The Cobra Kai season 6 trailer teases the possibility of Kreese serving as the series’ final villain and how this could happen. In addition to announcing a three-part, 15-episode release plan for Cobra Kai season 6, Netflix released a short trailer teasing the show’s final chapter. The footage revealed a number of intriguing teases, one of which centered on Martin Kove’s John Kreese.
Terry Silver’s framing of Kreese resulted in the latter being forced to sit out season 5’s dojo war. However, Kreese’s escape from prison paved the way for the classic Karate Kid villain to return to the larger picture, though it was unclear where he would fit in. With Kreese becoming a wanted fugitive, he didn’t have an obvious way to renew his feud with Johnny and Daniel. The Cobra Kai season 6 trailer contains one huge clue as to what he’ll be up to.
Cobra Kai confirms that Kreese will be involved in the dojo’s return
In the Cobra Kai season 6 trailer, Kreese says, “Cobra Kai is back.” This line stands out because Kreese is not currently a member of Cobra Kai. Terry Silver forced him out and took over, and Kreese’s escape from prison only hampered his ability to associate with a dojo. Furthermore, by the end of Cobra Kai season 5, Terry Silver’s dojo appeared to be defunct. By claiming that “Cobra Kai is back,” Kreese has hinted at both Cobra Kai’s return as a threat and his character’s involvement in their activities.
Given the show’s title, it was always thought unlikely that Cobra Kai would simply disappear after season 5, even after Terry Silver was defeated. There was much speculation that Sensei Kim Dae-Eun, Terry Silver’s partner in season 5, would take over leadership of the dojo after Silver offered her half ownership, and given her appearance in the trailer, it’s safe to assume that she will also play a role in Cobra Kai’s resurrection. However, it appears that she will not have sole control of Cobra Kai. If Kreese’s ominous remark is any indication, he will once again play a guiding role in Cobra Kai’s upcoming battles, possibly alongside Kim.
Naturally, that still leaves open the question of how Kreese plans to stay out of jail. Normally, Kreese would have been cleared of all charges after the children revealed Silver’s wrongdoings, but Kreese’s escape caused additional legal issues for him. If the show is to make Kreese a sensible person again, it must somehow properly address his status as a wanted man. Unless, as some theories have suggested, Kreese manages to escape the country and relocate to South Korea, where Kim is currently based, he clearly cannot lead a dojo with the police on his trail.
Kreese leading Cobra Kai again would set him up as the final villain
If Kreese were to worm his way back into Cobra Kai and reclaim his original position as sensei, he would be set up as the series’ final villain. Johnny and Daniel’s main goal in Cobra Kai season 6 will most likely be to win the Sekai Taikai, an international karate tournament they qualified for in season 5. On the surface, this implies that they will not face a single foe in season 6, but it is in the nature of the franchise for Cobra Kai to be the final challenge for them to overcome, regardless of the tournament.
A key event in Cobra Kai season 5 reinforces the idea that Johnny and Daniel’s students will face Cobra Kai at the Sekai Taikai. With Kenny’s victory over Hawk, Cobra Kai effectively secured its spot in the tournament. If the Sekai Taikai committee does not revoke it following Terry Silver’s arrest, they should still be able to compete. And, as previously stated, Kim should technically still be in charge of Cobra Kai, so their participation should be unaffected. If she joins forces with Kreese, he could easily prepare a new batch of students for the tournament.
If the dojo does enter the Sekai Taikai, the story will almost certainly end with Johnny and Daniel’s students facing off against Cobra Kai in the final episodes. It would be consistent with the franchise’s spirit if these dojos were the last ones standing at the end of the tournament. And, with the students representing Cobra Kai now expected to be under Kreese’s direction, Johnny and Daniel would be coaching against Kreese on opposite sides of the mat for the show’s final fights.
Why Kreese Should Be The Show’s Final Villain
While previous scenes have hinted at a possible redemption arc for Kreese, casting him as Cobra Kai’s ultimate bad guy would still be an appropriate move given his long history. After all, there’s no better person for the job; unlike Terry Silver and Kim Dae-Eun, Kreese has been a consistent, long-term presence on the show since the season 1 finale’s closing scene, not to mention his villainous role in 1984’s The Karate Kid. Kreese has the closest ties to the show’s two main characters out of any of the candidates.
There’s also the question of his relationships with Daniel and Johnny. While Johnny was Daniel’s original opponent, the series has always acknowledged that Kreese was the true instigator of the conflict, as he was the one who led Johnny astray in the first place. In that sense, it’s fitting that Daniel’s final victory in Cobra Kai come against the person who forced him to embark on this journey all those years ago.