How Cobra Kai Flipped The Script
The original series makes us rethink what makes a hero and what makes a villain.
Cobra Kai is a follow-on series from the popular 80s movie, The Karate Kid which sees original rivals Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) reprise their roles over thirty years later.
Where the movie paints Daniel LaRusso as an underdog and hero who battles against vicious bully Johnny Lawrence, the series subverts the narrative to tell things from Lawrence's point of view when he decides to reopen the Cobra Kai dojo (school of karate).
Right from the start, as a viewer, especially one aware of the history of the programme, you are influenced by your original perceptions of the shows principal characters. You are expecting Lawrence to be a bully and an all-around jerk, and you believe LaRusso will play the role of knight once more, riding in to save the day.
From here, this post contains spoilers for all three seasons on of Cobra Kai, currently streaming on Netflix.
Villain is a strong word, but every show needs some sort of antagonist and protagonist, and after the first few episodes, it’s clear that after thirty-four years, LaRusso’s crown sits crooked and Lawrence’s fading horns hold up a halo.
