Summary
Surprisingly, Miyagi-do may have secretly suffered two defections to Kreese’s new dojo inCobra Kai. TheCobra Kaiseason 6 part 1 finale marked one of the biggest betrayals inKarate Kidhistory when it finally sentMiyagi-do’s Sekai Taikai teamto the tournament. As it turns out, Kreese’s overtures to Tory in the beginning of the episode were successful; following her argument with Daniel and Amanda over the fight with Sam, Tory switched sides and joined Kreese’s side.
Obviously, Tory’s status as Kreese’s “champion” gives Martin Kove’s character a huge advantage going intothe Sekai Taikai tournament. She’s an extremely close match with Sam LaRusso, so much that it’s an easy to their inevitable rematch going either way. This could be key to a win for Cobra Kai. Another factor is Kwon, who is shaping up to the most dangerous teenage fighter in all ofCobra Kai’ssix seasons. Those two appear to be Kreese and Kim Da-Eun’s biggest weapons, but they’re unlikely to be the only ones who can threaten Miyagi-do’s chances. More Kim Sun-Yung students - and perhaps another of Daniel and Johnny’s - could be big factors as well.
Why Cobra Kai May Be Hiding A Kenny Twist In Cobra Kai Season 6
It’s interesting to note that in contrast to howCobra Kaishowed all six of the chosen fighters fromDaniel and Johnny’s dojo,the series only partially revealed Kreese’s team. Two were notably missing, leaving their identities open to speculation untilCobra Kaiseason 6 part 2 releases. Because their absence appears to be intentional, it’s possible that one - if not both - is a familiar face just like Tory. After all, she’s not the only one with a reason to be mad at Daniel and Johnny. Kenny was cheated out of a potential spot on the team, and could hold a grudge against his former allies.
This possibility is further supported by the fact thatKenny isn’t on hand in episode 5. The show even draws attention to Kenny not being present for the selection of the team captains. This could indicate that rather than just being bitter about not being selected for the team, Kenny has quit the dojo outright. That decision would open the door for him to reappear on another dojo’s roster.
Kenny being onKreese’s Sekai Taikai team- and the show purposely hiding that twist - makes sense in light of the context. With Tory’s betrayal being arguably more important to the wider narrative, revealing that both Kenny and Tory defected from Miyagi-do to Cobra Kai could amount to a distraction.Cobra Kaican better serve both developments by keeping them separate. Kenny standing revealed as a member ofCobra Kaiwould have much less impact if it happened alongside the Tory twist.
It’s also a strategy that could work well from a narrative perspective, considering that there was an obvious time skip between Tory walking out on Miyagi-do and the start of the tournament in Barcelona. WithCobra Kailikely to fill in the gaps,one storyline could involve the rest of the steps Kreese took in preparing his team, which could include additional recruiting.
Why Kenny Could Be Convinced To Join Kreese
If Kreese did want to bring in Kenny, such a move isn’t implausible by any means. Admittedly, Kenny did reconsider his life choices after getting some advice from Shawn, but all of that could be easily undermined byDevon’s dirty tactics inCobra Kai. He falsely believes Anthony to be responsible for his problems, but isn’t incorrect in his belief thathis exclusion from the tournament was the result of cheating.
Putting the blame on Anthony in particular could give him common ground with Kreese, given that the villain also bears a hatred toward the LaRussos. Similar to how he tried to get across to Tory that she would never truly be welcomed by Daniel and Johnny’s dojo,he could relate to Kenny through a mutual disdain for members of the LaRusso family. Kreese is effective at drawing on feelings of resentment and using them to get what he wants, and could find success with Kenny.
A pitch to Kenny could be made stronger by the notion that in fighting for Kreese, Kenny would be acting on an opportunity he already earned. As Kreese could point out,Kenny is responsible for Cobra Kai’s formal admission into the Sekai Taikai.Had Kenny failed to beat Robby, Cobra Kai wouldn’t be competing at all. Explaining to Kenny that he owes it to himself to finish what he started could make for a very persuasive argument.
Kenny’s Sekai Taikai Role Can Finish Devon’s Cheating Story
It’s worth noting that having Kenny there at the Sekai Taikai as a member of Kreese’s team would go hand-in-hand with the show’s current setup.It would be surprising if Cobra Kai’s new Devon-Kenny arc doesn’t amount to anything during the Sekai Taikai, but that won’t be a concern if Kreese gives Kenny an avenue to be a part of the upcoming story. Through the team matches in the Sekai Taikai, Kenny’s issues with Miyagi-do could be directly addressed, which could pave the way for the truth about Devon to come out.
Cobra Kai Season 6 Destroyed Kenny’s Shot At Redemption
Although it looked like Kenny was on his way to finding redemption in Cobra Kai season 6, one moment completely ruined his odds of redeeming himself.
Plus,it’s unlikely that Devon’s decisions won’t be without consequences. These could theoretically play out after the tournament, but not if it truly is the endgame of the series. With that in mind, Kenny’s arc coming to fruition during the Sekai Taikai tournament does indeed feel like the trajectory the show has set the character on in season 6. And based on his importance to the last three seasons, it is hard to imagine Kenny not being involved in what’s ahead.
Can Kenny Beat Any Of Johnny & Daniel’s Students?
He Probably Won’t Win The Sekai Taikai, But Could Eliminate Some Of Miyagi-do’s Fighters
As for the difference Kenny’s inclusion as a tournament participant might bring, he does indeed have what it takes to shift the odds a bit more toward Cobra Kai’s favor. Looking at how he performed during Mike Barnes' tests,Kenny has a reasonable chance of beating some of the fighters on Daniel and Johnny’s team. As their brief standoff suggested, Kenny could hold an edge over Demetri. The same can be said for a Devon vs. Kenny fight, with Devon’s apparent concerns about fighting him reflecting that notion.
While Kenny certainly could whittle down the team, the character producing a championship for Cobra Kai is unlikely. Mike Barnes singling out Miguel, Robby, Tory, and Sam as the best four fighters is indicative of that, and goes to show that against any of them, Kenny is poised to come up short inCobra Kaiseason 6.
