In the spirit of preparing for season 4 of Cobra Kai, I rewatched part of season 3 with my twin who also happens to be a super-fan and has seen it a million times. Not only did I rewatch part of the show, but she has decided to take me on the journey of watching the second and third original movies, ultimately leading me to believe that I truly understood most of the characters of the main cast in Cobra Kai.
In my sick and twisted little teenage mind, as we were finishing up season 3, I came to a sudden yet unforgettable realization: each main character that I saw on the screen before me matched a song off of what might one of the greatest pieces of musical work to ever exist on the miserable surface of this planet: Taylor Swift’s masterpiece, Folklore.
I don’t know how widespread the middle ground is between the Venn diagram of die-hard Swifties and people that like the Karate Kid cinematic universe, but I’m sure that I’m hitting a niche of at least two people: my sister and I. As a Christmas gift, this is a small homage to my twin, Charlotte: Merry Christmas, and I hope season 4 is everything you want it to be! You are by far the biggest fan of this whole thing I’ve ever seen and I hope I’ve done this justice!
Daniel LaRusso = Mirrorball
Daniel LaRusso is a people pleaser, through and through. Not only that, but most of his life is watched by those either exploiting him or those that simply want him to know peace. He is a fighter when needed, but he lives his life in the pursuit of well-earned respect despite living on a pedestal from the moment he learned karate.
Though people constantly seek him out to fulfill some kind of boon or lifelong dissatisfaction, he has to live day-to-day life on the peaceful principles he learned from Miyagi while also honoring his personal ambitions. He exists beyond the scope of the people that see him as some mythic legend: he’s just a guy that has been battered and bruised, time and time again.
CHARLOTTE’S INPUT: There is good evidence of this song in Karate Kid III with Terry Silver trying to woo him, but then Mr. Miyagi tries to convince him otherwise. He’s caught between two worlds and he’s trying to please both, but either way, he’s going to get beat up.
Johnny Lawrence = August/This Is Me Trying
Nothing can excuse the hooligan behavior of 80s Johnny, but in the lens of “August,” I cry a little at the thought of Johnny feeling like a second choice after the Adonis that is Ralph Macchio when he served in his own right and was emotionally manipulated by a war criminal.
Especially as we veer into Cobra Kai territory, every moment of Johnny’s recovery from menace-to-less of a menace takes effort and discomfort. Obviously he is not at all perfect, but that’s the magnetism of his character: he represents impulsiveness that has to be battered away with the most integrity-filled part of yourself. Even if you’re not at your best, you’re still trying.
CHARLOTTE’S INPUT: For “August,” when you hear his account of the Alli story, it reminds you of how young they all were. It sounds so wistful: their summer romance was cut short. It makes you like him more. With “This Is Me Trying,” he puts in work constantly with Miguel, with Carmen, and though his relationship with Robby is rocky, he is certainly putting in what he sees as immense effort. You can just feel how palpable his effort is.
Robby Keene = Exile
When I think of Robby, I think of ANGST. What song is more representative of inner turmoil and true anger against the world than “Exile.” There are two sides of Robby: the side his father left him with where he has the intention to try his best to recover the authenticity that comes with bettering his own life and his own personal tormentor that tells him to go where any respect is given. He just wants to end up somewhere he doesn’t have to watch his back at all times, and with the ever-increasing conflict in his life, it’s hard to see through intention when the promise of sanctuary is only skin deep.
CHARLOTTE’S INPUT: For Robby, things keep repeating and not in a good way. He sees these trends and he’s afraid to accept the good while it’s there and finds comfort in the bad. Rather than go back to two father figures, he feels like he needs to exile himself from the cycle by seeking out someone he knows to be toxic as a new opportunity.
Miguel Diaz = Betty
Miguel is somehow still a relatively upbeat and optimistic character despite having been through probably the most pain out of anyone in the entire show. When I think of him, I think of a teenage boy that harbors the irrefutable idea that eventually, things will work out. What song is better than “Betty,” a song where the speaker only hopes that the best will happen out of faith in love?
CHARLOTTE’S INPUT: With Miguel, he’s similar to the song because he always comes back to his first love while still caring for the people he leaves behind. The only reason he leaves his first love originally is because he feels jealous, and once he understands the situation as it is, all he wants is to feel safe again.
Samantha LaRusso = My Tears Ricochet
Sam went from having some relationship/friendship troubles to having full-blown anxiety and possible PTSD, so I feel like she deserves a song about acknowledging previous hardships while also showing that she’ll never be the person she was before. All I want is for every single character in this show to get therapy, but all I can do at this point is hope that Sam grows into the entirety of the song’s message and is larger than her current problems.
CHARLOTTE’S INPUT: Sam unintentionally causes so many of the central conflicts and by season 3, she feels so lost and like she’s hurting everyone around her. By then, she feels like a new person but she still doesn’t feel like she’s enough. She can’t control her internal conflicts so it affects those around her, but there’s not much she can do about it.
Eli Moskowitz/ Hawk = Epiphany
Even though the mohawk is atrocious, I have such a soft spot for Hawk’s character despite the fact that he is an out-of-control menace that needs therapy just as much as everyone else. He is loyal to whoever provides him with the most confidence, though in the end, he ultimately returns to his original loyalties after an epiphany freeing him from the singular conflict shrouding his decisions. The scar isn’t even bad!
CHARLOTTE’S INPUT: For Hawk, that moment in season 3 where he returns to his morals and his real friends, UGH. He wakes up from this haze into an epiphany and sheds that false sense of confidence for what really matters: his friends. I think it’s one of my favorite parts of this show where he accepts that his old self is a part of him for the better. A great song for a great character.
Tori Nichols = Mad Woman
Where do I start with Tori? Oh my god, please give these people therapy. I respect her struggles and understand the immense pressures that fall on her in so many ways, but my god, she is a mad woman. Especially later in season 3, I feel like this song is the perfect anthem for her motives. Also, FIX HER HAIR.
CHARLOTTE’S INPUT: Tori knows that everyone thinks she’s crazy but she’s still sensitive. She’s had her struggles, but there are reasons for her to be so mad and be so aggressive. She’s the only girl in a masculine and violent setting, so she’s in a league of her own, which immediately pits her against Sam. Except Tori is 100% a mad woman. Like pre-Kreese. But Hawk has a similar level of rage and people aren’t as quick to call it out, so she might be due for a redemption moment.
John Kreese = None from Folklore because he’s a menace, but maybe Look What You Made Me Do
Mr. War Criminal John Kreese is the man that haunts my nightmares. Never have I seen a character so unhinged and more deserving of time in prison. If Tori was in the military, this is what would happen. He does not deserve a single track off of Folklore, so I award him with one of Taylor’s most unhinged tracks: “Look What You Made Me Do” off of Reputation. We need surveillance on this guy. National security threat #1.
CHARLOTTE’S INPUT: This man is utterly unhinged. And when this song came out, it was the bringer of chaos. This song ripped apart reality at its seams, and John Kreese does not play reality by its rules, so an unhinged song for an unhinged guy works.
Mr. Miyagi = Peace
Miyagi. What a perfect human being. God bless that confusing, eccentric, and eclectic character. Truly someone that only wanted those around him to find peace and fought for that journey every day of his life. Would it be enough if I could ever bring Miyagi peace?
CHARLOTTE’S INPUT: Mr. Miyagi is one of my favorite characters to ever exist, and one of his struggles is not bringing Yukie with him and when they’re first reunited, he has to acknowledge that. He changed the course of her life, of Daniel’s life, and both are still committed to him as a loved one. People want peace for him, but it’s all he wants for everyone else.
Demetri = Seven
Demetri is loyal like Hawk, only he draws upon his past rather than what people can offer him in the future. He can see past all the insane karate politics and has a clear agenda: be a good friend and be strong for his friends. His childlike sense of optimism is “Seven” through and through, and he is such a fun and consistent character.
CHARLOTTE’S INPUT: Even by season 3, all Demetri wants to do is maintain his and Eli’s childhood bond no matter what. He brings people back to their most foundational and youthful selves, and his sense of loyalty and persistence is unmatched.
Amanda LaRusso = Invisible String
Amanda is somehow the only voice of reason in this entire show. How is she the first person to try and get Kreese arrested? When she slapped Kreese, I felt twenty years added to my lifespan. Truly inspired, and not only that, but she is the perfect balance for Daniel’s insane background and truly deserves her own show. She really is the voice of the people in this show.
CHARLOTTE’S INPUT: One of the primary/recurring motifs in the show is Daniel reconnecting with his exes, and somehow, none of it phases Amanda. If something happens at the dealership, she brings it up to avoid long term conflict. They just always share this connection despite Daniel reliving several of his childhood traumas/romances. It’s insane because they’re tested time and time again with no resounding consequences other than more trust.
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I hope you enjoyed my Taylor Swift-fueled spiral, and happy holidays to everyone! Charlotte, I hope you appreciated this present! HAPPY SEASON 4!!!