Summary
Cobra Kaistars Xolo Maridueña and Tanner Buchanan preview their characters' battle to be the captain of Miyagi-Do in the highly-anticipated final season.Cobra Kaiseason 6is debuting on Netflix in a matter of days, picking up from where the previous installment left off. A recently released trailer revealed that even though Miguel Diaz (Maridueña) and Robby Keene (Buchanan) are in a good place, old competitiveness may remain and threaten their newfound goodwill.
In an interview withScreen Rant’s Grant Hermanns, ahead ofCobra Kaiseason 6 part 1’s debut on July 18 on Netflix,Maridueña and Buchanan discuss howMiguel and Robby’s competitiveness will impact the upcoming episodes. For his part, Buchanan thinks Robby will handle it well. Maridueña, however, disagrees and explains that Miguel is putting pressure on himself. Read their quotes below:
Tanner Buchanan:I don’t know if it’s really stirring the pot. We’ve worked through a lot of our stuff, and I think both characters, whatever may happen, are kind of in it, even though they both are working really hard for something that they love. I think they do know ultimately, in the end, that whoever is best is best for this specific thing. At least for my character, in my mind, I don’t know if it’s different for you.
Xolo Maridueña:I disagree, I feel like Miguel definitely took it a little bit on his end. I’ve never seen him that competitive before, and it definitely hurt.
Tanner Buchanan:Out of competitiveness. I feel like this is probably middle of the road for Robby. He’s been pretty intense in other seasons. [Laughs]
Xolo Maridueña:But, yeah, I think there’s a lot of outside forces [weighing on Miguel].
Cobra Kai Season 6 Is Setting Up An Interesting Dynamic Between Robby & Miguel
Will They Remain Friends?
The actors don’t give an extended response as to whether Robby and Miguel will be able to maintain their friendship after theCobra Kaiseason 5 endingresolved all major rivalries, though they both do address it in one way or another. It seems that Robby could be the one to maintain a measure of distance from all the pressure. Miguel, conversely,might succumb to the pressures that he’s placed on himself,which could in turn harm his various relationships, including the one he has with Robby.
That leaves the former archenemies in an interesting place. While the Netflix series' narrative has generally gained a lot of momentum from the question of which ofCobra Kai’s young castis really the best fighter, the maturity of the final season may well be inthe realization that being the best is not the ultimate goal, and certainly not when it comes at the cost of more important things. If Miguel sees his friendships splintering, he could learn this lesson and change his path in the end.
Why Does Miguel Have To Fight Robby Again? What Cobra Kai’s Rematch Tease Could Mean For Season 6
Miguel says that he has to beat Robby again in the Cobra Kai season 6 trailer, which begs the question: why does Miguel think a rematch is necessary?
However, based on Maridueña’s remarks, it may not be an easy lesson for Miguel to accept and fully hold onto. That tension may instead lead to a strengthening of the bond between Robby and Miguel, especially as they could become family down the line. From the sounds of it, however, in signatureCobra Kaistyle, thatacceptance may not happen without at least a bit of a battle first. With season 6 split between three different parts, there will be plenty of time to explore any evolution these characters experience.
Cobra Kai
Cast
Cobra Kai is a sequel series continuing the narrative of the Karate Kid saga, set 30 years after the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament. It focuses on Johnny Lawrence seeking redemption by reopening the Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with Daniel LaRusso, who strives to maintain balance in his life.
