Spoiler Alert: The Following Contains Spoilers for Cobra Kai Season 5

Following the tear-jerking, garment rending, edge-of-your-seat thrills and unprecedented success of Cobra Kai season 5, fans are excited to hear what show-runners and executive producers Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, and Hayden Schlossberg have in store for the inevitable season 6. The show picks up the adventures of former All-Valley karate tournament champions Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) more than three decades after their defining match. It has dominated Netflix since the streaming giant first acquired the series in the summer of 2020.

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Since then, Cobra Kai has triumphantly delivered laughs and heart and has consistently kicked expectations. Season 5 of the show, released September 9th, snagged a rare 100 score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The show knows how to balance, giving audiences what they want to see from the seminal characters of Daniel and Johnny and the recent addition of Chozen Toguchi (Yuji Okumoto), the antagonist from The Karate Kid Part II, and the equally engaging and meaningful development of the next generation. Against all odds, the series, initially conceived by Hurwitz, Heald, and Schlossberg and later with the additions of Ralph Macchio and William Zabka as executive producers, always gives us the moments we want to see but could never dream of asking for. This includes longtime rivals Daniel and Johnny singing REO Speedwagon in the car together and Chozen Toguchi “honking” Daniel’s nose comedically in a rematch.

With the show seemingly getting better and better with every season, it’s safe to say fans can look for an even more exhilarating sixth season sometime next year. There’s a lot Cobra Kai can do yet on every front, from character development to international intrigue, especially after the shocking events of season 5’s conclusion. What can we expect to see next year from this jubilant series that shows us how to do buddy comedy, nostalgia, and new beginnings?

We Want to See More of Kim Da-Eun

     Netflix

Now that the new generation of Miyagi-Do has united to officially include Johnny’s son Robby (Tanner Buchanan) and soon-to-be stepson Miguel (Xolo Maridueña), Tory (Peyton List), and Daniel’s kids Sam (Mary Mouser) and Anthony (Griffin Santopietro), it’s time for the Miyagi-Do/Eagle Fang students to prepare for the hard-won international championship. It’s exciting to imagine these characters taking their skills and legacy global after their surprise take-over of Terry Silver’s (Thomas Ian Griffith) originally sinister idea.

Speaking of, now that Silver is apparently in the hands of the authorities, the function of the main karate antagonist will probably shift back to John Kreese (Martin Kove), now that he has taken his fate into his own hands once again and broken out of prison. However, Cobra Kai season 5’s real star, Alicia Hannah, who played Terry Silver’s main collaborator Kim Da-Eun, is a formidable foe herself.

Da-Eun is a wealthy karate instructor from Japan who comes to tie her legacy to Silver’s by training American students to win spots in the coveted international competition. Her brutal, intense, and indefatigable performance quickly stands out from the first few moments of her introduction. We are really excited to hopefully see this character more in season 6, as she is a strong enemy and a deep character with lots of potential for future seasons.

A Focus on Family

Some of the biggest, heart-felt developments in the show involve Johnny Lawrence’s budding family. He successfully brought Miguel and Robby together as brothers after the horrifying events of season 2 and managed to father another child with the lovely Carmen (Vanessa Rubio). Hopefully, season 6 will give us some time just to enjoy these characters existing in love and harmony with each other, navigating these new waters as a solid family unit.

But speaking of family, the biggest question mark has to be Miguel’s birth father, Hector (Luis Roberto Guzmán), who we briefly met when Miguel went to Mexico to seek him out. There’s no way Hector isn’t going to figure out who Miguel really is and come looking for him at some point. As Johnny Lawrence would say, Pandora has opened her box in that respect, and we can’t get away from seeing more of Hector sooner than we’re ready to.

A Relationship Between Chozen and Kumiko

Season 5 also settled all the show’s longest-running romantic relationships, such as between Sam and Miguel and Robby and Tory. It even opened the door for a relationship between the beloved Chozen and Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita), the lead actress in The Karate Kid Part II who had a cameo in season 3 of Cobra Kai. This beloved fan favorite, Tamlyn Tomita, should return to the series, as she is a complex and less-explored character that fans would love to explore further.

Chozen has genuinely redeemed himself with Karate Kid fans and taken up a special place in viewers’ hearts, despite his character’s horrendous actions in the second Karate Kid sequel. We would love to see him explore a relationship with his longtime friend and supporter, Kumiko. In many ways, Cobra Kai as a franchise addresses the brutal dualism of the ’80s, with all characters either good or bad. Chozen’s character redemption best illustrates the nuanced need for understanding and openness.

The Return of Hilary Swank

     Columbia Pictures

But finally, there is one prominent actor from the Karate Kid franchise that we haven’t seen anything from yet, an actor whose appearance would probably make some fans faint from her sheer star power: Hilary Swank. Will Swank return to the Karate Kid-verse in season 6, at long last? We hope so!

Cobra Kai season 5 is currently streaming on Netflix, and we eagerly await official updates about its anticipated next season!