Warning! This article contains spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6.
Summary
Cobra Kaiseason 6’s big Mr. Miyagi twist finally answers a 38-year-oldThe Karate Kidquestion. As the final season of the Netflix series, it’s no surprise Mr. Miyagi’s story has been pulled back into the spotlight.Cobra Kaiseason 6, part 1, came with a lot of big reveals about the sage sensei, and the final twist leading into the Sekai Taikai connects to a significantKarate Kiddetail. It’s precisely this kind of connective tissue between the TV spinoff and the original 1980s movie that makesCobra Kaiso great— it creates more mysteries while answering lingering questions from decades past.
Part 1 ofCobra Kaiseason 6, which contained five episodes, saw Miyagi-Do preparing for the global karate tournament known as the Sekai Taikai. Daniel LaRusso’s dojo qualified for this massive tournament back in season 5, and though Terry Silver is no longer a threat, it’s clear the students are still eager to compete. However, as the Sekai Taikai grows ever closer, it has become evident that the events will push Miyagi-Do to its limits. This fact is reinforced by the reveal thatMr. Miyagi himself had once competed in the Sekai Taikia, and based on his bloody headband, it was a pretty rough experience.
Cobra Kai Season 6: Part 1 Review - The Flaws Of Netflix’s Season-Splitting Model Are Starting To Show
Cobra Kai’s final season gets off to a slow start in Part 1, but the cliffhanger promises a strong conclusion for parts 2 and 3 to close the show.
Mr. Miyagi’s Problem With Tournaments In The Karate Kid Movies Explained
The Karate Kid Movies Established Mr. Miyagi’s Dislike Of Formal Karate Tournaments
Daniel uncovered asecret chest inside Mr. Miyagi’s home inCobra Kaiseason 6, and hidden within was a bloody headband that he eventually realized was a garment specific to Sekai Taikai captains. This was a significant surprise since, backin 1986’sThe Karate Kid Part 2, Mr. Miyagi made his dislike for formal karate tournaments very clear. He had helped Daniel win the 1984 All-Valley tournament inThe Karate Kidas a means to dealing with John Kreese and Cobra Kai, but he urged Daniel in the following years to leave his victory at that and compete in no further formal competitions.
Mr. Miyagi’s reasoning behind this was somewhat vague.He said there was no meaning behind fighting for a trophyand that defending a championship title would bring no honor. In all, this simply set up the kind of fight Daniel would find himself at the end ofThe Karate Kid Part 2—a to-the-death match with Chozen Toguchi. However, Mr. Miyagi’s reluctance to participate in tournaments continued intoThe Karate Kid Part 3, causing Daniel to turn away from his sensei to begin training at Cobra Kai instead.
Mr. Miyagi’s Sekai Taikai Participation Helps Explain Why He Didn’t Like Tournaments
Something Horrible Must Have Happened At Mr. Miyagi’s Sekai Taikai
Mr. Miyagi’s long-established dislike for tournaments made Daniel’s discovery of the Sekai Taikai headband all the more surprising. However, the fact that this garment was stained with blood may explain why the old sensei had been so adamant that Daniel not compete formally.It appears that Mr. Miyagi was seriously injured in the Sekai Taikai, whenever it is that he participated, likely suffering a head wound that left his captain headband soaked in blood. Precisely what happened is still unclear, but Daniel is sure to discover moreanswers inCobra Kaiseason 6, parts 2 and 3.
The fact that this garment was stained with blood may explain why the old sensei had been so adamant that Daniel not compete formally.
Why Did Mr. Miyagi Compete In The Sekai Taikai?
Cobra Kai Season 6 Parts 2 & 3 Will Need To Provide More Answers
Another big question that Daniel’sCobra Kaiseason 6, part 1, discovery presents is why Mr. Miyagi competed in the Sekai Taikai to begin with. Of course, the bloody headband wasn’t the only thing that Daniel found in the hidden chest. He had also found artifacts indicating thatMr. Miyagi had once lived a very different life, committing armed robbery and changing his name to avoid the repercussions of the crime. If Daniel’s sensei and friend had once been the kind of man who would hurt someone else for personal gain, it could certainly be true that Mr. Miyagi had once felt differently about karate tournaments.
It’s likely that whatever happened during this global karate tournament helped shape who Mr. Miyagi would one day be.
Of course,none of this changes the fact that the Mr. Miyagi of theKarate Kidmovies was a gentle and wise manwho only fought when he needed to. It’s clear that the man learned a lot of important lessons between his crime,competing in the Sekai Taikai, and meeting the young Daniel LaRusso. It’s likely that whatever happened during this global karate tournament helped shape who Mr. Miyagi would one day be. WhileCobra Kaistill has to reveal what really happened, it can be assumed that the Sekai Taikai will come with similar lessons for Miyagi-Do’s current students and senseis.
CobraKaiseason 6, part 2, releases on Netflix on July 26, 2025.
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.
