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Like a coalition of Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett and Ra'am: Season 5 of "Cobra Kai" presents an unbelievable collaboration

Whoever thought another season of the "Karate Kid" sequel series would be unnecessary, got a roundhouse kick in the face with another season of pure fun.

The historical rivalry from the 1980s is the basis for a more complex battle between light and dark, with many illusions to our reality.

And above all: it's still the most fun binge on Netflix

Salon associate

02/10/2022

Sunday, 02 October 2022, 10:29 Updated: 10:50

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Trailer for the fifth season of "Cobra Kai" (Netflix)

Just before Yom Kippur, it's time to ask for forgiveness.

About a year ago, when Netflix uploaded the fourth season of "Cobra Kai", I published a very positive review of the series here on the site, but I insinuated in a subtle way that it would have been better if the series had ended together with the excellent season.

Precisely because of my love for the series, I wrote about the fifth season, which was already filmed at the time, that it was "unnecessary".

I apologize because I was wrong.

Not only did the fifth season continue the excellent tradition of the series, but proved its necessity to the story and legacy of "Karate Kid".

One of those rare cases where it's really fun to be wrong.

The series, as I have argued before, continues to be the most fun binge on Netflix.

The kind of series that don't win awards and rave reviews - but the audience will continue to demand more and more of them, simply because they produce the most enjoyable television available.

One that sticks you to the screen and doesn't let you leave.

Those who wait for Yom Kippur to gulp it down in one gulp are doing it right.

The ultimate evil, against the complex good.

Terry Silver and Daniel-Sun, "Cobra Kai" season 5 (Photo: Netflix)

The fifth season continues exactly from the cliff-hanger that closed the previous season, and at exactly the same pace.

This is the time when those who have not yet watched the series and don't want to get painful spoilers in the face with a twisted kick will want to leave the article.

John Criss (Martin Cobb) goes to prison after being framed by Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), who takes over Cobra Kai on his way to take over all of America.

In front of him, three former rivals collaborate, who decide to unite for the sake of the next generation of karate.

Daniel Sun (Ralph Macchio) a student of Mister Miyagi, teams up with Johnny Lawrence (Billy Zebka) and Chozen (Yuji Yokomoto) for the ultimate battle that the children of the eighties didn't even know they were dreaming of.

Karate Kid's hero teaming up with the villains of the first two movies versus the villain of the third movie?

Wow!

The series can send the viewers to many illusions to our reality.

It doesn't take a highly developed imagination to see Terry Silver's likeness to Donald Trump, for example.

A very rich man who wants to use his accumulated wealth to corrupt the next generation and damage the essence of karate as we all know it.

Silver, so to speak, is doing to the ancient martial art what Trump did to American democracy.

The surprising collaboration of Daniel, Johnny and Chozen against him at this point is no longer a matter of ego, revenge or even karate - it's a battle for the future of humanity.

It is not certain if this was the intention of the creators, but one can see in the union between the old rivals a similarity to the coalition consisting of Meir Lapid, Naftali Bennett and Rem.

And we may have drifted.

The beauty of "Cobra Kai" stems from the fact that beyond the annual dose of nostalgia it injects into the veins of children of the eighties, it managed to convey the mythical rivalry between the different karate approaches of "Cobra Kai" and "Miyagi Do" to a new generation of viewers.

The fifth season reminds that the approaches are not necessarily opposite.

This is polar harmony.

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The liberal answer to Trump?

Daniel-san in the immortal pose, "Cobra Kai" season 5 (photo: Netflix)

Compared to Western culture, of which Netflix is ​​one of its distinct representatives on earth, Eastern culture does not believe that life is a confrontation between opposites.

As in the "Rocky" film series, so also in the "Karate Kid" films that came from the same director (and Rocky Balboa's influence on the series is emphasized every new season) they tried to make it accessible over time, in a number of films released over a whole decade - while "Cobra Kai" just swims This contrast is without lining.

America is used to conflicts between good and evil.

The light fights the darkness - with the goal being to get rid of the bad and stay only with the good.

This is what the monotheistic beliefs are based on, it doesn't matter if you are a Christian, a Muslim or a Jew, you believe that if you are good you will reach a world that is all good.

In the East, they believe that this world is already good enough, and you just have to accept the good and the bad as a package deal.

It would be simplistic to say that in the East they believe that there is no good without evil, because that is not the intention - but they believe that good and evil are part of the same set of forces, which cannot exist without both sides, just as the batteries in your television remote cannot operate without plus and minus - one sustains the The second - this is how the world itself works according to their method.

It's not a never-ending battle.

It is "yin-yang" (literally: negative and positive) and not "yang against yin".

There is no matter of religion here.

Mr. Miyagi was not a spiritual man, he was a warrior.

This is not a "belief" but simply another way of life, which has existed for thousands of years and is such a logical alternative to our spirit.

This is noticeable even in Eastern languages, where almost every word has several different, sometimes conflicting, meanings.

Chosen, Johnny and Daniel are one word with many meanings.

They move on the scale between good and bad.

Daniel is a fair fighter, but chooses the profession of a car dealer - perhaps the most dubious job there is.

Johnny is a neglected and irresponsible person, but seeks to make amends as a loving and devoted family man.

As the years pass and real life seeps into their rivalry, the distinction blurs.

Yin and Yang, in the most basic sense.

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Johnny's fix.

Cobra Kai, season 5, "Cobra Kai" season 5 (photo: Netflix)

At the end of this universe, Terry Silver is the ultimate villain.

Just like Trump who did not define himself as right or left but "someone from the outside", so too Silver is like a step-brother to the world of traditional karate.

His Cobra Kai is not a martial arts dojo or a self-defense school.

His Cobra Kai is military, with aromas of cult.

The children who stay in this tough place for the shiny merchandize show the distortion that money can bring to the human soul, even at a young age.

And of course this is also a series for young people, about young people.

The melodrama between Sam and Robbie, Hook's continued search for his inner truth, Tori who discovers the truth about her winning the Cup, Miguel who discovers his origins in Mexico and Kenny who transforms from a shy boy into a ruthless warrior.

Lots of little stories that help drive the main plot of the series and make it more family friendly, even if not all the stories are equally interesting.

At the heart of the season is Silver, who does take over Cobra Kai, but his method is also cruel compared to founder John Criss, who is cruel in his own right.

It's amazing that even thirty years later, the "bad" characters of the eighties - with an emphasis on those that were not based on caricatures of Muslims, Russians or Germans - remain so effective.

It also works in the silly eighties-flavored twist that closes the season, opening the door to season six.

This time I will not claim that it is not necessary, because if the world needs something it is more of this fun.

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A twist in the eighties fragrance.

Cobra Kai, season 5, "Cobra Kai" season 5 (photo: Netflix)

in the small

If you are looking for some more spiritual points about the series, you should perhaps pay attention to its Jewish angle.

All three creators of the series - Josh Hild, John Hurwitz and Hayden Schulzberg - are Jews from New Jersey.

The star of the series, Johnny Lawrence, is played by William Zebka - a Jewish actor.

Lawrence himself grew up with a stepfather named Sid Weinberg, played by the late Ed Asner, also Jewish.

His son in the series, Robbie Keane, is played by Tanner Buchanan.

You guessed it, he is also Jewish.

Martiv Cobb, who plays John Criss, is a devout Jew, while Terry Silver's character herself closes shady deals with Sensei Rosenthal while on Shabbat.

It seems that since Gal Gadot there has not been such a deadly Jewish representation in Hollywood.

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