What [SPOILER]The death of could mean the ending

Key points

• Season 6 of Cobra Kai features a tournament-level brawl at the Sekai Taikai, leading to the tragic death of a character.
• The cancellation of Sekai Taikai could serve as a reset for Cobra Kai, focusing on character reflections.
• Kwon's death could tie into Miyagi's past, potentially revealing more about his philosophy on karate.

If there is one thing Cobra Kai Baby, it's an all-out karate brawl. The second season culminated in a school-wide brawl that resulted in Miguel being seriously injured. In season three, Cobra Kai students descended on the Lawrusso residence and Eli stepped up and defended Demetri. Season 5 showed a remarkable reunion of all of Daniel's former rivals coming together to take on Terry Silver and his team of nasties. Cobra Kai uses them as fun and re-attachables to not only show action, but also to mark turning points in the series. Season 6, Part 2 introduced the biggest brawl of all, with a tournament-level clash breaking out at the Sekai Taikai. Its tragic end, which leads to the death of a character, is the most important conclusion of each of these battles.

Cobra Kaiin true sports anime style, it revolves entirely around karate, from teenage rivalries to tournaments to teaching philosophies to the soul of the entire San Fernando Valley. Daniel's wife, Amanda, has pointed out throughout the series how things have gone too far with the karate wars. In the past, feelings have been hurt, homes have been destroyed and bones broken. However, Kwon Jae-Sung, the hot-headed star of the newly revived Cobra Kai dojo, is the series' first karate victim.

During the chaos of the fight at the Sekai Taikai, Kwon finds John Kreese's eunjangdo. He attempts to use it to fight Axel Kovačević, one of the captains of the ferocious Iron Dragons, but ends up stabbing himself to death by accident instead. With Kwon's life cut short, now more than ever, the characters of Cobra Kai they will have to reevaluate the way they see karate, as well as others.

Sekai Takai may be cancelled

Tensions were high during the match between Axel and Robby. Axel, frustrated with Robby's defense strategy, asked him if he would fight and pushed him to where some Cobra Kai fighters were. Kwon elbowed Robby in the side, forcing Miguel to defend him. Axel, who had a crush on Sam, intervened, eager for a chance to fight Miguel. Sekai Takai host Gunther Braun was about to stop the fight when he was knocked out by Tiger Strike's Sensei Ivanov.

The Tiger Strike team was disqualified due to doping and is back looking for revenge. With Gunter out, no one could stop the ensuing chaos. Students fought students. The senses fought against the senses. Kwon went to attack Axel, but ended up plunging the knife into his own body, causing his death. Gunther woke up just in time to see what had happened and to ask for the cameras to be turned off.

While this season has revealed that strange deaths can occur during these tournaments, there's a chance there hasn't been one televised before. Furthermore, the lack of sportsmanship during an international tournament that is meant to celebrate the skills of competitors from around the world would undoubtedly lead families and media outlets to question the ethics of the Sekai Taikai.

While it may seem anti-climactic, the cancellation of the Sekai Taikai could serve as a reset Cobra Kai. Instead of competition, the remaining episodes could focus on the characters saying goodbye and reflecting on what learning karate meant to them. It was never about trophies. It was always about the bonds that these characters formed.

Old enemies can make amends

At its center, Cobra Kai and the Karate Kid movies are about relationships between fathers and sons. Daniel, whose father died before the events of the first Karate Kid film, found a positive father figure in Mr. Miyagi. In Cobra KaiJohnny explains that his father left when he was in kindergarten and his mother married Sid Weinberg, who had no interest in being a real stepfather. Johnny became who he is under the fierce tutelage of John Kreese. While Daniel prospered largely thanks to Mr. Miyagi, Johnny was not so lucky, living as a down-on-his-luck jack-of-all-trades at the start of the series.

Although Daniel and Johnny have grown as both father figures and fathers to their biological children over the course of the series, their relationships with their mentors still have a profound effect on them. In Season 6, Part 2, Johnny gives a less-than-stellar pep talk to the students of Miyagi-Do that stems from his projection of his own past. Despite all his growth, he is still worried that his students will become like him, and out of fear, he is using the same harsh rhetoric that Kreese used.

Cobra Kai may have some great antagonists, including the wonderfully diabolical Terry Silver, but John Kreese has always been the series' ultimate villain. Kreese himself struggled with his affection for Johnny, calling him “weakness” and trying to eliminate him. Despite this, Johnny proves himself to be the bigger man when he defends Kreese from Silver. This act could finally set in motion a reconciliation between these two men. Despite their best efforts, they mean a lot to each other and are just as much family as Daniel and Mr. Miyagi.

Kwon's death will connect to Miyagi's past

Kwon's death was foreshadowed by the revelation earlier this season that Mr. Miyagi, the franchise's most beloved mentor, had once killed another Sekai Taikai contestant. (Not an uncommon trope in the martial arts genre.) Daniel is understandably shaken by this, but just looking at the competition sheet may not tell the whole story.

After all, Axel didn't intend to kill Kwon; Kwon accidentally stabbed himself. It could be that Miyagi's situation was similar. Or perhaps Miyagi killed a competitor in an accident, which led him to change his philosophy on karate, choosing to teach Daniel a defense-focused approach. Perhaps the only reason he agreed to coach Daniel for a tournament is the first Karate Kid film was because he recognized Kreese's relentless approach as similar to one he had once shared. In any case, even if Daniel hasn't been able to get answers during this part of the season, it's likely he'll get them before the finale.

It's hard to say goodbye Cobra Kai. It's a rare continuation series that not only dominates in ratings, but has also received critical praise. It doesn't just revel in nostalgia, it builds on it with great action and big heart. Now that the show has thrown its biggest dramatic challenge yet, the stakes are higher than ever. That being said, with the love these creators and actors have for their characters, it will no doubt end with a bang.