Cobra Kai’sRalph Macchio and William Zabka on Danny and Johnny’s Enemies-to-Friends Arc

By all accounts , Netflix ’s Cobra Kaisounds like a middling awesome , if also utterly bonkers show . The follow up to theKarate Kid franchisedropped its quaternary season on New Years Eve , continuing the adventure of Daniel LaRusso ( Ralph Maccio ) , Johnny Lawrence ( William Zabka ) , and their martial art protege . After the end of last season saw the return of John Kreese and the Cobra Kai dojo , Daniel and Johnny decide that the only way to wreak the sometime villain downwas to squad upand train their pupil together .

As with all team ups , though , the route from enemies to allies can be pretty bumpy . speak toEntertainment Weeklyfor a looter - heavy talk on season four , Macchio and Zabka talked about the arc of their human relationship during the season . Danny and Johnny both agree that Kreese and Cobra Kai have got to go , but the method of how is their biggest source of conflict . Both actor matte it was crucial for their character to clash over their soldierly art approach : Danny ’s defensive Miyago - Do mode vs. Johnny ’s aggression - free-base Eagle Fang panache . Zabka in exceptional believed it would ’ve been “ dishonorable ” if there was n’t a clash at the start : “ They ’re both coming with their baggage , so of path , there ’s gon na be landmines . ”

That baggage can partly be owed to their respective fry . Danny read that his Word Anthony ( Griffin Santopietro ) is a bully , and his girl Sam ( Mary Mouser ) has been learning Eagle Fang from Johnny . Both are bitter pills to accept , but Sam accepting his rival ’s teachings may be the self-aggrandising , consort to Macchio . He considered Danny “ a caring parent if not a perfect parent , ” and to see Johnny effectively replace him as a father has brewed some rancor . But Johnny also harbors similar feelings about Danny , who teach Miyagi - Do to Miguel ( Xolo Maridueña ) , a student Johnny loves like a Logos now that his actual son , Robby ( Tanner Buchanan ) , is being taught by Kreese . At this point , the former bully ’s trying his best to not lose yet another son , which manifests itself in some not great fashion . “ He overcorrects , ” Zabka acknowledged , “ He treasure Miguel and he ’s afraid of losing that adherence . ”

Image: Netflix

Despite their issue , both man before long realise they call for to swap expressive style and see where the other person ’s coming from . While filming the chronological succession where Johnny sand the deck , Zabka realized “ just how cool this was as an phylogenesis of the character … It was really important that Johnny opened his heart up and sees that there is something to con here . ” He observe it just as important for himself , as he actualize the scene designate how far Johnny ’s come since Miyagi saved his life in Karate Kid II .

However , that peace between the two is brusque lived . In episode five , the two fighters present off to decide whose method will be taught to their students . Excited as the two were to read the script , they were surprised to see that the fight would conclude with a lot . anticlimactical , maybe , but co - showrunner Josh Heald explained how the draw had to happen . Both Danny and Johnny are both so “ passionate ” about who has the better karate , but show ’s school of thought is about ” exploring [ how ] it ’s not better , it ’s just different . It goes to that subject over and over again….after they ’ve come so far with their exploration of each other ’s karate , and with their own rendering of their masters ’ karate — it would have felt unauthentic . ”

During the climactic All Valley Championship , it ’s Danny who realizes that their students can become better fighters by memorize more styles . With that , he makes the surprising move to apologise to Johnny , and even gives their partnership the new name of “ Miyagi - Fang . ” Macchio openly admitted that he needed to be sell on the scene and want it cut , but Heald made a unattackable lawsuit for keep it in . Now sold , Macchio decided to be on-key to Danny and make it sound weird in the moment . “ It ’s almost like I have trouble saying [ ’ Miyagi - Fang ’ ] out loud , ” he said , “ and then I give chase it with ‘ just for today . ’ ”

Graphic: Jim Cooke

As for Zabka ? He loved it , and found it “ a second of fall and development ” for Johnny . “ I think he ’s come to accept that he ’s a body of work in progress … To acknowledge that you ’re wrong is probably one of the hardest things to do as a person , especially when you ’re so set in your way . ” But how will things excite out for both men now that they ’re finally ally ? That will have to wait until time of year five .

Cobra Kai is out now on Netflix .

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