When Netflix's mega-popular martial arts comedy, Cobra Kai, returns for a fourth season on December 31, 2021, it will have been nearly one year since viewers last caught a glimpse of Daniel, Johnny, Sam, Robby, Hawk Kreese, and the rest of the karate fighters. With such a long time between seasons, it's very easy to forget all about the key plot points and most essential story arcs that transpired.
To help prepare fans for the upcoming season and what may come, why not clarify a few loose story strands, newfound alliances and rivalries, and other outstanding Cobra Kai plotlines that loom ahead of the new year?
Robby Remains With Kreese
One of the most difficult things to follow in Cobra Kai is the ever-shifting alliances and partnerships between certain characters. Remember, Robby (Tanner Buchanan) is Johnny's (William Zabka) son, and Johnny was the prized pupil of John Kreese (Martin Kove), the longtime Cobra Kai sensei.
When Kreese was first introduced in the series, he and Johnny remained simpatico from the movie. After a major falling out over their karate creeds and overall mantras, Robby remained loyal to Kreese and disavowed his father, which is important to keep in mind ahead of season 4. Robby is still at odds with his father and still remains dedicated to Cobra Kai and their penchant for violence.
Daniel & Johnny Form Alliance
As a partial response to Robbie's betrayal, Johnny and Daniel put their past rivalries behind them and formed their own karate-instructing alliance. Recall, Johnny teaches Miguel (Xolo Meriduena), while Daniel teaches Sam (Mary Mouser), and now they all work together in stark opposition to Cobra Kai.
It's easy to forget this development since Daniel and Johnny have spent decades as bitter high school rivals, with seasons 1 and 2 reinforcing their competitive streak. Now that Johnny and Daniel are working together, it will be fascinating to see how season 4 plays out.
Terry Silver's Involvement
Don't forget the phone call at the end of the season 3 finale, when Kreese spoke to his old buddy, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), from The Karate Kid Part III. The call came right after Kreese got Robby on his side for good and agreed to only leave Cobra Kai if they willingly lose the All-Valley Tournament.
How Terry will be involved is anyone's guess at this point, but if it's anything like the dynamic of The Karate Kid Part III, then he will most certainly dominate and relegate Kreese to the background as the biggest bad guy in the dojo. Looking at the IMDb page, Silver will appear in nine of the 10 episodes in season 4, indicating a significant arc.
Hawk Is Back With Miyagi-Do
One of the more heartening character arcs in Cobra Kai season 3 was Hawk's (Jacob Bertrand) unexpected shift in the alliance back to his childhood friend, Dimitri (Gianni DeCenzo), who had been bullying since joining Cobra Kai. The change of heart came during the epic house brawl in the finale when Hawk beat up a bunch of people and apologized to Dimitri for being a jerk.
Moving forward, it's important to remember that it seems Hawk will be back with Miyagi-Do rather than return to Cobra Kai and advance Kreese's nefarious agenda. The real question is, will Hawk remain loyal?
Ali & Johnny's Romance
For fans of the original Karate Kid, the appearance of Ali Mills (Elisabeth Shue) in Cobra Kai) was a nostalgic blast from the past. Her time reminiscing with Daniel and Johnny at the Christmas party was one of the most enjoyable aspects of the season. There was even some real romantic tension over the prospect of Ali and Johnny rekindling their high school romance.
But remember, Johnny seems most content with pursuing a relationship with Miguel's mom, Carmen (Vanessa Rubio), after the two began dating and took their relationship to the next level. Will Johnny and Carmen persist, or will Ali make another surprise appearance in season 4?
Robby & Sam Are At Odds
Another important relationship dynamic to keep straight is that of Robby and Sam. Remember, after Robby began training with Daniel and Miyagi-Do beside Sam, the two became so close that sparks began to fly.
But when Robby saw Sam and Miguel sparring together, he took it as them having an affair and immediately cut ties with Sam and furiously returned to Kreese. Keep that in mind when going into season 4, as it does not seem like Sam and Robby are bound to reconcile anytime soon.
Sam & Miguel Rekindled
Now that Sam and Robby are no longer an item, it's worth recalling how well Sam and Miguel got along at the end of season 3. Remember, Miguel spent much of the season in a coma for the neck injury he suffered in the school brawl, often confined to the bed where Johnny, not Sam, would often visit.
Miguel's brief stint with the dark side of mean-spirited violence put him at odds with Sam for a long time, opening the door for Robby and Sam to grow closer. Now that Sam and Miguel have rekindled their romance as one of the best duos on Cobra Kai, Kreese, Robby, and Silver are clearly delineated as villains ahead of season 4.
Miyagi-Do & Eagle Fang Joined Forces
While Sam and Miguel have re-sparked their romance, their union has also led to Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang joining forces as one mighty Cobra Kai adversary. Miyagi-Do was formed by Daniel after his revered sensei and Eagle Fang was created by Johnny after leaving Cobra Kai to Kreese.
So not only are Sam, Miguel, Daniel, and Johnny united as one professional karate dojo, they've also joined forces off the mat, as well. Miyagi-Do was also too small and niche to take on Cobra Kai alone, but now that it's bolstered by Eagle Fang, anything is possible in season 4.
The All-Valley Tournament Is Reinstated
A major storyline of season 3 involved the potential cancellation of the All-Valley Tournament and the political infighting related to the school brawl. The city council stripped Reseda of the permit to hold the event, prompting a huge legal battle that threatened the livelihood of the karate students.
Thankfully, Sam and Miguel made such a compelling case for the genuine need for karate as an outlet of expression that the city council reinstated the All-Valley Karate Tournament toward the end of the season.
The Return Of Mike Barnes
Speaking of the All-Valley Karate Tournament and the return of Terry Silver, fans ought to remember who Terry's most talented student was in The Karate Kid Part III. That's right, Mike Barnes (Sean Kanan) seems poised to make an appearance on Cobra Kai 4.
While Sean Kanan is not listed on Cobra Kai's IMDb page, he has publicly claimed he would be in season 4 (per heavy.com). This news came well after season 3 ended, so it's entirely possible that fans missed the news in the first place or forgot about it in the past seven months. Either way, it's worth remembering that Barnes could play a key role in Cobra Kai moving forward.