Kreese & Silver’s Fate Confirmed By Co-Creator As Ralph Macchio Predicts Daniel’s Unseen Reaction

Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Cobra Kai season 6, part 3.

Cobra Kai season 6 may have brought a fiery end to two key Karate Kid villains, but co-creator Hayden Schlossberg and star Ralph Macchio have weighed in on whether the two foes could have survived. Continuing the story of the beloved 1980s martial arts series, the Netflix show saw an older Johnny (William Zabka) and Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) pass on their knowledge to a new generation. Despite focusing on the two rivals, Cobra Kai‘s season 6 cast also saw the return of Martin Kove and Thomas Ian Griffith as Cobra Kai co-founders John Kreese and Terry Silver.

With Cobra Kai season 6 concluding in a final fight between Kreese and Silver, where the former gives his life to put a stop to his former partner’s tyranny, Schlossberg and Macchio opened up to Netflix about the fates of both Cobra Kai founders. The co-creator stated that having a final true battle between Kreese and Silver was a priority, as the long-awaited fight between the pair gave Kreese a way to redeem himself by saving Johnny’s family. While Kreese’s past near-death escapes and dialogue hint towards potential survival, Schlossberg stated he envisions that both senseis lost their lives:

We knew that the audience wanted to see Kreese and Silver go at it. It’s … something that we’ve [had] teed up for a while. We had a taste of it at the Sekai Taikai, [but] Johnny intervened there. The difference this time is it’s Kreese stopping Silver from doing something horrible to Johnny, which would take him out of the tournament. It’s the moment of sacrifice we’ve been waiting to see [from] Kreese.

We don’t see the bodies afterward. John Kreese has come back from the dead before, but this [time it] looks like they’ve [both] been taken off the table.

Macchio stated that he could see Daniel having a difficult time processing these losses. Check out his explanation below:

Daniel LaRusso is still, at his core, a good-hearted human being. On a human level, it’s not, ‘Yay! Ding-dong, the witch is dead. Let’s celebrate!’ I think he’d probably have mixed emotions about it. They got what was coming to them, but on the flip side, it’s just kind of disturbing and unfortunate.

What Schlossberg And Macchio’s Response Means For Cobra Kai’s Ending

Kreese And Silver’s Fates Is A Much-Needed End To A Dark History

Per Schlossberg’s response, it is likely that audiences have seen the last of Kreese and Silver. While either man may have taken the dinghy and sailed away, it can be argued that either man surviving would be detrimental to their journeys, as the desperate and dying Silver becomes more violent, and Kreese’s decisive and fatal actions were made knowing that this act of redemption would cost him his life. With both senseis out of the picture, the last vestiges of Cobra Kai’s dark past are behind it, with Johnny left to form a more positive future.

Furthermore, Macchio’s answer does affirm that the story of the pair is well and truly over. With Daniel’s story continuing in Karate Kid: Legends, the actor’s openness to respond does indicate that Cobra Kai‘s series finale duel between the two veterans won’t factor into the still carefully hidden plot of the movie. As such, this chapter of The Karate Kid world is seemingly over, as the movie represents a new era.

Our Thoughts On Kreese And Silver’s Cobra Kai Fates

The Pair’s Definitive Ends Resolve Their Surprising Character Expansions

Though adding a new layer to Zabka’s Johnny Lawrence was the core premise of Cobra Kai, both Kreese and Silver undoubtedly were given greater depth than their original selves. From their tour in the Vietnam War to their attempts to move on from their past deeds, each antagonist was elevated from being simple corrupt mentors into men who were capable of good should they choose to.

Related

Cobra Kai Series Finale Ending Explained In Full

Complete with one last epic fight, the Cobra Kai series finale brought the Sekai Taikai to a close and ended the stories of several key characters.

However, while Kreese would eventually make an effort to change, Silver’s downward spiral solidified him as one of The Karate Kid series’ most devastating villains. As such, their ultimate fates provided many Cobra Kai viewers with closure and catharsis to their complicated legacies.

Source: Netflix

TV Show

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Cobra Kai

5/10

Release Date

2018 – 2024

Network

Netflix, YouTube Premium

Showrunner

Jon Hurwitz

Directors

Hayden Schlossberg, Jon Hurwitz, Joel Novoa, Jennifer Celotta, Steven K. Tsuchida, Sherwin Shilati, Marielle Woods, Steve Pink, Lin Oeding, Michael Grossman

Writers

Josh Heald, Ashley Darnall, Chris Rafferty, Bill Posley