By Heather Halperin
Correspondent
The Netflix original series “Cobra Kai” has finally arrived with the second part of Season 6 on Nov. 15 after the first part was released back on July 18.
The first part picked up with Johnny and Daniel both continuing to find their way as a conjoined karate dojo. Both on and off the mat, each character is struggling to learn to come together.
As the struggle continues, the dojo is invited to the No. 1 karate tournament in the world, the Sekai Taikai. This lights a fire in the group, causing them to finally put their differences aside and fight against a common enemy.
However, the biggest and most unexpected betrayal of all comes at the conclusion of the first part of Season 6.
The second half of the season picks up right where it left off, with both feelings of anger and betrayal. An old rivalry is brought back out of the shadows as the Sekai Taiki tournament is set into motion.
This tournament puts every friendship, relationship and partnership to the ultimate test as each student is pushed to their breaking point.
Off the mat, Daniel’s past is coming back to haunt him, bringing to light another old rivalry no one could have expected. This creates more tension as the tournament's final round begins, only to then end with an ultimate cliffhanger.
This new season was filled with action, exciting plot twists and great character development. While I found the first part of this season's plot to be repetitive and hard to follow at times, the plot twist at the end did make me eager for a second part.
The entertainment value of the second half made up for the flaws that the beginning of the season had. The characters’ personal drama was further intensified through incredible acting performances by both Peyton List and Xolo Maridueña.
The connections and past characters from the original “Karate Kid” movies that were brought back into this season gave it the nostalgic feeling that the iconic movies gave off. Bringing all the old characters back to the big screen at the biggest karate competition of all time was the right way to bring this show to a close.
While this show has felt a bit dragged out, it was done in an enjoyable way. There is one more part to go and I am glad it is coming to an end with the original cast competing in the most epic showdown.
Even though the start to the final season has been pleasant, nothing will compare to the early seasons of this show. The rivalry between Johnny and Daniel was a perfect way to continue the Karate Kid legacy, but I wish they stayed true to the original storyline.
The final season’s first two parts were released months apart from each other, which was not the best choice for the show. This season would have had more interest around it if all 15 episodes were released at the same time.
Nevertheless, the way the second part ended does leave me with some hope for the final part of Season 6. The season will wrap up with its third part on Feb. 13, 2025.
