Creators of Cobra Kai Discuss Preferred Hidden Humor and Amazing Scenes
Rewritten Article:
Cobra Kai has consistently delivered a top-tier storyline, balancing the introduction of fresh characters from the original Karate Kid films with a heartfelt tribute to those classics. In a recent interview with io9 before the release of Cobra Kai's final season, creators Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, and Hayden Schlossberg opened up about their favorite secret Karate Kid references hidden within the show, along with some ambitious goals they initially envisioned.
Germain Lussier, io9: You guys are skilled at weaving in intricate Karate Kid references, like in an arcade scene and calling Johnny a particular name. Which deep-cut Karate Kid moments from this season or previous ones stand out to you as favorites?
Josh Heald: One of the singularly strange ones that we've awkwardly wedged in there is...
Jon Hurwitz: I knew you'd bring that up! [Laughs]
Heald: In the laser tag room. [Season three, episode five] when Cobra Kai takes over the defunct laser tag venue, and Mitch walks in with a backpack full of warm beers. He offers them, saying "Who's for a warm one?" Which sounds strange in general, but it's a line directly lifted from The Karate Kid when Johnny and the original Cobra Kais offer warm beers during a memorable beach scene. We found it fitting for Hawk to complain, "You brought warm beers? That's repugnant. No one wants warm beer!" That's probably my favorite silly inside joke we've added to the show.
Hayden Schlossberg: One of my favorite callbacks is found in season two, episode six, during a poignant episode focused on relationships. We aimed to give the episode an emotional weight, but there's also a dark joke for Karate Kid fans. When Billy and the Cobras gather, we purposefully used somber music and moments, which make sense whether you're a fan or not, but for fans, the payoff comes when someone says, "Put him in a body bag." It's a chilling line that mirrors a similar line from The Karate Kid.
Hurwitz: That one's my favorite, and another standout comes from portraying Terry Silver's behavior in Karate Kid 3 through a drug reference. [Laughs] It was entertaining when he explained his madness during certain scenes!
io9: As we approach the end of Cobra Kai, I can barely imagine the list of ideas you guys had when the show first began, like Mike Barnes, Terry Silver, and so on. How about a specific thing you really wanted to do at the start, but were overjoyed to finally include as the show progressed?
Schlossberg: It's hard to talk about because season six is about the grand finale, but I have to say one of the big things we talked about early on was a world tournament. We knew that would help amplify the storyline. Figuring out where each main character would end up was a challenge we've been discussing for a while. And as we neared the production of season six, we were thrilled to see certain pivotal moments unfold on set.
Until now, I'd say the one thing I was eager to see was Terry Silver taking control of the valley. I always knew there would be a period of darkness in the valley, with Silver as its ruler. Essentially, I imagined a continuation of Karate Kid 3 with a different ending. That was a long-held dream, and we were fortunate to bring that vision to life.
Hurwitz: I share Hayden's thoughts, but one additional note is the return of Ali (Elisabeth Shue). As wide-eyed fans of The Karate Kid, we felt disappointed that she didn't appear after the first film, so we were determined to bring her back into the story. The days working with her on set were truly special, and I'll never forget the experience.
Cobra Kai season six part one premiers on July 18, on Netflix. Stay tuned for our review, along with more insights from the show's creators, and catch up on previous seasons here.
- The creators of Cobra Kai found their arcade scene reference to be particularly nostalgic, as it was a nod to a memorable moment from the original Karate Kid films.
- In season two, episode six, the creators of Cobra Kai included a dark joke for Karate Kid fans, using somber music and moments that mirrored a similar scene from the original film.
- The creators of Cobra Kai were overjoyed to include Terry Silver taking control of the valley in the show, as it was a long-held dream and a continuation of Karate Kid 3 with a different ending.
- The creators of Cobra Kai were determined to bring Ali (Elisabeth Shue) back into the story, as wide-eyed fans of The Karate Kid, and the days working with her on set were truly special.
