Warning! This article contains major spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6, part 3.
Since Jackie Chan is all set to reprise his role as Mr. Han inKarate Kid: Legends, many viewers may be wondering whether he appears inCobra Kaiseason 6’s part 3. From its opening episodes,Cobra Kaihas established its connection with theoriginalKarate Kidmoviesbut has avoided associating itself with the 2010Karate Kidreboot. However, despite this, audiences have always speculated that Mr. Han would eventually show up inCobra Kaiin some capacity, especially after it was confirmed that Jackie Chan would reprise hisKarate Kidrole in the upcoming film.
With each season,Cobra Kaihas surprised viewers by reinstating legacycharacters from theKarate Kidmoviesin its story beats. While some characters, like Hilary Swank’s Julie Pierce, never showed up in the series, many others, like Chozen and Mike Barnes, became prominent figures in the series' storyline. Jackie Chan’s appearance as Mr. Han would also have been welcomed by many viewers even though it would have created some narrative inconsistencies. However, asCobra Kaiseason 6’s part 3 confirms the show’s creators had other plans.
Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han Is Not In Cobra Kai Season 6, Part 3
Cobra Kai Maintains Narrative Consistency By Not Including Him
Cobra Kai’s lore initially established that Jackie Chan was a movie star in its world. This development alone made it nearly impossible for Mr. Han to appear. However, despite this, many could not help but speculate whether he would show up in season 6’s part 3 because of his return inKarate Kid: Legends. There were theories suggesting that he would either be the sensei for one of the teams competing at the Sekai Taikai International Tournament or show up as a guiding figure for Daniel LaRusso and his team to help them find a way to beat their formidable opponents.
Forced connections to a reboot movie would have ruined Cobra Kai’s storytelling focus and nostalgic connection to the main movie series.
However, none of these theories materialized inCobra Kaiseason 6, which helped the show maintain narrative consistency. AlthoughKarate Kid: Legendsis anyway going to complicate the franchise’s overarching lore and timeline by featuring a collaboration between Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Han, it makes sense thatCobra Kaidoes not tread the same path. Since the beginning, the show has thrived because of its ability to honor the original movies while reinventing its formula to tell new coming-of-age stories surrounding karate.
Forced connections to a reboot movie would have ruinedCobra Kai’s storytelling focus and nostalgic connection to the main movie series. Not to mention, by introducingJackie Chan’s Mr. Hanin its final arc,the show would also have to retcon many of its established story beats, leading to potential confusion among viewers. SinceCobra Kai’s creators, Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, are also not directly involved withKarate Kid: Legends' production,Cobra Kaihad no reason to pave the way for the film.
Why Many Assumed Jackie Chan Would Be In Cobra Kai Season 6
Jackie Chan’s Appearance Would Have Perfectly Paved The Way For Karate Kid: Legends
Almost throughoutCobra Kaiseason 6’s runtime, Daniel LaRusso keeps assuring his wife that the Sekai Taikai will mark the end of his journey as a karate sensei. In season 6’s final arc, though, Amanda LaRusso surprises him by reminding him that as much he would like to step back from the world of karate, he will always remain a sensei. This plot development alone subtly sets up Daniel’s return in Karate Kid: Legends. However, Jackie Chan’s appearance as Mr. Han in the series and his collaboration with Daniel could have served as another solid trigger for Daniel to drop his retirement plans.
How Old Ralph Macchio Was In Each Karate Kid Movie & Cobra Kai Season
Daniel LaRusso is 17 at the start of The Karate Kid and 53 as of Cobra Kai season 5, but these ages don’t line up with that of actor Ralph Macchio.
If Han had even had acameo inCobra Kaiseason 6’s part 3,his brief appearance would seamlessly have laid the foundation for Daniel LaRusso’s next story arc in the franchise. Since Daniel LaRusso seems to be the only loose connective thread between the two installments of theKarate Kidfranchise, viewers hoped that Mr. Han would become another bridge betweenCobra KaiandKarate Kid: Legends. However, Mr. Han’s absence confirms thatCobra Kainever intended to draw any concrete connections to the upcoming movie.
Cobra Kai’s Ending Confirms Karate Kid: Legends Is Its Own Thing
The Show Avoids Drawing Any Connective Threads To The Movie
Since the beginning,Cobra Kaihas been more about Johnny Lawrence and his journey toward healing and redemption and less about Daniel LaRusso continuing the Miyagi Do legacy. Although the show has not shied away from embracing the Miyagi way time and again, it returns to its roots in its conclusive moments to bring a well-rounded closure to its main narrative. Therefore, instead of walking through another win for Daniel LaRusso and the Miyagi Do dojo and potentially setting the groundwork for the movie,Cobra Kaiseason 6’s ending focuses primarily on Johnny Lawrence.
Cobra Kai creator, Jon Hurwitz, has previously hinted (viaTwitter) that someCobra Kaicharacters could get a spin-off series.
It highlights that even though Cobra Kai’s philosophies have always been flawed, a sensei like Johnny Lawrence is capable of making it something far more positive and cathartic for his students. By showing how Johnny Lawrence turns Miguel into a champion and even redeems himself by winning against a superior opponent,Cobra Kaiperfectly resolves its own central narrative. Even in its closing moments,Cobra Kaishows how Johnny trains a new set of students and helps them adopt the “strike first, strike hard” mentality, which has nothing to do withKarate Kid: Legends.
Cobra Kai
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.
Karate Kid: Legends
Cast
Karate Kid: Legends is a sequel to Cobra Kai and The Karate Kid directed by Jonathan Entwistle. The film sees Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan reprising their roles, continuing the legacy of martial arts mentorship and rivalry in a new era of challenges and apprentices.
