Cobra Kai Season 5 Gave Robby A Perfect Karate Kid 2 Moment

Warning: SPOILERS for Cobra Kai Season 5Robby Keene (Tanner Buchanan) delivered a perfect homage to The Karate Kid Part II – with a twist – in Cobra Kai season 5. At the start of the fifth season, Robby and his dad, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), went to Mexico to bring Miguel Diaz (Xolo Maridueña) home. Miguel left the San Fernando Valley to find his birth father, while Johnny tricked Robby, who he’d just reconciled with, to come with him and rescue Miguel.

Robby has always been a Cobra Kai problem child. Estranged from and resentful of Johnny, Robby became Daniel LaRusso’s (Ralph Macchio) first Miyagi-Do pupil in Cobra Kai season 1, although he lost to Miguel in the finals of the 2018 All Valley Under 18 Karate Tournament. Robby nearly killed Miguel in the karate war that broke out at West Valley High at the end of Cobra Kai season 2, and Keene ended up joining Cobra Kai out of spite. But in Cobra Kai season 4, Robby realized being a snake who showed “no mercy” wasn’t truly in his heart, and he finally made peace with Johnny. However, Robby’s mutual animosity with Miguel was still a major issue until it was settled (hopefully for good) in Cobra Kai season 5.

While looking for Miguel in Mexico, Johnny and Robby nearly ran out of funds until they stumbled upon a spicy pepper eating competition that set up a perfect homage to both the popular YouTube show Hot Ones and The Karate Kid Part II. Robby, a fan of Hot Ones, recognized the pepper in the challenge as a Red Savina that will “burn a hole right through you.” But Keene was confident he could withstand the heat and took the challenge in place of Johnny. In The Karate Kid Part II, Daniel was forced into a wager to break six blocks of ice, but he accomplished the feat by using Miyagi-Do breathing techniques, which earned him his college fund. Just like Daniel-san, Robby used the same Miyagi-Do method of focusing Sensei LaRusso taught him, and he ate the Red Savina to win the pot of money. But later, Robby admitted he switched the pepper with a snack he bought from a bodega, so he cheated just like a Cobra Kai would.

Cobra Kai Season 5 Finally Fixed Robby

It took 5 seasons, but Cobra Kai finally gave Robby the attitude adjustment he sorely needed since the show began. Robby no longer resents Johnny (except when his dad lies to him) and he now lives with his dad. Best of all, Robby and Miguel also buried the hatchet and put an end to their rivalry, at last. Of course, it took one last fight in the courtyard of Johnny and Miguel’s apartment courtyard for Diaz and Keene to settle their differences, but Robby finally apologized to Miguel for hospitalizing him in Cobra Kai season 2. For his part, Miguel, a good-hearted kid who never got into karate to hurt people, accepted Robby’s apology. Seeing Robby and Miguel as friends is one of the highlights of the second half of Cobra Kai season 5. Robby also tries his best to talk Tory Nichols (Peyton List) and Kenny Payne (Dallas Dupree Young) to leave Cobra Kai.

Robby mimicking Daniel in The Karate Kid Part II to win his Hot Ones challenge in Mexico (by cheating), Robby shows he’s a complete blend of Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do. Further, Cobra Kai season 5 is loaded with references to LaRusso’s 1985 summer in Okinawa. The most significant, of course, is Chozen Toguchi (Yuji Okumoto), who may be the best character in Cobra Kai season 5. There are lots of jokes about Daniel and Chozen’s climactic “fight to the death” in The Karate Kid Part II, and Chozen also admits he secretly loves Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita). Robby’s homage helped kick off The Karate Kid Part II references and after that, it was open season on jokes and callbacks to Daniel, Chozen, and Okinawa in Cobra Kai season 5.

Cobra Kai Season 5 is available to stream on Netflix.