TV Review: Cobra Kai Season 2 Gets Vindictive (A Spoiler Review)
Cobra Kai and Avengers: Endgame in one WEEK! My heart cannot handle so much badassery! Yet, nevertheless, I persist, which is something Cobra Kai’s rivalries consistently do. Season 2 hits toxic, near fatal levels of fighting that shows how dangerous us vs them can be in molding young minds.
Daniel Vs Johnny:
I just realized that, perhaps, why we love Cobra Kai is because the series is, literally, framed and named after the underdog dojo. Happily, my love continued and strengthened Season 2, in part, because Daniel becomes so darkly obsessed with destroying Cobra Kai, while feeling really righteous about it. He is as shady as a Real Housewife this season, and the result is a negative, yet self-pitying mentality that infects his students, and, oddly, makes Daniel more akin to Kreese.
The Return of A Cobra:
Kreese is SUCH a manipulator, and, throughout the season, his journey becomes whether he can manipulate Johnny like he used to when J was a kid. From the beginning, I did not trust that serpent, and I am very happy that, by the end, I am proven right. Yet, it sucks to see Johnny lose his work because he believed everyone wants and deserves redemption like he does. Kreese tries to act broken, but what he really wants is to regain what Johnny fixed: Cobra Kai
The Teens:
This season focuses on the teens a lot, and I appreciate it. The transition helps Cobra Kai feel like a series that will last, and gives the audience “breathers” from Daniel seeking Johnny’s destruction, of which Johnny has some funny revenge. Yet, from Jacob Bertrand’s Hawk and his descent into deranged evil to Gianni Decenzo’s Demetri and his obsession to save his old friend by stalking his life, things get crazy and weird. These are kids that go to war, and the primary soldiers are Tory (Peyton List), Miguel (Xolo Maridueña), Samantha (Mary Mouser), and Robby (Tanner Buchanan)
Tory and Miguel Vs Samantha and Robby:
Team Tory And Miguel! I think we pull for these characters because they don’t think they are good, but, at least, they try to get better. List’s Tory is snarky, suffered, and defensive, of which she finds balance with Miguel’s maintained sweetness. This kid is a mother’s dream child, which makes him stand out against his rival, Robby. Tory and Miguel come from the bottom up, while you cannot shake that Robby and Samantha look down on others. It feels like the Miyagi way, and it takes a toll as Robby becomes obsessed with the Larusso family. You understand why because, this season, they step up for him, but I cannot shake that Robby’s storyline has the potential for so much more weighted drama.
The Problem With Robby:
Abandoned by his parents! A kid that lived on the streets and did drugs! A thief! These three titles alone could spark eternal traumas and some really gut-wrenching scenes of being a lost teen. Yet, Robby’s character appears more like a preppy than an abused child. Buchanan does well to give hints to Robby’s deep, emotional gripes against his parents, but there is so much that could be shown, especially when you consider the season’s end. Robby, literally, drop kicks Miguel to his potential death, and solidifies himself as someone a lot of people are going to hate. Yet, I’m hopeful that this move sparks a more accessible and redemptive journey for Robby.
Miguel And Johnny:
At the end of the day, the real pair we watch is Johnny and Miguel. They are the father and son duo the fans love, and the writers saw that this season. They keep Miguel as the pure heart of the series that never wavers into darkness, which helps him become a constant, saving guide to Johnny. They really love each other, and the potential of Johnny joining the Diaz family was one of my favorite parts of Season 2. He has such a lovely chemistry with Vanessa Rubio’s Carmen, and, although it does not look good, in the end, for the couple, I hope that season 3 brings a romantic reunion.
The Shocking Ending:
I was shook when Miguel fell from the second floor. I did not see it coming, and it was a brilliant, but tragic example of how adults need to watch what they show kids. Daniel and Johnny trained their dojos to hate each other as much as they trained them to do high kicks.
All in all, Season 2 was smoothly better than Season 1, and it is because the writers listened to fans enough to give them what they want, but also guide them in what the creative team wants to offer. People fell for Cobra Kai because they did not expect the series to be so heartfelt, original, and testifying to the importance of second chances. These were the themes Cobra Kai’s writers picked and they continue to deliver. Now, with that being said, where is Daniel’s son, Anthony? Cobra Kai premieres on Youtube Premium on April 24.
