4 shows off new and returning characters. Cobra Kai is the continuation of The Karate Kid saga, a series of films starring Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso, tracing his journey and training as a martial artist from high school to young adulthood, dealing with a string of bullies and adversaries. One of those adversaries was Johnny Lawrence, as played by William Zabka. He has a fierce rivalry with LaRusso, which is reignited in the series, as the characters are featured 30 years later, dealing with their adult lives and those of their students and offspring.
Cobra Kai began as a YouTube Red show, where the first two seasons debuted. The third season was produced by YouTube Red but bought by Netflix, where it debuted. Season four of the show is produced by Netflix, with the fifth season already greenlit. The show has become a cultural phenomenon, reviving The Karate Kid saga for older viewers who grew up with the films and younger viewers who are just tuning in. Cobra Kai is one of Netflix's most-viewed series and will likely break more records when season 4 debuts on January 1st, 2022.
Now, Cobra Kai has shared several new images from season 4 on Twitter, featuring new and returning characters in anticipation of that debut. Season 3 left off with Daniel and Johnny joining forces and starting a combined dojo of Eagle Fang and Miyagi-Do Karate, training both crops of students together, while Kreese and The Karate Kid Part III alum, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) take over Cobra Kai. In the new images, Johnny can be seen attempting LaRusso's famous "Crane Kick" during training. At the same time, over at Cobra Kai, it appears that Tory (Peyton List) is getting the upper hand on Robby (Tanner Buchanan). Other images feature a smattering of new and familiar faces, from Samantha to Hawk to Miguel and Amanda, as well as a look at a father/son moment between LaRusso and his son, Anthony (Griffin Santopietro) and a peek at Dallas Young's new character to the series, Kenny. Take a look at the pics below:
The success of Cobra Kai has been tremendous, not only from a pop-culture stance but also for streaming. The show topped Netflix's charts when it debuted its third season last January and has only gained popularity ever since (especially since seasons one and two were also added to the streamer). The showrunners have talked about multiple Cobra Kai spinoffs being in the works and already in the planning/preparation stages for season five and beyond, promising an endgame to the show.
Cobra Kai feels like the prime example of adapting or reviving an older, established franchise and making it relevant, engaging, and exciting. The show's drama, comedy, action, and human emotion appeals to viewers of all ages, genders, races, etc., making it accessible to anyone. Viewers who grew up with The Karate Kid get to see their favorite stars back in action, while younger viewers relate to the new characters and their modern-day problems while coming to appreciate the older characters as well. The synergy of both generations makes for a successful merger of timelines, ushering in a whole new era for The Karate Kid saga and expanding it in ways never thought possible. Hopefully, the show can keep up this momentum for many seasons to come.
Source: Cobra Kai