In a Shocking Twist of Fate, 'Cobra Kai' Proved That Mr. Miyagi's True Successor Was Never Daniel, but This Character

When Cobra Kai premiered, it dared to ask the question: "Could an '80s bad guy really redeem himself?" The answer was a resounding yes. Taking place after the events of the Karate Kid films, Cobra Kai flipped the script on the story by focusing on Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), after being defeated by Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), Johnny's life took a spiral until he finally reopened the Cobra Kai dojo. In an age where legacy sequels like Creed,Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens,and Jurassic Worldare commonplace, Cobra Kai strays from the beaten path and is far better from it. The focus on Johnny also reveals that he's become the spiritual successor to Daniel's teacher, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita).