It took five seasons, but Cobra Kai is finally running out of Karate Kid cameos. From established characters like Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence to deep-cut cameos like the girl who Daniel saved from the storm in The Karate Kid Part II, Cobra Kai has revisited the Karate Kid films in a way that most reboots and sequels have failed to do. Still, the “Miyagi-verse” as described by the Cobra Kai creators only extends through four movies, and after five seasons of Cobra Kai, there are not many Karate Kid characters left for Cobra Kai to revisit.
Unlike other popular franchises, Cobra Kai did not ignore the less popular Karate Kid movies. While The Karate Kid Part II and The Karate Kid Part III were far from being as good as The Karate Kid, Cobra Kai acknowledged all movies Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso was in, and it incorporated characters and storylines from all three films into the show. However, now that both Terry Silver and Mike Barnes from Karate Kid 3 returned, Cobra Kai has used all the main villains from the first three Karate Kid movies. Cobra Kai has also revisited several Karate Kid supporting characters, including the original Cobra Kai students from Karate Kid, Kumiko from Karate Kid 2, and Jessica from Karate Kid 3. As such, the number of potential cameos for Cobra Kai season 5 is drastically reduced.
Cobra Kai Was Built On Returning Karate Kid Characters
Despite the number of remakes, reboots, and sequels to ‘80s classics, not many movies or shows have used the nostalgia element as well as Cobra Kai. At a time when franchises like Star Wars and the MCU are criticized for over-relying on cameos and returning characters, Cobra Kai proved that it is possible to revisit the original story while also moving the franchise forward. As the story of what happened to Johnny Lawrence more than 30 years after the fight against Daniel LaRusso in the All Valley, Cobra Kai was built on returning Karate Kid characters. However, those returning characters, including Daniel and Johnny, are mostly there to contribute to the stories of young characters like Miguel, Robby, and Sam.
The Next Karate Kid Is Now The Only Film Left For Cobra Kai To Borrow From
While the focus of the show is still on the original characters, Cobra Kai has evolved into a Karate Kid legacy sequel. For example, the Cobra Kai season 5 finale saw Johnny, Chozen, and Mike Barnes teaming up to fight Terry Silver – an incredibly exciting crossover that only really works for those who have seen the Karate Kid movies. Still, replicating the nostalgia element from Cobra Kai season 5 will be difficult, as there is no other Daniel LaRusso Karate Kid movie for Cobra Kai to borrow from. There is, however, a Karate Kid movie that Cobra Kai has yet to revisit – The Next Karate Kid. Given that Mr. Miyagi was in The Next Karate Kid, the film is part of the Cobra Kai canon.
2010’s The Karate Kid, despite making its mark on pop culture, is not considered canon to the Cobra Kai universe because it does not feature Mr. Miyagi. As such, Jackie Chan or Jaden Smith's cameos in Cobra Kai are highly unlikely, even though the Sekai Taikai will open the doors for international dojos to appear on Cobra Kai. As such, The Next Karate Kid starring Hilary Swank as Julie Pierce is Cobra Kai’s final frontier when it comes to shocking Karate Kid cameos. It remains to be seen if Julie Pierce will appear in Cobra Kai season 6.