Part 2 of the sixth and final season of Cobra Kai is finally here. Was it worth the wait after the cliffhanger of part 1? Read on to find out.

Final Tournament Arc

The new exotic setting provides a new and refreshing environment for the characters to flex around in. We’re not in the Valley anymore, folks, the series goes global with the Sekai Taikai tournament. It’s great to finally see the series expanding its horizons beyond just the old rivalries and conflicts from previous seasons. There are new faces and foes, which adds new interesting dynamics to the picture.

The Sekai Taikai feels like a natural progression point for the series because it’s the show’s equivalent of Tenkaichi Budokai from Dragon Ball or the Dark Tournament from Yu Yu Hakusho. Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 2 does well in excitingly translating the shonen anime trope of the protagonists entering a new tournament arc and discovering that they’re outmatched or nowhere near as good as they think they were because they’re finally facing the best of the best.

The first of the five episodes in Cobra Kai Season 6 is mostly a brief setup but the action immediately picks up and kicks off by the end of the first episode and never lets up. If you were disappointed by the lack of fights and action in Part 1, Part 2 will definitely be more satisfying and offer plenty more of what you wanted (fights, fights, fights). Cobra Kai has always been best during these adrenaline-pumping and epic ‘tournament arcs’, and this season features some of the best moments and fight choreography in the entire series to date. These include everything from one-on-one contests to tag team battles and Royal Rumble-style elimination bouts.

The new addition of the Iron Dragons team includes Zara (played by actress and real martial artist Rayna Vallandingham) and Sensei Wolf (played by Lewis Tan, who is also a real martial artist). Tan is a much better antagonist/villain than he is as a lead (he was the forgettable protagonist in 2021’s Mortal Kombat). Meanwhile, all of the original cast delivered compelling performances as usual and as expected, especially Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Miguel Diaz (Xolo Mariduena). One plot point that may still be divisive is Daniel LaRusso’s personal quest to find out the truth about Mr. Miyagi’s past, which feels a bit disjointed and disconnected from the main narrative (though there is eventually a small bit of payoff for this).

The biggest flaw of Cobra Kai remains when it goes overboard on the melodrama that some who dislike it would often call it a “soap opera”. Sometimes drama and conflicts would happen just for the sake of it in previous seasons. In Cobra Kai Season 6, it feels cathartic to see the characters mostly put aside their past differences and work together. However, it’s not long before old wounds start flaring up again and more drama ensues. I still stand by my point in my review of Part 1, that this has always been part and parcel of Cobra Kai, as well as what makes the emotional highs and climax of each season usually feel so gratifying when it all gets resolved. There are also some unexpected twists and turns in Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 2.

Road To A Dramatic Finale

The Seikai Taikai feels like the endgame tournament arc and the culmination of everything we’ve been working towards. With only five out of a total of fifteen planned episodes left, it seems like the series will stick the landing after all.

Cobra Kai remains a binge-worthy series that strikes hard.

Oh, and the ending of Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 2 features perhaps the craziest and best action setpiece in the entire series to date!

FINAL SCORE: 90/100

Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 2 is now streaming on Netflix Malaysia.

Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 3 will premiere on 13 February 2025.