Daniel LaRusso will "hit rock bottom" in Cobra Kai season 5, according to Ralph Macchio. A sequel series to the hugely popular Karate Kid franchise, Cobra Kai, which was picked up by Netflix after a stint on YouTube Red, has become a streaming hit, mixing '80s Karate Kid nostalgia with modern storylines. Starring legacies William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence and Macchio as his old rival Daniel, the series originally focused on the new clashes between those nemeses. Since episode 1, Cobra Kai has made an effort to expand its focus to the other characters in the Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do dojos, but Daniel remains a significant figure in the series.
Season 1 re-introduced Daniel to Karate Kid fans as the successful owner of a car dealership and a retired karate champion. A family man with his life firmly together, he is often presented as a foil to Johnny, who is rough around the edges. Despite Daniel's typical role in the series as a peaceful mediator and mild tempered businessman and mentor, there have been times when his easygoing demeanor has slipped throughout the seasons. After the introduction of The Karate Kid Part III character Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) into the show, it's expected that Daniel will fall to a new low, due his dark history with the man.
In a conversation THR, Macchio teases his character's arc in season 5. He implies that Daniel's emotional reaction to Silver will affect his relationships with other characters, which is an exciting prospect, since Daniel is so often the voice of reason. Check out Macchio's full quote below:
For me, it’s the biggest arc that I’ve had in the entire series because, you know, Daniel is the only one who truly knows the insanity of Terry Silver. So, he winds up looking like a crazy person and loses a grip on everything in his life to a point where he has to hit rock bottom and then re-find his balance. It’s exciting. The second half of the season really starts to build and build for the fandom.
Macchio's insistence that Cobra Kai season 5 will mark Daniel's biggest storyline yet is extremely promising. Despite concerns that the Karate Kid legacy series would eventually get stale, the showrunners have proven their mastery at paying tribute to what came before while setting up surprising new twists. Because Daniel's character is one of the show's most consistent, almost becoming repetitive in his mantras advocating discipline and nonviolence, the prospect of the character hitting "rock bottom" and losing "a grip on everything in his life" will provide an interesting, fresh direction for season 5.
Though fans will see a new side of Daniel in terms of the downfall Macchio teases in Cobra Kai season 5, it's likely based on his comments and the overall patterns of the series that Daniel will find his way back to peace and balance, hopefully without too many lasting consequences. Silver can't hide his true nature for long, and once he shows his colors, Daniel will likely be vindicated, setting up a potential showdown between the Cobra Kai and Miyagi-do leaders. Cobra Kai season 5 airs this week, and Daniel's new storyline will soon be revealed.
Source: THR