Movies News Talk
The much awaited sixth season of Cobra Kai featured shocking turns and decisions made by the show's protagonist, Johnny Lawrence. Following a protracted conflict with Daniel La Russo, the two former rivals finally teamed together combining their dojos, Eagle Fang and Miyagi-do. Deciding the name of the newly created dojo presented a significant obstacle even if the unification promised a better future. This paper explores the important choice Johnny made to retain the name "Miyagi-Do" and its ramifications for the development of his character.
Johnny Lawrence has changed quite remarkably over the run of the show. From the haughty and explosive opponent in the first Karate Kid movies, Johnny has developed into a more sympathetic and forgiving person. His choice to embrace Miyagi-Do's legacy, which reflects his continuous path of personal development, most shows this change. "That's a big decision for him," actor William Zabka who plays Johnny Lawrence said in a recent interview. Following Cobra Kai, he opened Eagle Fang, which is essentially the only thing in his life karate-wise, that he created from scratch. Concession and joining Miyagi-Do is therefore a major decision and conflict for him. He wants nothing to do with John Kreese, though, and Eagle Fang is sort of a step-child of Cobra Kai. He is changing and deciding that the legacy of Miyagi-Do should be the one to live on. For Johnny, that's a major step.
Founded by the venerable Mr. Miyagi, Miyagi-do stands for a values of respect, balance, and personal development. By choosing to carry on this legacy, Johnny shows his will to reject Cobra Kai's austere and forceful lessons. With its emphasis on discipline, compassion, and self-discovery, he has come to see that the Miyagi-Do ideas more closely fit his own developing values.
Although Johnny accepts the name "Miyagi-Do," he also insists on including an element of Eagle Fang into the dojo's logo, so indicating a harmonic fusion of the two karate forms. A symbolic depiction of the two dojos' unity, the new logo shows an eagle flying over a bonsai tree. While embracing the values of Miyagi-Do, this choice emphasizes Johnny's respect of his own past and his will to honor the legacy of Eagle Fang.
Although Johnny and Daniel have developed a precarious alliance, their relationship still bears underlying conflict. Although they have effectively combined their dojos and selected a team for the esteemed Sekai Taikai, a karate competition, the forthcoming event will surely try their cooperation. John Kreese's and his new Cobra Kai students' comeback throws still another level of complexity on their already unstable circumstances and raises the possibility of rekindling old hostilities.
Kreese's arrival presents a major threat to Johnny's advancement and the peace in Miyagi-Do since of his merciless methods and manipulative inclinations. Kreese's presence might easily set off Johnny's old combative impulses, so compromising the delicate peace that had been created between Johnny and Daniel. Whether Johnny can stick to his acquired values or give in to the weight of his past will depend much on the next season.
The choice of Johnny Lawrence to retain the name "Miyagi-Do" in Cobra Kai season 6 marks a dramatic change in the arc of his character. It represents his dedication to personal development, his rejection of Cobra Kai's aggressive ideas, and his acceptance of a more sensible and sympathetic way of life. Although Johnny and Daniel's relationship's future is yet unknown, Johnny's changing character presents a gripping sTory line for the last season of the show.