Cobra Kai has brought back tons of classic Karate Kid characters so far, but there’s one in particular who needs to appear in season 4 – Hilary Swank’s Julie Pierce from The Next Karate Kid. The show’s creators have confirmed that Swank’s film is canon in the Cobra Kai timeline, as it still features Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi. Speculation of Swank’s return to the franchise has circulated for some time, and season 4 is now the perfect opportunity to make it happen.
Up until season 3, Cobra Kai was largely about the rivalry between Johnny and Daniel and the subsequent vicarious rivalries taken up by their students. That’s certainly not all that happens in seasons 1 and 2, but most of the story is driven by the two men’s longstanding feud. Season 3 flips the script a bit, with Kreese becoming a definitive villain for the series, prompting Johnny and Daniel to reconcile their differences and join forces against him by the end of the finale. That new Johnny/Daniel team-up sets the stage perfectly for Julie to return.
For starters, Julie could offer a lot of unique training and wisdom to the joint students of Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang Karate. Season 4 will likely focus heavily on themes of balance and learning from others, as evidenced by Johnny and Daniel embracing each other’s similarities and differences. Julie would be perfect in that story, where she can offer a third perspective as a different, unique Miyagi-Do sensei. Her addition would be a big help to the students as they prepare for the All-Valley Tournament, and it might help teach Johnny and Daniel a thing or two as well.
Swank’s return would also open up some interesting opportunities for Cobra Kai’s overriding theme of toxic masculinity. The dojo war between Johnny, Daniel, and Kreese is fueled by macho pride more than anything else, and Julie inclusion might help shine some much-needed perspective on the other sensei’s constant chest-pounding. The series has touched briefly on the different expectations of men and women when it comes to fighting, but not in any kind of extended detail.
Lastly, Julie would be an excellent inclusion for the arcs of Sam and Tory. The two girls have become bitter enemies over the course of the last two season, though they’re both hopefully headed toward eventual reconciliation. Julie could help Sam massively in her training, but she could also help lead Tory away from Kreese by relating to her in a way none of the other sensei can. In short, Julie would be a perfect addition for Cobra Kai season 4.