Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 3 recap: Karate Kid sequel ends with a bang

As Cobra Kai draws to a close, here’s what goes down in the final five episodes of the Karate Kid sequel, as rival dojos compete in the Tournament of Champions.

The journey that started in 1984 when Daniel LaRusso fought Johnny Lawrence at the All-Valley Tournament is about to end with another contest at the end of Cobra Kai in the shape of the Sekai Taikai replay.

Season 6 Part 3 is the final run in the series, and if you want to know where the show is at, you can check out our list of stuff you need to remember about Cobra Kai, as well as Dexerto’s Season 6 Part 1 recap, and Season 6 Part 2 recap.

You can also head here for fan theories about the climax, or for a detailed explanation of what actually plays out, scroll down. Just beware of SPOILERS ahead.

Cobra Kai Season 6 Episode 11: ‘Into the Fire’

Season 6 Part 2 begins with fallout from Kwon’s death during the Seikai Taikai tournament, with Kreese blaming himself, and knowing there will be consequences ahead.

The episode then jumps to one month later, and those consequences are taking shape, with Robby considering giving up karate, Sam wanting to leave the Valley, Daniel acting strangely, and Amanda concerned that he’s traumatised from the events in Barcelona.

Conversely, Terry Silver wants to restart the Sekai Taiki to reclaim the tournament and honor Kwon’s memory. At least that’s what he claims. Director Gunther Braun isn’t convinced, and says he’ll need every sensei to agree if Silver wants to move ahead. Daniel isn’t convinced either, but Johnny is all for the tournament’s return, so he can see Robby win.

Meanwhile Master Kim wants revenge for what happened to Kwon, stating: “They take one of ours, we take one of theirs.” He selects Yoon as his fighter, who shows no mercy while kicking the proverbial out of his fellow students. Master Kim also sets Kim Da-Yeun a “very difficult task,” which she achieves by killing him and taking charge of Cobra Kai.

Silver reveals to Daniel and Johnny that he’s dying, and his last wish is for the Sekai Taikai to continue. His proposition is that they choose the venue and referees, while he’ll cover the costs. Daniel asks Sam, Miguel, and Robby what they want, and Sam responds with “Bring ’em on.”

Season 6 Episode 12: ‘Rattled’

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Episode 12 kicks off with a training montage, and much media attention on the rebirth of the Sekai Taikai, largely due to the Barcelona tragedy. It’s also decided that the tournament will be held in the Valley, bringing this Karate Kid story full circle.

Chozen receives a letter from Kimiko stating that she loves him as a friend, and her heart belongs to someone else. So Chozen gets drunk at a winery, and with some help and support from a friend of Daniel and Amanda – played by Showgirls and Saved by the Bell star Elizabeth Berkley – Chozen decides to pursue Kim Da-Eun.

The Miyagi-do boys use virtual reality equipment to prepare Robby for his return fight with Axel, but the training seems to make him worse, with Robby’s odds dropping from 12% to 4%.

Tory quits meaning Sam advances to the Sekai final, and the pair fight in an empty gym, where Sam reveals that she doesn’t want to attend college at nearby UCLA, but rather wishes to go on a course in Okinawa.

Johnny decides he wants to wed Carmen, so prepares for his proposal like he’s training for a fight. But before he can pop the question, Carmen’s water breaks. They end up getting married at the hospital, to the strains of an instrumental ‘Take My Breath Away,’ before Carmen gives birth to a baby girl, whom they name after Johnny’s mother, Laura.

Season 6 Episode 13: ‘Skeletons’

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The ‘Skeletons’ of Episode 13 are skeletons of the past, as Kreese and Johnny finally make peace. But they are also literal, as Daniel has a dream that takes him back to that night in 1984 when Johnny and his Cobra Kai cohorts beat him up while dressed as skeletons.

But the bulk of the episode concerns the re-staging of the Sekai Taikai tournament, and Robby’s rematch with Axel. It’s a bruising battle, with Robby taking the first point, then Axel appearing to power up, and proceeding to pummel him.

Sensei Wolf orders Axel to make his opponent “fear for his life,” and slaps him for smiling. Then when Robby comes back at Axel, Wolf orders him to do the unthinkable, which he does, by grabbing Robby’s leg, breaking his knee, and putting him out of the tournament. Axel therefore progresses to the final, and if Cobra Kai don’t name a replacement for Kwon, he becomes champion.

As for Sam, she no longer knows why she’s fighting, which ties in with what Mr. Miyagi says to her father in a dream: “Daniel-san, answer same place as always. Remember Miyagi teach win, lose, no matter. No need to fight anymore.” Daniel sees the light, and tells Sam that he wasn’t training her to fight, he was training her so she wouldn’t have to fight. So Sam elects to forfeit her bout, in the process ensuring that Mr. Miyagi’s legacy lives on.

In equally emotional scenes, Johnny acknowledges that he doesn’t know how not to fight, and tells Kreese that what happened between them in the parking lot in ’84 was the worst moment of his life, not because Kreese choked him or broke his runners-up trophy, but because he abandoned Johnny.

“You threw me away like trash, right when I needed you most,” Lawrence says through tears, “I trusted no one, least of all myself, because of you.” In response, Kreese hugs him, says he wishes there was some way to make it up to him, and tells Johnny “I’m sorry, son.”

Axel is then declared champion, but before he can receive the trophy, Miguel appears in black, to the strains of ‘Thunderstruck’ by AC/DC. He’s now fighting for Cobra Kai, with Daniel’s blessing. The episode ends with Johnny bowing to Kreese, their journey to redemption complete, and Miguel glaring at Axel, with vengeance on his mind.

Season 6 Episode 14 ‘Strike Last’

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It’s the beginning of the end in ‘Strike Last,’ with the Sensai’s preparing their students for battle. But proceedings start in the original Cobra Kai dojo, which Daniel has purchased for Johnny so he can go back to where it all began. Daniel says that he doesn’t believe in the CK style, but does believe in Lawrence.

Then it’s the women’s final, which is Tory vs “human tornado” Zara, who immediately gets into Tory’s head, ruining her focus, and putting her on the back-foot. But Johnny gives tactical advice, telling Tory that “when she’s airborne, she’s vulnerable.” While Robby tells Tory that he loves her, which gives her the strength she needs.

Rousing music kicks in, and Tory shows Zara “no f**king mercy,” by kicking her in the face, knocking Zara’s teeth out, and exclaiming, “Welcome to the valley, b*tch!” All of which results in a Tory win.

Elsewhere Miguel discovers Sam’s Okinawa application, but he’s down for it, and Silver has a go at Daniel, to which he responds – in somewhat surprising fashion – that “Cobra Kai never dies.”

Then it’s the big one – Miguel vs Axel. Miguel wins early points with a series of roundhouse kicks, but Axel does as he’s told by Wolf, and doesn’t hold back or show empathy. An overhead kicks knocks the bandana clean off Miguel’s head, before Axel is ordered to target his injured spine. Making this Cobra Kai’s “sweep the leg” moment.

But in response, Miguel goes low, and puts together a killer combination that concludes with a kick to Axel’s head that wins the bout. This makes Cobra Kai double winners, but means the overall contest ends in a 180-180 tie. So by the rules of the tournament, Sensei Lawrence now has to fight Sensei Wolf in one final match, for which Johnny asks Daniel to be his sensei.

Then it’s the shocking conclusion of Episode 14, in which Kreese follows Terry onto his yacht, and endeavours to stop him kidnapping Johnny’s wife and child. The pair decide to fight, Terry using a bottle, and Kreese his cigar. During the struggle, a gas canister spills, and Terry gets the upper hand, choking Kreese. But Kreese manages to throw said cigar at the gasoline. He shouts “Mercy!” and the boat explodes with a mighty BANG, killing them both.

Season 6 Episode 15 ‘Ex-degenerate’

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The final episode of Cobra Kai flashes back to 2017, with Johnny at his mother’s grave talking about being a loser and bemoaning the fact that no one is looking out for him. Cut to the present, and Chozen is training Lawrence, while Daniel is using the plot of Rocky to inspire him, meaning friends now most definitely have Johnny’s back.

Then there’s storylines to be wrapped up, so Miguel gets into Stanford, Tory and Robby are offered jobs touring tournaments, and in a moment that’s a little too brief, we learn that back in the day, Mr. Miyagi beat and robbed the man who stole his dead wife’s necklace. Which Daniel’s mother then gives to Sam.

The big fight follows, with Sensei Johnny going up against the fearsome Sensei Wolf, who toys with Lawrence before administering a series of illegal blows that send him to the corner bleeding. Daniel – now wearing the black of Cobra Kai – then delivers a foul-mouthed speech that harks back to the 1984 movie.

LaRusso exclaims: “What are you fighting for? Does defeat exist in your dojo. Does fear exist in your dojo? And I sure as sh*t know that pain doesn’t exist either. So stop acting like a little p*ssy, and get out there and kick the living sh*t out of this a**hole.”

Those inspiring words do the trick, and with a spinning kick to the chest, Johnny levels the scores. He then flashes back to the crane kick that defeated him in ’84, and does the opposite in the present, watching his opponent rather than running into trouble. Johnny crouches and kicks Wolf to the ground, where the pair struggle before Lawrence leaps up first, cracks Wolf in the face, and wins the tournament.

The place erupts as Cobra Kai is crowned the world’s number one dojo and Johnny and Daniel hold the trophy aloft together. Which is followed by more tying up of loose ends, which includes:

• Johnny buying a house for his family.
• The Cobra Kai kids going off to college.
• Tory and Robby making money on the tournament circuit.
• Chozen and Kim Da-Yeun getting together.
• Johnny returning to his mother’s grave a happy man.
• Miguel going to Okinawa with Sam.
• Cobra Kai opening a second dojo.

At the end of the episode, Johnny delivers a speech about learning multiple disciplines to his new students, combining the defence of Miyagi-do with the offence of Cobra Kai. While then he’s back to his old self, shouting at loser kids who he plans to turn into champions. Meaning Johnny might have learned lessons, but deep down he’s still the same old Lawrence.

That’s confirmed in the funny final scene, where Daniel is trying to catch a fly between chopsticks Miyagi-style, before Johnny claps the insect between his hands, killing it dead, and saying “No mercy!”

All six seasons of Cobra Kai are now streaming on Netflix. For more CK action, here’s every song that plays on the Season 6 soundtrack, plus everything we know about the forthcoming Karate Kid: Legends movie.