Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 2 Finally Reveals Mr. Miyagi's Big, Dark Secret

Television Action & Adventure Shows

This article contains spoilers for "Cobra Kai" season 6.

We're nearing the end of "Cobra Kai," the little legacy sequel series that survived an entire streamer shutting down to become one of the best shows Netflix is producing. The first part of the sixth and final season delivered a good calm before the storm (read our review here), mostly focusing on settling the different character rivalries — particularly Samantha and Tory, and Miguel and Robby. At the same time, preparations were underway for the Seikai Taikai, including a fun mini-tournament to see who would go to Barcelona to represent team Miyagi-Do. 

Perhaps the biggest idea introduced in the first part of the season involved Mr. Miyagi. The character played by Pat Morita in the original films, Miyagi's legacy has long loomed large over Daniel LaRusso and "Cobra Kai." The first part of season 6 spent a good amount of time with Daniel reckoning with the idea that he didn't fully know his mentor and that Miyagi kept a dark part of his past a secret — including some connections with criminals.

Now, "Cobra Kai" season 6 part 2 has finally revealed what, exactly, Miyagi did that was so shameful he hid it for decades. We already knew he once participated in the Seikai Taikai world karate tournament. However, in the final episode of season 6 part 2, Daniel learns — thanks to some manipulation from the "Karate Kid" franchise's ultimate villain, Terry Silver — that Mr. Miyagi actually killed a guy once during a tournament fight.

Mr. Miyagi has actual sleketons in his closet

The final episode of season 6 part 2 opens with a flashback showing the concluding match of a Seikai Taikai long ago. Daniel sees himself as Miyagi's opponent while men in the audience cheer for Miyagi to kill his rival. Unfortunately, the young Miyagi turns out to be a digitally-resurrected Pat Morita, who tells Daniel he was not strong enough to know the truth, before delivering a fatal blow. Now, it is clear that things were simply more violent at karate tournaments in the past — the organizers have said so, other contestants have said so, and based on how brutally violent the small street brawls between Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai kids have been in past seasons, it makes sense. And yet, it's one thing for there to be concussions and broken bones at the tournament, and another for Miyagi to deliver his signature blow — the one he's stopped himself from delivering in every one of the movies — knowing full well it could kill a man.

This, of course, recontextualizes what we've known about Miyagi. Not that he was a kind man, but specifically his role in "The Karate Kid Part II." In that movie, we learn that Miyagi was once challenged by his best friend Sato to fight to the death. Rather than comply, Miyagi left the country. How did Miyagi go from fleeing his homeland in order not to kill someone to outright slaying a guy during a karate match? Did things just get out of hand, or did he act maliciously? Perhaps the third and final part of "Cobra Kai" season 6 will answer that.

And yet, that may not be the end of the story. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, "Cobra Kai" co-creator Hayden Schlossberg talked about the possibility of a spin-off series centered on Miyagi's past. "We definitely want to do that [a Miyagi prequel] and have been talking about that," Schlossberg said. "We'll see exactly what path we take in terms of spinoffs, but it is definitely something that we've been wanting to do."

The first two parts of "Cobra Kai" season 6 are now streaming on Netflix. Part 3 will arrive in 2025.