Warning! This article contains spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6, part 3.
Cobra Kaigave Robby Keene an ending that some have found frustrating, yet the storyline actually fits the themes of theKarate Kidspin-off perfectly. Theending ofCobra Kaiseason 6was incredibly satisfying for many reasons. Not only did the show conclude the arcs of so many of its characters in a fulfilling way, butCobra Kai’s strongest fighterswere confirmed via the events of the Sekai Taikai, allowing the fight scenes to go down as some of the show’s best.
Although season 6’s multi-part strategy may have meant that it was not thebest-ranked ofCobra Kai’s seasons, none can deny that the final five episodes provided some of the best in the show’s entire run. A big factor in this wasCobra Kaitightening its focus to center on a specific group of characters, resulting in some unexpected endings. One such conclusion was linked toRobby’s Sekai Taikai injury inCobra Kai,which disappointed some. However, this plot point sums up the best message ofCobra Kaiand, thus, the entireKarate Kidfranchise.
Robby’s Ending Was The Opposite Of What Happened To Johnny In The Karate Kid
Robby Changed The Lawrence Family History
Robby’s injury came in the semifinal match against Axel. Axel spun Robby while holding his leg, breaking it, and rendering the latter unable to fight further. The move was not deemed illegal by the Sekai Taikai referee - one ofCobra Kaiseason 6’s many cameos- allowing Axel to progress to the finals, but leaving Robby on the sidelines. Given that such a big focus was placed on Robby throughoutCobra Kai’s many seasons, many have found his ending anticlimactic and somewhat disappointing, but, in a way, this was the point.
Robby then goes on to support the eventual Sekai Taikai champions ofCobra Kai,Tory and Miguel, proving that he accepted defeat gracefully…
After losing the match to Axel, Robby is left with the choice of accepting defeat. This culminated in a beautiful scene between him and his father, Johnny, in which Robby relays that karate gave him everything he could ever want in life. Robby then goes on to support the eventualSekai Taikai winners ofCobra Kai,Tory and Miguel, proving that he accepted defeat gracefully and did not let it define him. This is the opposite of what happened to Johnny inThe Karate Kid, who failed to accept defeat and let it impact his future.
By Knowing How To Handle Defeat, Robby Avoided Repeating Johnny’s Mistakes
Robby Righted The Wrongs Of The Past
As alluded to, this was the entire point of Robby’sCobra Kaistoryline. A big focus was placed on Johnny inCobra Kaiseason 6, part 3, especially in the show’s final episode. The exploration of how Johnny’s loss to Daniel inThe Karate Kid -among other elements like Kreese’s abuse and dismissal of him - changed his life forever was incredibly impactful. Robby could very easily have followed in his father’s footsteps in this regard and failed to process his defeat properly. Instead,Cobra Kaiseason 6, part 3 chose to have Robby accept his defeat.
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Robby concluded that this outcome did not mean an end for him.This even bled over into Johnny’s story, with Robby’s father seeing that, recognizing every positive way in which his life has changed throughoutCobra Kai, and accepting that, even if he lost to Sensei Wolf, he would still have a life worth living. Robby was the catalyst of this by not repeating the mistakes of the 1984 All-Valley, proving his arc to conclude in a different, unexpected, but no less satisfying way, given how much it influenced the wider message ofCobra Kai.
The Promise Of Robby’s Future Drove Home How Important His Ending Was
