Warning: The article contains spoilers for Cobra Kai’s series finale!
Cobra Kai’s series finale originally included an alternate ending for John Kreese (Martin Kove), but the scene was ultimately cut.Cobra Kai, which serves as a continuation of theKarate Kidfranchise, followed Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) as they evolved from former rivals to allies while teaching the next generation of karate students. Since its 2018 debut, the series has earned a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score, along with a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2021. TheCobra Kaiendingwrapped up long-running rivalries, but Kreese’s fate was nearly left ambiguous.
According to an interview with Kove forParade,a deleted scene from the finale would have hinted at Kreese surviving the explosion that seemingly ended his story. Originally, the last glimpse of the character was meant to be a shot of his hand taking a magazine featuring an article about Terry Silver. The decision to remove this was made by the showrunners. Instead, the final cut has Kreese dying from the explosion that also killed off Terry Silver. Check out Kove’s comments below:
I loved it. It was my hand with the ring—just the shot of the hand—taking the magazine that says, ‘Whatever happened to Terry Silver?’ But [the showrunners] didn’t feel it was necessary.It might have been a little hokey to have the guy livethrough an explosion.
What This Means For Kreese’s Ending In Cobra Kai
John Kreese’s Ending Is Final
Removing the alternate ending inCobra Kaieliminates any suggestion that Kreese could return in future projects. The character, introduced inThe Karate Kidas the ruthless Cobra Kai sensei and main villain of all films, extended his role in the spinoff.Yet, in season 6, part 2, prior to Kreese’s death, his former prodigy Johnny saves him from a near-death fight. However, by sealing his fate in the finale,the series concludes the era of theKarate Kidfranchise’s main antagonist.
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Furthermore, the showrunners' decision aligns withCobra Kai’sstorytelling, which has frequently revisited past characters but avoided altering established conclusions without reason. Throughout its run,Cobra Kaibrought back numerous figures from the franchise, including Terry Silver, Mike Barnes, and several one-off cameos from previous characters, buteach return was built into the narrative versus being an open-ended possibility.Moreover,spin-offs likeKarate Kid: Legendsare in the works, and the absence of Kreese’s survival reinforces the idea that his story has officially wrapped.
Our Take On Kreese’s Alternate Ending in Cobra Kai
Revising the Scene Was the Right Choice in the Long Run
Keeping Kreese’s teaser scene out of the final cut, so far, proves to be the right decision. A last-minute reveal that Kreese survived would have contradicted the impact of his demise, making his final confrontation with Silver feel less conclusive.Cobra Kai’s strength has been its ability to build onThe Karate Kidwithout undermining established events, and allowing Kreese’s story to end on an uncertain but powerful note that respects the approach.
Cobra Kai
Cast
Cobra Kai is a sequel series continuing the narrative of the Karate Kid saga, set 30 years after the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament. It focuses on Johnny Lawrence seeking redemption by reopening the Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with Daniel LaRusso, who strives to maintain balance in his life.
