John Kreese’s alternate fate inCobra Kai’s finale would have missed the entire point of the show. Following the explosive and emotionalending ofCobra Kai, John Kreese actor Martin Kove revealed that he filmed a scene where the iconic villain would have been shown to have survived the explosion. As detailed by Kove (Parade), it was a shot of his hand with the ring holding a magazine whose headline said"Whatever happened to Terry Silver?“According to the actor, the showrunners didn’t feel it was necessary.
Kove also pointed out thathaving Kreese survive an explosion of that scale in the middle of the ocean"would have been a little hokey.“While theKarate Kiduniverse, especiallyCobra Kai, knows how to get away with campiness, it is hard to disagree thatJohn Kreese returning from the deadyet again would have been a little too much. But more than whether Kreese could have survived the explosion, the fact is that his death was the perfect way to wrap up his character arc thatCobra Kaideveloped so well.
Kreese Showing Up Alive At The End Of Cobra Kai Would Have Ruined His Sacrifice
Cobra Kai’s Alternate Kreese Ending Would Have Been Underwhelming
As much as I love John Kreese and would have liked to see him fake his death one more time,Cobra Kaidid the right thing by keeping him dead in the finale.The whole point of Kreese showing up at Terry’s yacht is that the originalKarate Kidvillain was ready to dieif it meant stopping Silver from going after Johnny’s family. Kreese is a warrior and knows how to pick his fights, meaning he knows exactly what he would have to do to stop Terry Silver.
The fact that Kreese sacrificed himself, knowing that neither Johnny nor Tory would ever learn about what he did, speaks volumes about his character arc. Kreese failed his most important students more than once, and he always ended up letting his issues get in the way of what he was trying to teach. In the end, Kreese gave up everything to protect Johnny and his family.He didn’t want to be the hero or prove anything to Johnny, which is why I thinkKreese’s death inCobra Kaiseason 6worked so well.
I was a little frustrated with how Johnny most likely never learned what Kreese did for him at the end. I was also bothered by how Torry, with whom Kreese had created a very strong bond duringCobra Kai, would never learn why he disappeared forever. That said,Kreese’s final scene with Johnny was more than perfect.While there was no immediate forgiveness, everything that needed to be said was said.
Kreese was not necessarily a good guy or a hero at the end of the show, but he cared about Johnny enough to put his life on the line fighting Terry Silver.
Likewise, Torry saw that Kreese was the one who allowed Johnny to retakeCobra Kaiand bring Miguel with him so that they could have a chance at beating the Iron Dragons in the Sekai Taikai finals.Even if Torry never finds out what happened to Kreese, she will always remember how he helped herand her friends in such a crucial moment.
Kreese Dying To Save Johnny’s Family Was The Best Possible Ending For Him
Kreese Found Some Sort Of Redemption At The End
Having revisited theKarate KidmoviesafterCobra Kai’s finale, I’m confident to say that there was no better ending for Kreese than what we got. John Kreese was not a very complex character in the original films, but even then, we could tell that he was not fit to be a teacher. Johnny’s sensei had some good lessons to pass on, but unlike Miyagi, he let life get the best of him and wanted his students to learn through pain.
As irremediable as Kreese seemed to be, the real message ofCobra Kaiis that it is never too late to learn something. Daniel LaRusso realized early on the show that not even Mr. Miyagi had all the answers, and during season 6, he discovered that his sensei was not perfect. Kreese was not necessarily a good guy or a hero at the end of the show, but he cared about Johnny enough to put his life on the line fighting Terry Silver.
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.
