Warning: the following contains SPOILERS for Cobra Kai.
Cobra Kai‘s Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Miyagi-Do’s Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) are at the center of a dramatic dynamic that’s deeper than you might have initially thought. Cobra Kai‘s rebooted Johnny vs Daniel war from the iconic ’80s movie Karate Kid has managed to hook an entirely new generation of fans to the franchise. Underneath the generous layers of cheesiness and anime-like action, Cobra Kai is actually telling a complex story about generational trauma.
Generational trauma occurs when trauma remains unprocessed and ends up affecting subsequent generations. This can be observed in how the respective senseis of Miyagi-Do, Cobra Kai, and Eagle Fang, despite being supposed masters of an art that relies on mental and emotional discipline, always end up putting the kids under their wing in harm’s way. Johnny’s absence as a father is why Robby (Tanner Buchanan) became a juvenile delinquent, Daniel’s over-protectiveness held Sam (Mary Mouser) back from developing as a fighter, and Amanda’s (Courtney Henggeler) reaction to Cobra Kai’s assault only fanned fuel to the rivalry between Sam (Mary Mouser) and Tory (Peyton List). Through the lens of Karate Kid nostalgia, Cobra Kai also highlights how the roots of Johnny and Daniel’s actions can be traced back to the original rivalry between their dojos, headed by Miyagi-Do’s Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) and Cobra Kai’s John Kreese (Martin Cove) and Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith). Although the teenagers from each dojo are not entirely blameless, their reckless actions can almost always be traced back to how they were raised, trained, or treated by the adults around them.
Cobra Kai‘s overall narrative is hinged on examining how the traumas experienced by previous generations can influence the next. This is the main reason why its story is so compelling and relatable to many viewers. Cobra Kai, at its heart, is a story about how generational trauma works, how it affects the next generation, and how it can be processed and resolved. Here’s a closer look at how Cobra Kai brilliantly dissects generational trauma.
Robby & Sam Are The Keys To Johnny & Daniel’s Redemption In Cobra Kai Season 5
The fate of Robby in season 4 essentially shows how unprocessed trauma can lead a talented kid with an otherwise bright future into pursuing a pointless quest for revenge. Robby certainly could’ve handled things better, but the only reason he acts the way that he does is because Johnny was never truly there to guide him in the first place. Although Johnny, who is the perfect caricature of an ’80s man-child, wants nothing but to make it up to Robby, he isn’t equipped with the tools to do right by his son, as he was essentially raised by the psychopathic teachings of Cobra Kai‘s John Kreese. As a result, it took Robby two All-Valley championship losses for him to finally realize that he needs to confront instead of run away from his issues with Johnny.
Meanwhile, as Eagle Fang champ Miguel Diaz (Xolo Maridueña) heads to Mexico on a potentially dangerous journey of discovery alone, Johnny’s influence on Miguel as a mentor and father figure is called into question. In the ending of Cobra Kai season 4, it’s made clear that Johnny’s path to redemption is not through Miguel, but through his real son, who still badly needs his father. Likewise, it’s become clear to Miguel that he needs to confront his own father for leaving as well. As for Sam, her lost to Tory during the All-Valley finals will surely weigh heavily on her in Cobra Kai season 5, and it’s only a matter of time until she blames Daniel for holding her back because of his rivalry with Johnny. The only way for both Daniel and Johnny to redeem themselves is to make the right choices for their respective kids hereon. And this all depends on how well they can further process John Kreese’s villainous influence over their lives.
Tory Opened Amanda’s Heart To Breaking The Pattern Of Trauma In Cobra Kai
In Cobra Kai season 4, it was made clear to Amanda that Tory is not inherently a bad kid. Rather, Tory is just acting out from the stress of having no adults in her life to provide her with any support – apart from Cobra Kai’s senseis, who, themselves, are heavily misguided and driven by past traumas. Ironically, it was Kreese – one of the main causes of the generational trauma throughout Cobra Kai – who helped Amanda realize that some kids aren’t as lucky as her own. While Kreese only intervened to ensure that Tory achieves her full potential, this moment revealed some insight into Kreese’s genuine intentions of helping his kids. More importantly, this opened the LaRussos to the idea of actively breaking the pattern of trauma, which not only applies to the LaRussos, but essentially to every mentoring relationship formed between the different characters in Cobra Kai season 4. Notably, Amanda and Daniel find the answers to their parenting problems by looking to their past, confronting the traumas that shaped them into who they are now, and choosing to actively try and break identifiable patterns of trauma.
Cobra Kai Co-Founder Terry Silver Taught Kreese, Johnny, & Daniel Valuable Lessons About Trauma
Cobra Kai‘s Sensei Silver represents the worst effects of unprocessed trauma. The way Kreese controlled Silver with guilt and the Cobra Kai philosophy finally circled back to Kreese when his fellow Cobra Kai sensei framed him for assault. In the end, it was also Silver’s actions that led Cobra Kai to victory during the All-Valley tournament. Although Daniel saw this coming a mile away, he failed to act on the problem. Through Silver’s actions, Kreese, Johnny, and Daniel come face to face with how generational trauma can manifest in unexpected ways, and how it can balloon into much larger issues for everyone involved.
The Evolution Of Miyagi-Do, Eagle Fang, & Cobra Kai In Season 5
Cobra Kai‘s finale reveals that Chozen (Yuji Okumoto) will join Daniel in defying the closure of Miyagi-Do and continuing the fight against Cobra Kai. While Tory becoming the first female All-Valley champ puts her in Silver’s crosshairs, Chozen’s return to the saga bodes well for the new male All-Valley champ Eli, who will likely learn more about Miyagi-Do’s secrets in Cobra Kai season 5. Meanwhile, Daniel, Amanda, and Johnny’s parenting skills will be put to the test, as they struggle to manage the ramifications of the events in Cobra Kai season 4, not just for their own kids, but for every teen that fights for the Miyagi-Do, Cobra Kai, and Eagle Fang dojos. Whether Daniel and Johnny can put an end to Silver’s reign remains to be seen. What’s clear is that, in order to do right by their own kids as well as everyone else who’s gotten roped into their rivalry, the two protagonists will need to process their respective traumas, and hopefully, break the pattern of trauma for the next generation.
About The Author
