Welcome to Just Curious Media. This is Let's Talk - Cobra Kai. I'm Jason Connell, documentary filmmaker turned podcaster.
I'm Sal Rodriguez, toy collector and comedian.
Well, here we are Sal, Episode 10. The end of Season One of Cobra Kai,
I gotta tell you, I don't think I've been on such an emotional ride from a show since six feet under. I loved Breaking Bad. I was not taken on an emotional ride. I love the Sopranos. I was not taken on emotional ride. This show has taken me on an emotional ride, man.
I was on an emotional ride with Breaking Bad. But I hear you on six feet under, by the way. Fun fact my one and only acting credit. I was in an episode of Six Feet Under Wow. Season finale for I was an art show hipster at Claire's art show. FYI.
So I actually saw it later on on DVD after I had met you. And I don't remember seeing you
know, I'm in there.
I can you see yourself.
I put the clip on YouTube. Yes, it's on YouTube, my little clip, okay, I got to see that experience. And a few others led to me making my first documentary, which was called strictly background. And I followed 10 movie extras for a year trying to make it in Hollywood. But having been an extra on that show, although I got a name art show hipster. I didn't get a line. But that experience just really was moving because it was my favorite show at the time. And then here, I just moved to LA a couple months prior. And I got a call from a casting agent that asked me if I wanted to be an extra. And as soon as I said, Are you serious? I'll pay you to allow me to be on my favorite show.
I think that's so cool, though, because I've done a lot of extra work in the past years back. I was never on my favorite show. And yet you were able to be an extra on your favorite show, which is totally cool.
Nailed it. I know what you mean. And I agree with you that Cobra Kai packs that type of punch, if you will. Yeah, it does. And so here we are. Episode 10. Mercy is the title. Good title. And it's a 9.1 rating on IMDb. So we open up at the All Valley sports arena.
I couldn't believe that I was watching this unreal. It's so surreal. I know I probably used that word before in reference to the show. But just seen what's happening seen The Karate Kid. You're seeing the Karate Kid in 2019. It's amazing.
2018 this season came out last year but okay, well
I'm seeing it in 2019 Even though the episode started in 2018 as the guy that watched Six Feet Under last year. Okay, I gotta admit, I'm guilty about seeing shows later. I don't think I've seen hardly any show since the 90s that premiered and you watch it in its first run.
So Sal, I didn't know that we're going to do this. But this is the 50th anniversary of the all Valley karate championship. Yeah. 1968 to 2008. Team 50 years.
So what I want to know is who are the original champions, we know that Johnny Lawrence was two years champ. Yes. Right. So before him,
so we have 47 other champions
out there. What potentially some people may have won multiple years.
True. I wonder if Chris ever won it. Wow. Whoa, my
mind has been blown, right? Yeah. I imagine Chris when he liked the 1972. No, no, no, because he was in Vietnam. Right? Yeah. So
cost 77. No, he would have been too well. Yeah. So he
would be like 68 or 69. With some of the first ones maybe what if
other Cobra guys wanted? It wasn't just Johnny and Lawrence. What if Cobra
Kai had won all kinds of tournaments before?
Oh my gosh, there's so much to explore. So now we're doing a montage. We're sweeping we see cotton candy, there's trophies, there's black belts, etc. And there's also what type of mats,
blue and gold to be exact. They did look pretty nice. I must admit. In fact, I kind of liked them a lot. To validate the committee member who was really terrible. Yeah, Darrell was all about the blue and gold. He was onto something. I gotta admit, they do look good. I
like the old ones, too. But you gotta shake it up every now and again. It's been 50 years.
What really though, if you think about the color red for a matte blood would kind of be camouflaged
copper coated mine that. Yeah, that's true. So any guesses on ticket prices?
You know what? I've been to enough events, how I've emceed and hosted plenty of events to know that this was a good event. They had great lighting, the stage looked great. I don't think that they would have had done an event as well, if they had actually done this event in real life. Because it looks so great. On the screen now.
I agree. But what do you think it cost the public to enter? I'm going
to guess a general admission seat to the all Valley karate tournament $65 Wow. Yeah, really? Well, okay, I've been to some local MMA events and good seats around 75 to $85. So I'm knocking off 10 $20 Because it's Under 18,
I did see there was a ticket master ticket and that shop that didn't have the amount. Yes. So I mean, they're going through Ticketmaster. So you might be onto something. I would assume general admission, maybe standing room only you can get in for 10 to 25 bucks. This is a question when we have on the creators. Okay, so outside of the arena, Miguel still upset. And Bert shares a story.
Yeah, he tells the rest of the Cobra guys who are standing outside of the event center about how he saw Johnny the night before. What's so funny is that Bert is buying but like a booty Licious or something.
Burt says he's buying a carton of milk. Is that slang for big and bootylicious?
Is that what it was called? Yes.
Bert is a character porno magazine in case you didn't pick up
on a character after my own heart. So he's buying this bootylicious magazine? goes outside of the receipt of flats right? Yes, okay. And he sees drunken sensei urinating on his new Dodge Challenger.
Well new to him on the LORUSSO auto plate.
Okay, so he is drunkenly urinating on the LORUSSO and Bert ceases and he says, are you okay sensei? And then what is Johnny Lawrence? We're all gonna die kid.
Very precise moment. He had just come from the LORUSSO house. He just experienced the whole thing with Daniel training Robbie. Yeah. And this is Johnny's go to
kind of self destructive very self destruct. Yeah. But you know what, though? You know what they say that if you're a bad person, you take your pain out on other people. If you're a good person, you take your pain out on yourself. And that's what he was doing. Good person. Yeah, he is. That's his car. Yet. He's urinating on it. You know, that's some self destructive status
needs and Amanda in his life are an ally.
Yeah, yeah. He couldn't use a good woman to set him straight. Yeah. Because you know, what are we seeing? We're seeing Amanda has these moments where she has to set Daniel straight. Oh, yeah. She reels him back in all the time. Yeah. So yeah, Johnny could have used his own Amanda. Hmm, interesting.
So now Bert, Aisha and Hawk are worried that since he's not going to show up, they assume Johnny's drunk and he won't show true to his word. Here he is. This is when
you know you're an alcoholic because he's not hungover. Oh, he looks perfectly fine in eight hours
asleep. He's fully hydrated. He looks great. Yeah,
he doesn't look like he was pissing drunkenly in a parking lot that evening prior.
He's not only there, Sal. He gives an inspiring Cobra Kai speech. I believe a no mercy speech.
Yeah. And I think it's piggybacking off of his incident the night before. Yes. It's not just a metaphor for the fight itself, but just a metaphor for life. About You know, life's gonna hand you lemons. You got to kick ass. You got to keep moving forward. After Johnny gives the motivational no mercy speech. Miguel reaches in his bag to pull out a GI. And Johnny says, No, you're not wearing those. And that's when you think, oh, it's gonna happen. They're gonna wear the Cobra Kai outfit.
Set it up perfectly.
I knew that was going to happen. Yes, and I couldn't wait to see it.
So the Cobra Kai's are all inspired. I'm seeing Cobra Kai's I've never seen before. There was a lot of Cobra guys in this particular speed Cobra Kai extras. Yes. I would love to be a Cobra Kai extra. Probably too old now. Although I look young, you and I couldn't be 40 to look younger. We couldn't be extras in Cobra Kai.
I believe I could play late 30s
I think late 30s. That's like 37 I'm nailing you still in the young dad category on man. Forget about it. All right. We're at the LA Russo's residence and Daniel and Sam. That kind of bummed out. You're sitting on the sofa or not talking. And Amanda has to come in and stir the troops. She tells Daniel that they're a sponsor for this tournament. Yeah. And one of them has to be there.
Yeah, cuz Daniel was gonna sit out this event. It's not only the annual tournament of which he's on the committee. It's the 50th anniversary and he's a two time champion. Yeah. And he's sitting there on his couch depressed is daughter Sam is sitting there on the couch depressed her
secret ex boyfriend is competing. Yes. So they both look at each other and then decide to go.
Thanks to Amanda. Amanda is really the voice of reason through so much. Like all the emotions that goes on with Daniel and Johnny and Miguel and Sam. And Amanda is this beacon of light, who helps you see things clearly.
So true. Johnny needs one. So now the all Valley karate championship committee is overseeing the crowd. There's mentioned of the blue mats. Yeah. By Darrell.
And Daniel gets a hero's welcome when he was they call him champ. Yeah, they applaud him shake his hand. He's the hometown hero.
So Sal, when Daniel enters the arena, what does he see?
Oh my gosh. It's so surreal. Daniel Russo, looking at the black and white poster image of himself like a banner. Yeah. It's like this vertical banner hanging up there of himself doing the Crame.
Do they have Sports Illustrated type photographers that day back in 84?
It was a good shot. Yeah, they had their cell phones. And I guess Daniel
did hold it for a long time. So there is a chance that that really was documented in some amazing photos because proof is right here. It's in a billboard. It's a very impressive sight. And Daniel is taken aback by it.
He's taken it himself, and he's taking it all in, at that moment, a very powerful moment. I mean, just seeing him stare at himself. And you're watching that as a viewer. Like, am I really seeing this? Am I seen Daniel Russo, the Karate Kid, now older looking back at himself? It was an amazing moment.
You want one of those banners, don't you? I do. So now Miguel is mother and grandmother arrive, and his grandmother stoned.
The grandmother is totally cool. The grandma smoking weed before the event. The grandma was supportive of Miguel taking karate in the first place before Miguel's mother was even supportive of it. That's right. And she's there at the tournament, rooting on her grandson along with her daughter
and the $65 seats. So now we hear the chat. Cool Brock Kai Cobra Kai, because Daryl, the advocate of the blue mats and gold fist is the announcer this year. Yeah. And he's introducing all these dojos who are already on the mats. Yes. But Cobra Kai is not upfront and you know, and we hear this chant and they come from behind the bowels of the stadium. And what are they wearing?
This is where we see present day Cobra Kai wearing the classic Cobra Kai black ease with the cut off sleeves outfit
except for Aisha and maybe it's a female version. But yeah, the guys were cut off sleeves but John has been wearing one the whole season.
Wait, I You should wasn't wearing she had long sleeve. Okay, interesting. Okay,
so they come entering and they just look for lack of a better word. They look badass. Yeah.
It was a fantastic moment.
future episodes we're gonna have to Don Kobrick Aggies, and do this podcast
because they sell Cobra cookies off to Michael I'm gonna totally wear one.
So the next person introduced is an unaffiliated fighter from North Hills, Robbie. Sal are we led to believe Robbie is ready to compete in a tournament.
I gotta admit, I was surprised to see Robbie, I was just surprised that he was there. Because yeah, Daniel didn't put them in.
And Miguel and them have at least been sparring and fighting and challenged other people. Robbie had, well, very similar to Daniel and karate kid. He just kind of learned some stuff from Mr. Miyagi. Next thing we know Dan is a black belt. And listen, I'm not poking holes in the Bible, the Karate Kid. But this was very reminiscent of
that. You can argue. Should any of them be there?
Should any of them be black belts already?
Yeah. I mean, I don't know what the protocol is. I don't know how long it takes. I know that I have referenced some mixed martial arts fighters. I know like one guy named BJ Penn or they call the Prodigy picked up Brazilian jujitsu very quickly. You have some people who can move along on the belts, maybe quicker than others. But yeah, but I was surprised to see Robbie come out. And I thought, Okay, this is a little more interesting now. Yes, because really, we have more of a vested interest before when we only had Miguel. Now Rob is in the tournament. And we're starting to like Robbie, now we're starting to give him a chance. He's taken a turn for the better. He's revealing himself to be a more sensitive person, not just a punk kid. So who do I root for now? You're torn. I am torn.
So in Miguel's first match, his first move. I was so shocked. Is the crane. Yeah,
I was shocked that they did that right away.
Johnny goes over to him and struck him. Gives Daniel a look. Not only does Miguel do the crane, but his execution of it was flawless. Yeah. Like he floored that guy. Well,
so this goes back to what we talked about. I believe in the Karate Kid special. Legal not legal. Is that kick legal? I guess it is.
And the Karate Kid. Ali was giving Daniel the rules because she had been to enough tournaments haven't dated Johnny for a few years. And she said headshots are illegal. So I always thought the crank kick was legal. Johnny argued. Of course Johnny did some things to Daniel that he didn't get D queued for
Yeah, I figured that they would build up to the crane if at all now
I'm glad they just did it right. I was surprised to see them do it right um, I was just doing get it over with and not think it's gonna be a thing. Okay, well,
I got it out of the way. Yeah, it did.
So we're kind of going around seeing different Cobra guys fighting Miguel wins his first match. And now we see I used to fight
and am I mistaken here or is I Isha fighting guys? No, she's fighting guys. I waited for the second fight just to make sure I mean, I'm okay with it. I just didn't get why it was happening. It's
A great point. I know that for instance, I play in a lot of soccer leagues, if a woman wanted to join a men's team, she's permitted. So this might be the same instance, like Aisha has the right to fight in this tournament fight against men if she wants to.
And she is the only female fighting this tournament. And in the original Karate Kid, there were no females in the tournament whatsoever.
Exactly. So I think it's one of those things you can always fight out. For instance, back in high school, I was taking Taekwondo, and I was part of a group called The Wild Bunch. We would go to tournaments, and you have the option to fight up. And maybe in a white or yellow belt then, but you can fight people your own belt class. Yes. But you can also fight up. Yes. And I said, Yeah, I want to fight the blues and I'll fight browns because I was bigger than some and stronger and they let
me do they go by weight classes? No, they don't
ages and your belt classification. I was back when I was in high school.
Well, no, because when we're watching Cobra Kai and seeing the tournament take place we saw some little people fight some bigger people. Yeah. If you were to go to a mixed martial arts or boxing or whatever, you're gonna see different weight classes.
Yeah, this is much like what I saw age and belt. And so I think back to this whole thing. I think if they signed her up, and she's not afraid to fight men, they're not going to get in their way. Wow. Which makes sense. Yeah, well, she
does kick some ass that's for sure.
So I used to scores a point against a good Challenger and she's doing well. A quick shot to hawk who wins his first match.
Yes. And then Moon is in the audience. And she says he's so hot. Oh, cuz doesn't Hawk takes off his shirt. He flexes his tattoo. Yeah, Hawk with
his first match. And he pulls a brandy chest stain from the US Women's 1999 soccer team when they won the World Cup, and he pulls off his Cobra Kai top. He's flexing he's showing his Hawk on is back. And it's gone crazy. Yeah. And Dimitri is rolling.
Dimitri, you got to flip the script, my friend.
So next, we see Bert fighting. And
when Bert gets out there, he's so tiny. He should be fighting other tiny people. Instead, he's fighting some tall dude. It was reminiscent of Kareem Abdul Jabbar fighting Bruce Lee,
and the game of death.
Remember that a giant footprint on the chest. That's what this was all over.
I'll never forget. So now Miguel is moving through the ranks. And he is now in the semis. And he looks over at Sam. And she's just annoyed. Yeah. And surprisingly enough, Robbie has also advanced to the semifinals.
Yeah, Robbie's advancing, Hawk is advancing. Miguel is advancing.
He is in a very tough match against Xander stone, last year's champion, who so I gotta say, this guy's got some moves. Just the
fact that I Isha is even they're going toe to toe with last year's champion. I mean, he was pretty badass.
So I think about Xander as well. But wow, this
guy is pretty badass. And he's doing all these moves. Right? He was flipping around. I have to think that was not maybe necessarily karate. Some of the stuff he was doing like like capoeira, the Brazilian dance martial art. We were doing all these flips. I mean, because he looked like he was going above and beyond just karate.
Yeah, he's it looks like a gymnast. Yeah, he was doing some pretty amazing. Yeah. Reminds me of gym kata.
Yeah, yeah, I remember that. I remember Jim Carter. I'm still at my Isha. She did her best. She loses
by one point. She leaves mad because she's, you know, her father's in the Hall of Fame and football and she's a gamer. She's an athlete.
So she heads back to the locker room kind of defeated, though. We only see
a cockfight once, but we assume he won again because he's the fourth contestant in the semi finals. Yes. So we have two Cobra Kai's in the finals. Miguel and hawk. We have Robbie and we have last year's champion. Yeah, it's a pretty good mix. Yes. Xander stone, and Xander gives a speech. Yes. Which is hilarious.
Well, you want to get the audience on your side is what he was trying to.
I think he put some of the audience asleep. But his mother brought a tear to his mother's eyes. superfan mother, by the way. Yeah.
Yeah. You would also another term would be stage mom is what they call that very much. You have these parents that are very involved in their kids life. Not that I would know anything about that. But you know, you have these super parents is what she was she has her face painted and everything's like she's there to see a football team.
So now we see Sam and I usually finally get a chance to talk and make up
was Sam goes to the locker room to attempt to console Asia and apologize to her.
And they make some jokes. They joke about the famous wedgie. Yeah. And what does
Sam say? Tonisha I think it was a vagina wedgie. Right.
She said you toward he has been a new vagina. Yeah. Ouch.
That was that was that's what I'm gonna call the reverse wedgie. Probably painful too.
So next up, Miguel and Xander have an epic battle. Yeah. I mean this is like Xander to me. is a legit fighter in any form. And Miguel looks incredible.
And the whole time I'm watching I'm really trying to find the stunt double. I couldn't see it.
I didn't see one either.
I think that these guys were I think Miguel was doing his own thing. I don't think there was a martial arts stunt double
Miguel doesn't just when he wins three to one,
Miguel is doing really fantastic. But there is a but I was concerned that Miguel was going to start letting his emotions overtake him. And if you remember when Johnny Lawrence went toe to toe with Daniel Russo in the original tournament in 1984, I think that Johnny was too emotional. If you remember, he's kind of shaking a little bit. His fists were kind of shaking. I think he was too emotional. I was worried that's what was happening to Miguel. I thought he was getting too emotionally worked up along the way.
Well, I think Daniel, in the Karate Kid had to face so many Cobra guys, unlike Robbie in this situation, but when I'm talking about Rob, you're talking about Miguel. So I saw it a little bit differently. But it's a fair point. It's the first time Miguel has ever been in such a environment. Yeah. So it's the first tournament for most of these people, other than Xander and some of the other contestants. Yeah. Yes, it's a little far fetched to believe that the finals are three of our young people from the show. But hey, that's Hollywood. And so Miguel wins. And now Robbie is going to face hawk. And Daniel still will not join Robbie. So Robbie is not only unaffiliated. He's got no coach. No parents there to see him. But onlookers Johnny's keeping a curious eye on Robbie, as is Daniel. But he's all alone. I gotta give Robbie a lot of credit. Yeah,
I was just gonna say that. You got to hand it to Robbie. None of us thought he would even be there. The fact that he's there, sign himself up.
And he's got a semi finals. Yeah,
I mean, that's pretty badass.
He's a tough kid.
This is where it yeah, this is where I'm starting to get on to Team Robbie here. Oh, yeah. I was like, wow, you know, I'm impressed. So far. Very impressed.
So now he's facing hawk. And I gotta admit it Sal, I love how Hawk entered the ring. Yeah, he
hops up and then stomps onto the mat.
He just looks tough. He looks menacing.
He does. Like I said he reminds me of one of my favorite UFC fighters. Dan Hardy, Dan Hardy used to fight with a mohawk, bigger than Chuck Liddell, Chuck Liddell had a mohawk too, but Dan Hardy had a tall Mohawk just like hawk. Yeah, he looks great. Well, if
Hawk doesn't have a career in martial arts, he could have won in the WWE at some point in time, probably. So yeah, he's a good persona. And that goes a long way in that world. Yeah. Speaking of Chuck Liddell, I met him one time really, I tweaked my back in soccer, and gone to a very legitimate massage therapist. And as I come out, Chuck Liddell is there in the lobby with his wife, and he's really sore. I guess he had just started fighting again, this is last year
last year. I think that's what he was preparing for his fight against Tito Ortiz.
And so we're both in the lobby together. And he just looks so menacing, really? That he's still got the Mohawk. Yes, he just looks it is do not want to grapple with a guy like that.
Yeah, well, he left well, I don't know if he left UFC he retired from UFC. Apparently still was on the payroll of UFC in some sort of administrative fashion, I guess. Later on leaves UFC entirely, I believe and goes to fight for Bellator. So he recently fought within the last year against Tito Ortiz and Bellator. And I, oh, I think he got knocked out by Tito Ortiz. And you know, both these guys are old UFC champs. Yeah. So this was it was bittersweet to see it's a tough game. Yeah, it is. And yeah, these guys are paying the price physically. Yeah, I could imagine the stuff that they have to carry with him for the rest of their lives, the damage joints and so forth. But yeah, I really enjoyed seeing the Hawks progress, not only as a character, but here he's really kicking ass at this tournament.
He takes a one Oh, lead. And Johnny is Sensei to hawk when he's also father to rob. Yes, that's right. And he's torn. And he's watching this fight. And so you don't even hear Johnny yell instructions? Yes. Much like you do. Daniel, he chimes in from the sidelines finally, telling Ravi to find that balance, teaching him to find that balance. And so what is Robbie? Do
he flashbacks to being at the lake? Hearing the sound of nothing or hearing just the sound of nature? And he takes that mindset brings it into the tournament immediately
and quickly ties things up. One on one. Yeah. Almost getting into using the force a little Luke Skywalker going on. And Anthony's excited. That guy likes a good fight, kid. So now Robbie and Hawk have words. Yeah, and Hawkesbury Very emotional. And once you do
see this made me upset, because I really was looking forward to seeing hawks advancement. Not knowing where this tournament is gonna go. I mean, couldn't you conceivably have Miguel fight Hawk at some point? Yes. Right. You can have Cobra Kai versus Cobra Kai. It's possible.
Quick aside. Back when I was fighting with the Wild Bunch, there were some finals that we would fight each other. Wow. And you did? You did one of us is getting first place and one of us is getting second place. So you're absolutely right. That could have happened. Yeah.
So I'm looking forward to seeing how this is going to pan out. So then at one moment, Robbie has his back turned to hawk hawks, all emotional and hot headed. pissed off about something Robbie said some sort of insult that Robbie says, kicks him in the back gets disqualified. I was very upset when that happen.
D cued. He didn't just catch him in the back. It hit his shoulder and Robbie's genuinely hurt, but no need for it. Is Hawk now banned from future Valley
tournaments for 35 years Hawk will be banned from the valley.
I agree with you. I was very disappointed. I wanted to see this fight play out. Yeah. And true to the original movie, you're gonna get little things like this happen. And well,
again, if you're creating this parallel to the original motion picture, the Karate Kid, there was a Cobra Kai that got disqualified. Right. So this was in the tradition of the original.
But that particular student immediately apologized to Daniel for hurting him. Hawk hasn't learned anything.
We'll also hop kick Robbie in the back where there wasn't even the match in session. Right? It was in between the sets, right? So it's sort of an awkward moment. It's like you can't excuse that whatsoever.
So now Daniel goes back to meet Robbie in the locker room. Meanwhile, we see Gianni who comes across a photo of crease SL crease has a lifetime ban. Would they not have removed this photo?
Crease and Cobra Kai were lifetime banned from the tournament and yet there's a photo of crease in the wall.
I think that would have been removed. Interesting.
Ah, why was he up there? Maybe maybe this is a foreshadow of Sandy. I didn't recognize
him. I didn't say his name. So who wouldn't have remembered him from the 80s? That's
funny. Yeah, you're right. Why was it up there? But it was and Johnny's looking at it. And I at first thought that he was going to eavesdrop and hear Daniel talking to Robbie. I did too. But that didn't happen. But Daniel is almost in this moment. Kind of making a peace with Johnny and Robbie.
And he's not trying to get in the middle of anything.
No, in fact, in this moment right now, I was proud of Daniel. I was still I was I was proud of what he was doing, because he was taking his role as a sensei taking his role as a mentor, but not trying to detract from Robbie's relationship with Johnny.
So we find out that Robbie really is in pain. It wasn't this his back, one of his shoulders was impacted by the kick. And he
was back there by himself. You know, this is going back to what you mentioned before with the previous episode, when there was the moment with Johnny, Daniel Robbie in the LORUSSO Dojo at the end of the last episode, episode nine, and then Robbie's left by both mentors and fathers. Yeah. And again, he's back there a lot. And I'm kind of actually feeling sorry for
mine. He's got no one back there. Honestly,
where's his mom? Why is it his mom understands routing, or she's
probably traveling somewhere.
I'm sorry, honey, I had a second date from Tinder. I couldn't make it to your karate
tournament. She's got an agenda. Okay,
so Daniel is there
soling. And well, we know that Robbie is in pain. Yeah. And so Daniel of all things, he starts to do the Miyagi hand track. Yeah.
What do you think he's really going to do it?
When he first did it? I thought, really, but they played it perfectly. Because he starts to do it. And then he just says medic. He knows he couldn't do it, I think would have been hokey if he had executed it.
Well, because Daniel is not Miyagi. No, he's not. Mr. Miyagi, didn't create a mini Miyagi. That's a good point. Right? So yeah, Daniel couldn't do that. Even though Daniel has come a long way from his beginnings and so forth, and he's evolved as a person. But no, he couldn't do what Miyagi did.
And I'm glad the show refrained from playing it out that way. That was a really funny moment. It was it was funny. I laughed out loud. And the way Daniel played it was perfect. Yeah. So now we see Miguel and Sam, and they're talking briefly trying to make up but Miguel continues to get in his own way. And getting frustrated and him and Sam just can't move forward. And Amanda's taking Sam and Anthony home.
Yeah, they've had enough while Sam walks back to Amanda and says, I need to go home.
Right? Well, Sam says I'm going to Uber home and Amanda says, no, no, we'll take tax Daniel from the car. So they're missing the finals.
I don't know why Anthony had to leave though. Because Daniel still there, right.
I guess he's preoccupied. Okay.
I was kind of hoping that Anthony just could have stayed. I mean, he was enjoying the fights. I know. But they father son moment. Yeah. But they took him to So Amanda, Sam Anthony out of there.
The watch on ESPN later. Yeah. So we find out that Robbie was in real pain. He had a slight shoulder dislocation and the medic pops it back in and says you're gonna have pain for the next few weeks
there. She gives him an ice pack. And I don't assume that medic is thinking he's gonna go back and fight at that moment.
No, but he wants to Yeah, very much like Daniel did and the Karate Kid. Yeah. And so so at this point, who are you rooting for?
Ya see. So this is that moment where I'm thinking cheese if Robbie and Miguel face off. Because I'm starting to feel for Robbie at this point. Right. And Miguel is a great guy. Yeah, I'm on Team Miguel. Now I gotta get on Team Robbie, I'm giving him a chance. I'm having a lot of sympathy for Robbie also his character. I don't know who to root for. I guess I don't root I just watch and see what happens. And hopefully
there's no D queuing. Ah, that would have made me so angry. So now Daryl is doing a big introduction for the finals. Yeah. And Miguel and the Cobra Kai team are introduced. And Robbie is about to be introduced. And as an homage to the Karate Kid. Yes. We hear Darrell say Daniel Russo's gonna coach. Yes. If you remember, from the Karate Kid, it was
Daniel Russo is gonna fight Daniel Russo is gonna fight.
And so what a great thing as writers as creators that you got to create this moment. I love these parallels. And so now we find out that Robbie is not only going to fight, but he's affiliated.
Daniel Russo is on the committee. And he's going to come out and coach, one of the fighters. I'm just wondering, is that not a conflict of interest?
Good point. But assuming they were cool with it, he is champion their eyes he can do no wrong, although we couldn't get Cobra Kai to stay out of the tournament. So Robbie is affiliated with Miyagi dough karate, and he's going to be coached by Daniel Russo. Yep. And this match. Yeah. Great moment.
Who was the woman who ran out and says Daniel Russo is going to coach because remember, it was a who wasn't originally he's one of the committee's she was a committee member who wasn't in karate kid that ran out. It was a woman. There was Ali. It was Ali. Okay, Ali ran out. She's got to tell them that. Okay, got it. Oh, yeah. So it's a wonderful homage. And see, this is why I always say if you love Cobra Kai, please watch karate kid because you're gonna be able to see these little easter eggs. Yeah. Flashback homage. Yeah, it's these little moments where you go, Aha.
So you should definitely go back. If you haven't already, and listen to our special edition podcast on the Karate Kid. Okay, so Sal, at this point, no Cobra Kai knows that Robbie is Johnny's son. Correct?
I don't think any Cobra Kai know that. No,
I don't think first thing that knows is Johnny and Daniel, Johnny and
Daniel are the only people in the room who know who Robbie is. In relation to Johnny. Yes.
Okay. So right out of the gate. Robbie scores a quick point. One Oh, Miguel rallys. ties it up. One One. And this is a pretty good battle. They have very different styles. You can tell that Robbie has been trained more in a Steven Seagal type of manner where it's defensive. Let them come to you. And
yeah, it is counted in mixed martial arts. One of my favorite fighters is Anderson Silva. And if you watch Anderson Silva fight, defensive fighter, counter puncher, you let the fighter come to you, which is kind of how I am. I'm kind of more by instinct, counter puncher defensive fighter.
And that's what Daniel was in the Karate Kid. Yeah,
I think I mean the crane, he could stand and hold the crane. And then Johnny approaches him. Right, that is a defensive maneuver.
I always wanted if you just didn't approach the crane. They'd be standing eventually our calf would just give it and then you go in. If you wait out the crane, I like to go behind the curve. So I also think it's a product of the environment. And they're not in the classroom, like I talked about earlier. They're not sparring. So I think it was just the way he was trained. And that might have been Miyagi, his way anyway, but Daniel had the same situation with Robbie when they trained it was just one on one not too much sparring, or the Cobra Kai ways Attack, attack attack, and I'm not saying one way or the other is better. It's good to be well versed in both Sure, but Robbie is doing a very good job of this. And Miguel is a really good attacker. Yeah, I think it's another great fight. Well choreographed, if you will,
again, I'm looking to spot the stunt doubles. I couldn't I mean, maybe if I would have paused it, but I didn't pause it. But I watched it just trying to see the stunt double it didn't see it. I'm thinking maybe they did their own fighting sequence. I like it. Yeah, it was a really great job. But again, right here is where I started to worry about Miguel. Yes, because I started to see the emotion Cobra Kai,
you know, as it's the dark side, that's what it is. And if you start to embrace it, it will just somehow seep out and he hits the sore shoulder.
Oh, yeah. He goes in for the kill. Then he sweeps
the leg. Another homage. And his scores a great point. All legal. Yeah. To one lead.
Well, you know, again, as a fight fan all my life but especially since the UFC at 93. Watching fights for decades now. When your opponent has a weakness, you exploit it. Of course, if I know your shoulder is bad, I'm going for it. If I know your knees bad, I'm going for it. That's what you do.
I agree. And I think Miguel is fine and a good fair fight. Sure. He knows the shoulder is bad, but he's in a fight. Yeah, for a championship.
It's not about fighting dirty. It's about just exploiting the weakness that is present. Yeah. And so
Miguel is also not taking cheap shots, meaning DQ and kicking someone in the back when they're not looking in a real boxing match. Once you cut a boxer, you want to open up that well. Yeah, that's what you're doing is technical. It's strategy. Sure. So I think the second point was fine. All legal moves. Yeah. And so now Robbie is in pain. And Johnny's concerned, he almost kinda yells out to Ravi, he doesn't know what to do. Again. That's his son out there and his own students are looking at him. Yeah, so that's a tough spot. That is a very
tough spot. Your son is out there against your protege. That's a tough position to be in.
And when Robbie gets back up, he's only got one hand now. One usable hand. Yeah, for this next sequence. Sure.
He has his left arm in the almost like it's in a sling, but it's not exact. It's against his body at a 90 degree bend.
So Miguel forces Robin to the ground and an exchange while on the ground. Robbie digs in deep. And what is he do?
This was foreshadowed in the beginning of the last episode, Episode Nine Season One, the single arm handstand. But unlike at the skate park, leading into a kick,
it's Miyagi secret kick. You only Mr. Miyagi has done this, as far as we know. Well, we never even saw it in the Karate Kid. Never. And Daniel has never executed it. Yeah, obviously,
Robbie has some special characteristics that he's able to do this almost magical move that even Daniel Russo wasn't ever able to do. This is the sequence I actually do always believe is that when you mentor somebody, they become better than you. And then they mentor somebody. They become better than that Robbie
has Johnny Lawrence's blood in him. Yeah. Maybe the only other person that can do this move is Samantha Larissa.
Okay, that'll go for. Yeah, that would be interesting. We may see that at some point. So this
is a really amazing scene. He does the one arm handstand, and he does a double leg kick scores a point. Yeah, it is now to two.
As a matter of fact, I have to say as far as moves in the whole Karate Kid Cobra Kai folklore, would almost say that surpasses the crank kick. Yeah. I mean, not only with impressiveness, but difficulty. I mean, yeah, I think that blows away the crank officially.
So Miguel is down. Robbie walks over with the one hand, it's now two, two, and he extends his right hand. His healthy hand is not injured hand to help Miguel up to they can continue the battle. And what does Miguel do?
Miguel yanks on his arm,
the injured on the other arm.
He did that intentionally. Now, is that fighting dirty? Yes, that is because they're not officially engaged in the fight at that moment.
But he does yank the arm immediately hurting stressing that you know that shoulder dislocation more. Yeah. And so now he falls and he's in much more agony and pain. Very reminiscent of Karate Kid. Sure. And yes, because Johnny did a move. could have got him DQ didn't this very well. Could have been had everyone seen it? Yeah. And we're not sure what's going to happen. Can Robbie even continue? So there was a break? And Johnny talks to Miguel? Yeah.
Well, you know, it's almost like Johnny's trying to say to Miguel at this moment, to kind of be reasonable. Take it easy. He uses the expression don't fight dirty, quote unquote. But Miguel, I don't think even understands. There is no fighting dirty. There's only fighting to win, because that's all he's been taught. That's what he's been taught. So now, it's almost like Johnny's instruction is coming back to bite him.
Johnny is now seeing some of the flaws with crease his teachings and now he's looking at his own pupils and realizing Yeah, I gotta change that.
Well, would that flaw be the No Mercy mindset? Are there not times to deliver mercy to give mercy?
So he tries to explain this to Miguel who's having none. No way he's heated up, he's bad. All his emotions is adrenaline's kicking in
I just want to say this because this is totally reminiscent. All my years of watching fights. One thing I enjoy watching is I enjoy hearing the coaching between the rounds. And one thing I've always noticed is the fighters never listened to the coaching. Fighters are in their own universe during the fight. When the coaches are like put up your hands, you need to let your hands go more, you need to deliver some kicks more. They never listen. I pay attention all the time. The fighters never listened to coaching. And this is just another example of that. Miguel was not trying to hear it
from being an athlete for most of my life to this day. Coaching needs to happen before battle. Yeah, you do not listen at that point. You're running on instinct. You're taking everything you've learned and now you're in battle. Yeah, the
coaching is officially over. It's over. Yeah, Miguel says no mercy.
So we go back it's to to the fight continues. Robbie's obviously injured. And Miguel best him. He scores a point. He is a stronger fighter this day. Had it been a healthy Ravi. It might even just gone longer. It's a toss up. You had a really evenly matched they have very different styles, but they're both quite good fighters. But in a tournament setting a point system. It's anyone's ballgame with these guys. Well, but
also you would have to and I'd hate to do it. You'd have to credit Hawk for injuring, robbing. Yeah, because yeah, an uninjured Robbie may have bested Miguel. So a member of Cobra Kai pre injured Robbie. And then Miguel then comes in for the
kill much lighter Karate Kid. But the difference between Daniel one in the yes, if Miguel and Robbie fought in the street match. Street Fight. Yeah, I don't know who wins that either. It's kind of like Apollo Creed verse. Rocky Balboa.
Yeah. If you have equal strength, if you have equal skill, then it just depends on the day.
Exactly. So these guys fight 10 times. It might be five, five, it might be six, four. I don't know. Yes, Robbie's injured, but Miguel still may have bested him. Yeah.
Because then you would go into what they call the rubber match. Yeah, it could be anybody's ballgame.
And that's how I look at these two. In future episodes, if they meet again, to me, it's always a clean slate. No one would ever beat the other 110 times in a row. No, it's just too evenly matched. Yeah. And so we
saw how good Robbie did in spite of an unusable arm. I mean, he was fighting one handed for a while,
but he also was taught the right way that suits that. Had he been taught under the Cobra Kai banner. Yeah, one arm and he's trying to be the attacker. He probably wouldn't have fared as well. No. So it's all circumstantial. All that to say, Miguel wins the big trophy.
And he got on the microphone, which was surprising. He's swarmed
by Cobra Kai. He's given the microphone. Yeah. And who does he think he thinks
his sensei? He Thanks, Johnny Lawrence. If it weren't for my sensei, I wouldn't be here. That's really nice. A wonderful tribute.
And Johnny wants to go check on Robbie. Yeah.
And he takes the trophy with him, which I thought was interesting. I thought for a second he was going to take the trophy and had the turabi I thought for a half second at the same I was thinking, Oh my God, is he going to do that? But no, he didn't do that. But he did go over. And there was a very special moment where he said, I'm sorry, to Robbie. I guess it was sort of like I felt that was like, I'm sorry for everything. Yeah, like, I'm really, I'm almost gonna cry. Like I'm sorry for our lives. I'm sorry for not being a good dad. Everything's Yeah, it was just a really tender moment at that moment. And then also, Robbie's walking out with Daniel wine. Robbie
also forgave him. Yeah, it was a very Daniel hand about moment nicely as well. But I noticed that Robbie didn't have a second place trophy in his hands. And they have those. Johnny had one that is since they broke.
Oh, yes. Yes. So yeah, Robbie should have gotten a second place trophy. album this year. Maybe they decided to do away with the second place
after they spent the money in the blue mats. Yeah.
You know what, we spent all the money on mats and lighting, but $65
tickets. So you say? Anyway, Miguel is elated. And now he's celebrating with his family. But you can tell that he's looking elsewhere. He's scanning the crowd for
Sam. Yeah. And she took off with her mother and her brother
Dimitri says that she left a while ago and which kind of bums out Miguel on this great moment that he's serving
as well because not only was she not there at that very moment, but she You didn't get to see him when she didn't get to see his glorious moment.
That'd be like Daniel winning without Ali nearby. Yeah, it's a bit empty.
No, I know when you when you have a glorious moment you want somebody to sit.
So the all Valley karate championship under 18 tournament was a success. The 50th anniversary was a hit. Yep. We have things to build on for next year. You have Xandra I'm not sure he's under 18 anymore. But you had bested a two time champ.
In fact, I think what we're learning is that once you want to that's it. That's it. You cannot want to throw there's no three time
most likely. I don't know their ages. But Miguel would come back next year to defend his title because I think he's probably 1617
Oh, that's a thought maybe by the time you it comes to a third defense of your title. You're too old. Yeah,
of course. We've never talked about the all Valley over at Oh,
that's a whole nother thing. Do they have that? Oh my gosh,
think about this. Daniel verse Gianni, and the masters and the 50. The senior tour.
It would be the Masters tournament.
So now we've left the tournament. And we're back at La Rousseau's and Sam is in the dojo, looking at photos. And what does she do? Well,
there was a moment when Sam was talking to I Isha. And Sam was saying something like it was great to see you out there. And then he says we could use more girls out there. And then Sam, you could tell a little light bulb goes off in her and now she's doing some is a Kata,
but she does like a total gymnastic.
She does a whole flip. And that's where you're thinking what Mantis got moved. Wow. I wonder if she'll find Aisha one day and never know. I think from what we've seen so far. Sam when she does these moves periodically, is that she's pretty badass.
Yeah. And she's got LORUSSO blood.
Yeah. Wow, maybe one day she'll fight Robbie. Or they're on the same team. Well, yeah, yeah, cuz right now Robbie is Miyagi dough.
So now we cut to Daniel driving Robbie home. And Robbie is now holding a second place trophy. Oh, so maybe they give it to you on the way out.
Okay, interesting. I didn't even notice that. So that's a good thing to notice. And you don't know where they're going because they start going somewhere else. And then I think Robbie's like, where we going? Did you know where they were going? No, not until they got there.
A huge surprise to me as well. They go to me Yagis home?
Yeah. Yeah, I only knew that because I started seeing the cars.
And you saw the one car Yes. car with the TARP was slightly raised. Yes.
So Daniel has been keeping me Yagis house just intact, keeping the cards. They're almost keeping it as a shrine. Right. But now he flips the lights. And he says Welcome to Miyagi dough, karate.
Wow, we're gonna need more students, which is amazing. Because he had this dojo in his home. And then for the last decade plus of his life, he's built an empire with lira. So Otto, and now is the time to go and reenergize Miyagi. He's home. Yeah, that environment that he learned in years ago.
It's almost like, okay, Daniel, now that you've raised a family have a successful business. Now, let's get down to what you're really here for.
Exactly. And now we're back at the Cobra Kai dojo, Johnny's getting drunk, and he's got the trophy. Which begs the question, Does that not belong to Miguel? Or they give the studio trophy as well?
Did Miguel hand the trophy to Johnny?
I don't remember. Lots of trophy handling.
Oh, no. You remember, Johnny was the last person to be holding that trophy that we saw. Remember when he went to apologize to his son, when he's walking out with Daniel. He had the trophy in his hand. So I never saw me go with the trophy, except in the very beginning when they hand it to him, right.
Yeah, maybe he just took it back to the dojo for Miguel. Yeah. So there's Johnny. Having reached his goal. He's got a pupil who won the championship,
but it's bittersweet because people beat his own son. He's conflicted and injured him didn't just beat him, injured him further. So I don't think Johnny is feeling too good right now.
I think John is also thinking about what kind of sense that he wants to be and who
he became and who he's becoming. And what he's teaching these kids. Because I think at that moment, he's realized that he is now crease.
So maybe it's not going to be strike first. And maybe it will be striker guard. But it probably won't be no mercy. I could be wrong
sometimes. Mercy, mercy when needed. He's drinking. Yes. being sad vocal, Johnny. Sure. Yeah. It's a typical moment for him, actually. Yeah. And I gotta say, when a visitor arrives, I did not know who it was.
And you hear the jingle of the door. And who do we see?
Well, very first, you don't know you see a silhouette until he starts talking. And then you go Ah, that's who it is. It's crease. Crease arrives at the Cobra Kai dojo, smoking a cigar believable. I could not believe it when I saw this.
Not too many episodes ago, Johnny said the crease was dead. Yes. And Harry is alive and well and the Cobra Kai dojo and what does he say? I know you could do it, you get Cobra Kai back on top. And I don't even know what Johnny's thinking. Because Johnny's artists started to process things about how he's going to change and evolve and how Chris was probably wrong about a lot of things. Yeah. But here he is faced with his own demons. And the last time we know that they saw each other, he tried to kill him.
Okay, so when Johnny Lawrence said that Chris was dead? Was he lying? Or did he think Chris was dead?
I think that in his heart, maybe the crease that he knew was dead to him. He wanted him to be dead or wanted him to be dead. Yeah, but what a cliffhanger ending.
Yeah, I'm assuming crease was actually hidden in the crowd somewhere, probably wearing a baseball cap or something, you know, so he wouldn't be recognized. He saw what went down, comes to the dojo to confront Johnny almost like saying, Hey, I'm back in your life. He's like, imposing his presence. And I'm just wondering, What the hell is Johnny gonna do with this? What is he going to do with crease? Now?
You're gonna have to watch season two, so.
Okay, well, I just want the listeners to know that I've seen episodes one through 10 of season one, only. I have not seen season two. I don't know what the hell's gonna happen.
Here's what happens. I'm gonna tell you. So first of all, bravo to show creators, actors. Everybody involved with Season One of Cobra Kai. It was more than I ever could have hoped for.
I have to second that. I did not know what I was getting into. I won't even say I went into it with an open mind. I kinda was like, Cobra Kai, what? I was almost like, you know, whatever. But I'm telling you, though, I'm totally cut out. No Mercy,
I knew that you would be. So it has been an incredible 10 episodes wonderful season. We hope you enjoy our podcast and our passion and love and knowledge and hopefully some humor. And we hope you listen to previous episodes, look for special edition episodes like the Karate Kid, and hopefully others to come. And we're gonna come back with Season Two. So please subscribe to us on Apple iTunes or anywhere else. You get your podcast
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