How Cobra Kai Fans Really Feel About Kreese's Possible Redemption
No matter the medium, it's near impossible for a story to have a compelling hero without a compelling villain for them to go up against. Their conflict goes a long way in driving the plot forward, and it delves deeper into who these individuals are on the inside. Every now and again, this can manifest itself in a redemption arc, where a previously evil character sees the error of their ways and decides to change for the better. Franchises like "Star Wars" and "Avatar: The Last Airbender" famously utilized this storytelling mechanic, as has Netflix's "Cobra Kai" throughout its four seasons.
Set decades after the beloved 1984 classic "The Karate Kid," "Cobra Kai" cues viewers in on what became of the people from that film. Ralph Macchio's Daniel LaRusso somewhat lost his way as he got older, but he's taken big strides in becoming a better father, husband, and overall person that his late sensei, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), knew he could be. However, this character growth is nothing compared to that of Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka): LaRusso's childhood bully whose life went down the drain into adulthood. He still has a long way to go, but he's far from the cocky teenager he once was.
As Johnny's road to redemption on "Cobra Kai" continues, fans have begun to wonder if his former martial arts instructor, John Kreese (Martin Kove), has the same potential. Here's what the show's community has to say on the subject.
Most Cobra Kai viewers have little hope for Kreese's redemption
During his time in the "Karate Kid" and "Cobra Kai" spotlights, John Kreese has always carried himself as a ruthless, no-good person. As the longtime leader of the Cobra Kai dojo, he encouraged his students — including a young Johnny Lawrence — to inflict pain and always find a way to win, even if that means bending the rules. Of course, that's not to say that he hasn't faced adversity and dealt with serious trauma in his lifetime, resulting in his cold, unforgiving demeanor, but he certainly hasn't made much progress in healing or atoning for his past decisions.
Thus, as evidenced by Redditor serene_river's thread concerning a potential Kreese redemption arc, most aren't too keen on the idea. For instance, Immediate_Energy_711 showed some degree of pity for him and his past, but still, they believe that he's made too many poor decisions to possibly course correct now. "Kreese fully bought into the idea of 'showing no mercy' after he killed his CO and adhered to it ever since. He has no interest in changing or being redeemed whatsoever," adds HappyMike91, and as SethF1988 points out, not all villains in media need or deserve redemption anyway.
Time will tell where John Kreese's story will go from here, though should the minds behind "Cobra Kai" attempt to redeem him, they should prepare for some heavy fan skepticism.