Warning! This article contains spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6, part 3.
One of the biggest questions going intoCobra Kaiseason 6, part 3 is whether it contains Hilary Swank’s Julie Pierce. Although it is often considered thelowest-rankedKarate Kidmovie, many have wondered for a while whetherThe Next Karate Kidwould be factored into the wider world of the franchise.Cobra Kaihas certainly expanded the interconnectivity of the series, as evidenced by thecast ofKarate Kid: Legendsblending the Netflix series, the original trilogy, and Jackie Chan’s 2010 reboot of the original movie.
All that said, the story and characters ofThe Next Karate Kidhave often been left absent from the so-called “Miyagi verse”, despite featuring theever-wise and inspirational Miyagihimself. Naturally, this has led many to theorize that elements fromThe Next Karate Kidwill finally be included in thestory ofCobra Kaiseason 6. After all, the last five episodes of the show provide the last opportunity for these elements to appear. Chief among the theorized aspects ofThe Next Karate Kidis Hilary Swank’s Julie Pierce, but did she appear inCobra Kaiseason 6, part 3?
Julie Pierce Is Not In Cobra Kai Season 6, Part 3
The Story Did Not Find Space For The Next Karate Kid
As becomes clear by the time ofCobra Kaiseason 6, part 3’s ending, Julie Pierce does not appear in the show in any capacity. The final five episodes of the show instead focus on the remaining characters of the show, with Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence taking the lead. As a result,the writers did not find a way to fold Julie into the story of the Sekai Taikai, which may come as a disappointment to many who are fans ofThe Next Karate Kid.
Why Hilary Swank’s Karate Kid Character Was Not In Cobra Kai
Cobra Kai’s Final Episodes Needed To Stay Focused
Concerning why Hilary Swank’s Julie Pierce was not inCobra Kai, the answer is fairly straightforward: the show needed to end its story. It has been common knowledge for a while thatCobra Kaiseason 6 would be the show’s last, with part 3 only providing the final five episodes of the entire show. If a character like Julie was introduced, who some audience members may not know about,Cobra Kaiseason 6, part 3 would have been much less focused.
If Julie had been included, the ending could have been less seamless and, thus, less emotionally rewarding…
The show would have had to explore her character, her connection to Miyagi, the link to Daniel, and likely reasoning for her going against Cobra Kai and the Iron Dragons. Evidently,Cobra Kaiseason 6, part 3 simply did not have enough time to include these elements. Instead, the show needed to focus on the mainCobra Kaicast of characters, including Johnny, Daniel, Miguel, Sam, Tory, Robby, and the rest of their students. This way,Cobra Kaiended satisfyingly. If Julie had been included, the ending could have been less seamless and, thus, less emotionally rewarding.
The Next Karate Kid Was The Only Movie Cobra Kai Didn’t Really Revisit
WithCobra Kaiseason 6, part 3 not including Julie Pierce,The Next Karate Kidbecomes the only installment from the original four movies not to be referenced in the show.Cobra Kaibegan with an intense focus on Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, reigniting their rivalry via Cobra Kai and Miyai-do Karate. This, combined with the return of John Kreese and his claim over Cobra Kai, referenced the original 1984Karate Kidat length. Beyond that,Cobra Kaibegan delving into the two sequels of the original movie.
For instance,Cobra Kaiseason 3 began exploring connections toThe Karate Kid Part II. The first of these connections came with the inclusion of Kumiko during Daniel’s return to Okinawa. This then led to Chozen Toguchi being introduced and his subsequent redemption, allowing the show to rectify storytelling elements ofThe Karate Kid Part II. However, the film with the most pressing connections toCobra KaiisThe Karate Kid Part III.
Every Way Cobra Kai Improved Karate Kid 3
From Terry Silver’s surprising origin story to the returns of Mike Barnes and Jessica Andrews, here’s how Cobra Kai improved The Karate Kid Part III.
Despite often being considered the worst of the originalKarate Kidtrilogy,The Karate Kid Part IIIproved endlessly important toCobra Kaivia the reintroduction of Terry Silver as one of the show’s primary antagonists. Terry’s involvement, his connection with Kreese, and even the inclusion ofMr. De Guzman fromKarate Kid 3make the connections to the third film inCobra Kaistand out. As a result, though, they renderThe Next Karate Kidas the only installment to be completely absent fromCobra Kaidue to Julie Pierce’s lack of involvement in the story.
