Cobra Kai: Johnny Lawrence, Mr. Miyagi's Unexpected Successor

Cobra Kai took the world by storm, and the series reveals that Johnny Lawrence, not Daniel LaRusso, surprisingly became Mr. Miyagi's true spiritual successor. The show masterfully flips the script on the original Karate Kid narrative, offering a fresh perspective on redemption and mentorship. But how did the '80s bad boy become the heir to Miyagi's legacy?

When Cobra Kai premiered, it presented a compelling question: Can a former antagonist genuinely find redemption? The series answers with a resounding yes by shifting the to Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) after his defeat by Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio). Johnny's life takes a downward turn until he reignites the Cobra Kai dojo, setting the stage for an unexpected transformation.

Unlike other legacy sequels, Cobra Kai stands out by highlighting Johnny's evolution into a mentor, embodying many of the principles once held by Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita). While Daniel was Miyagi's direct student, Cobra Kai illustrates that Johnny is the one who truly embraces Miyagi's method of imparting wisdom through karate.

He guides his students through unconventional methods, fostering their growth and his own personal development. In contrast, Daniel initially struggles with inflexibility in his teaching style, a hurdle he must overcome throughout the series. This contrast underscores the show's narrative twist: Johnny emerges as the unlikely hero, while Daniel grapples with his own challenges.

Johnny and Miguel: A Mirror to Miyagi and Daniel in Cobra Kai

The relationship between Johnny and Miguel Diaz (Xolo Maridueña) serves as a striking parallel to Miyagi and Daniel's bond. Just as Miyagi rescued Daniel from bullies in The Karate Kid, the first episode of Cobra Kai depicts Johnny intervening to protect Miguel, albeit landing him in jail.

Johnny adopts a distinct approach to teaching Miguel karate, emphasizing a more rigorous style. While Miyagi employed the "wax on, wax off" method, Johnny uses tough love and the Cobra Kai mantra of "strike first, strike hard, no mercy" to refine Miguel's fighting abilities. However, Johnny evolves beyond his ruthless sensei, John Kreese (Martin Kove), becoming a more compassionate teacher.

When Miguel resorts to unethical tactics during the All-Valley Under-18 Karate Championships in Cobra Kai Season 1, Johnny demotes him and other Cobra Kai students, reinforcing the importance of integrity. This growth parallels Daniel's journey. Initially, Daniel's reopening of Miyagi-Do is driven by a desire to undermine Johnny rather than a genuine commitment to teaching karate.

He adheres too rigidly to Miyagi's teachings, lacking the adaptability demonstrated by Johnny. The rivalry between Johnny and Daniel also impacts their relationships with their students and loved ones, with Daniel mentoring Johnny's estranged son Robby (Tanner Buchanan) and Miguel forming a romantic connection with Daniel's daughter Sam (Mary Mouser).

Eventually, they collaborate to train students when Kreese regains control of Cobra Kai, but their contrasting methods often clash. Both Daniel and Johnny realize that their styles are more effective in combination, reflecting the unique approach Miyagi took to his karate teachings.

Dark Moments and Parallels in Cobra Kai Between Johnny and Miyagi

As Cobra Kai progresses, more similarities between Johnny and Mr. Miyagi emerge, particularly in Season 6. Johnny enters a romantic relationship with Miguel's mother, Carmen (Vanessa Rubio), and they discover they are expecting a child. However, Carmen experiences pregnancy complications, risking both her life and the baby's. This mirrors the tragedy in Miyagi's life, who revealed to Daniel that he lost his wife and son during childbirth.

Season 6 delves deeper into Miyagi's past, revealing that he was once arrested for armed robbery and killed a man during the Sekai Taikai tournament, which significantly shakes Daniel's faith in his mentor. Rather than tarnishing the legacy of the Karate Kid films, this plot development humanizes Miyagi, illustrating that even he had flaws and could grow into a wiser man, just as Johnny can.

Season 6 also features a poignant moment where Johnny reconciles with Kreese, as they both confront their past actions. While Kreese's redemption arc may be debated, his acknowledgment of his role in the darker aspects of Johnny's life is genuinely touching. The scene where Johnny embraces his former sensei in tears marks a significant turning point. Up until that moment, Johnny embodied the typical '80s macho persona.

By embracing his emotions, Johnny becomes a more complete character and a better teacher, mirroring how Miyagi overcame his past to become Daniel's mentor and friend. What makes Cobra Kai so captivating is its exploration of personal growth and the unexpected paths to redemption.

The Final Victory: Passing on Mr. Miyagi’s Lessons in Cobra Kai

What makes Cobra Kai such a compelling series is how it forces Johnny and Daniel to grow. Johnny has to pick himself up after his failures in life, while Daniel has to learn to truly embrace the fluidity of Miyagi's teachings. The duo even train each other in their respective methods, beginning with Cobra Kai Season 4.

Johnny teaches Daniel "how to be a man" with his Eagle Fang style, while Daniel trains Johnny in Miyagi-Do (to hilarious effect). Things come full circle with Season 6, as Daniel helps train Johnny for the Sekai Taikai, even telling him the reason that Johnny lost to the "crane kick" Daniel used is because he ran into it. Johnny eventually uses that to his advantage and wins the Sekai Taikai, bringing his journey full circle.

Cobra Kai co-creator Jon Hurwitz said that this was the goal from the beginning. “This was this joint victory between Johnny and Daniel: Daniel [has] finally come to the realization that it’s OK not to be Miyagi-Do all the time, that Johnny[’s beliefs] had some value … and Johnny recogniz[es] Daniel’s beliefs were valuable as well. These two people with very different philosophies in life can come together as one and win the day," Hurwtiz said in an interview with Tudum .

In conclusion, no one anticipated that Johnny Lawrence would evolve into Mr. Miyagi's successor, but Cobra Kai compellingly demonstrates how he became a mentor in his own unique way. Johnny Lawrence's journey in Cobra Kai is a testament to the transformative power of mentorship and redemption.