Cobra Kai Season 6: The Rise of Mr. Miyagi's Rival

The Miyagi Verse: A Legacy of Wisdom and Karate

Cobra Kai season 6's casting has seemingly set up the show's first Mr. Miyagi rival. In the original Karate Kid movies, Mr. Miyagi was not only portrayed as an overpowered karate master who could easily beat senseis like Kreese and Silver but also as a fount of knowledge and wisdom. Although he is not around in Netflix's Cobra Kai, Daniel LaRusso often recalls his words of wisdom and tries to implement them in his life. Given how Mr. Miyagi's shadow and influence still looms over many characters in the series, it is not surprising that the franchise is often referred to as the Miyagi verse.

Mr. Miyagi training Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid

Since Mr. Miyagi, his karate lessons, and life advice have always been the primary driving forces for the franchise, no other character would ever be able to replace him. However, one Cobra Kai season 6 character might challenge his karate prowess and legacy. A one-on-one showdown between Miyagi and the new Cobra Kai character may not be possible. However, the clash between their philosophies and techniques could be a riveting focal point in the upcoming season.

Miyagi grabs Kreese by the nose in The Karate Kid Part II

Kim Sun-Yung: A Worthy Rival to Mr. Miyagi

Mr. Miyagi may not have had any worthy opponents, and no character in the franchise's roster seems strong enough to come even close to his karate forte. However, now that C.S. Lee has been cast as Kim Sun-Yung in Cobra Kai season 6, the franchise might present his character as Mr. Miyagi's rival. According to the franchise's lore, Kim Sun-Yung is the creator of 'The Way of the Fists,' the fighting style adopted in the Cobra Kai dojo. He also taught Terry Silver and John Kreese everything they knew about karate, making him much stronger than them.

Although his karate style is offensive, he is the only sensei in the franchise, other than Miyagi, who created his own fighting style. This makes him a true master of his art and an evil equivalent of Mr. Miyagi. The fact that he taught Terry Silver the Silver bullet, a dangerous technique that takes an opponent's 'breath away,' proves that he may be even more formidable than Mr. Miyagi because Mr. Miyagi never fought with the intention of inflicting harm.

The Connection Between Mr. Miyagi and Kim Sun-Yung

In The Karate Kid Part III, Terry Silver approaches Mr. Miyagi and claims that Kreese passed away. He adds that his sensei, Kim Sun-Yung, has asked him to apologize on Kreese's behalf for his behavior in the 1984 All Valley. While this could have been a connecting thread between Mr. Miyagi and Kim Sun-Yung, the movie later confirms that it was one of Kreese's schemes to manipulate Daniel LaRusso. Therefore, according to Miyagi-verse's present lore, Mr. Miyagi did not know Kim Sun-Yung. Cobra Kai season 6 might, however, retcon some elements from the franchise's past timeline to draw a deeper connection between Miyagi's legacy and the ongoing overarching conflict.