Cobra Kaidid a lot for Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso, butKarate Kid: Legendscan drive his character forward in a way that the Netflix legacy sequel show failed to do. As one of the most prominent figures in theKarate Kidmovies andCobra Kai, Daniel’s journey has lasted decades. Having only been omitted from 1994’sThe Next Karate Kid,Macchio has been given plenty of chances to make sure audiences know what Daniel is all about. Sadly,Cobra Kainever allowed him to mirror one of his earliest franchise dynamics.
Cobra Kai’s big finaleended a six-season arc for several characters, but Daniel’s storyline goes all the way back to 1984’sThe Karate Kid. WhenKarate Kid: Legendsis released, we’ll finally get to see what’s next for Daniel LaRusso in the years that followCobra Kai’s Sekai Taikai. Although the upcoming and unexpected team-up withJackie Chan’s Mr. Han will certainly be a highlight ofKarate Kid: Legends, there’s actually another aspect of the movie that I think will be far more rewarding.
Daniel LaRusso Will Finally Have One True Apprentice In Karate Kid: Legends
Sensei LaRusso will take Li Fong under his wing just like Mr. Miyagi did with Daniel
Daniel had several students throughoutCobra Kai. He taught Miyagi-do to his daughter, Samantha “Sam” LaRusso (Mary Mouser), Robby Keene (Tanner Buchanan), and pretty much all the other younger characters. Although it was great to see the various dynamics unfolding and how they took to Daniel’s inherited style of karate, the sheer volume of characters inCobra KaimeantMacchio’s character never had a true one-on-one sensei/student relationshiplike he did with the late Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita). Thankfully,Karate Kid: Legendswill change all that.
I still feel robbed of a moment where it would’ve dawned on me that Macchio’s character had found his new “Daniel.” In other words, the one student he could focus on.
I still feel robbed of a moment where it would’ve dawned on me that Macchio’s character had found his new “Daniel.” In other words, the one student he could focus on. While it never happened inCobra Kai, the debut of Ben Wang’s Li Fong inKarate Kid: Legendsopens the door for such a dynamic to develop between the franchise’s new karate student and Daniel LaRusso.It remains to be seen just how much Mr. Han will be involved in this setup, but it will still be far closer to anything Daniel had inCobra Kai.
Cobra Kai Couldn’t Decide Who Was Going To Be The New Karate Kid
The Next Karate Kidhad already tried to softly reboot the franchise back in 1994 by replacing Macchio’s character with Hilary Swank’s Julie Pierce. Even then, those in charge knew how essential a solid sensei/student relationship was. Sure, the movie may have flopped, but it had roughly the right idea.Cobra Kaikept toying with the idea of reestablishing that framework when the show revived the saga in 2018, but it never fully embraced the time-honored framework.
Karate Kid: Legends Is Continuing A Cobra Kai Tradition That Made The Franchise So Much Better
The Karate Kid franchise dates back to the first movie in 1984, and the upcoming legacy sequel is repeating its spinoff’s most redeeming quality.
Then again,choosing a new “Karate Kid” to replace Daniel LaRusso was never really the point ofCobra Kai. To do so would have confirmed who the show’s main character was, andCobra Kaihad always been an ensemble cast that focused pretty equally on the arcs of new and old figures within the franchise. I still believe theredemption of William Zabka’s Johnny Lawrencewas the primary purpose ofCobra Kai, so it makes sense thatKarate Kid: Legendsis the first modern project within the saga to bring back a one-on-one sensei/student dynamic.
Cobra Kai
Cast
Cobra Kai is a sequel series continuing the narrative of the Karate Kid saga, set 30 years after the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament. It focuses on Johnny Lawrence seeking redemption by reopening the Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with Daniel LaRusso, who strives to maintain balance in his life.
Karate Kid: Legends
Karate Kid: Legends is a sequel to Cobra Kai and The Karate Kid directed by Jonathan Entwistle. The film sees Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan reprising their roles, continuing the legacy of martial arts mentorship and rivalry in a new era of challenges and apprentices.
