Every season of Cobra Kai has taken things to a new level. Amidst the endless rivalries between the students, the series' sensei have always had their own beef. To kick things off, it was The Karate Kid déjà vu, as Daniel and Johnny renewed their decades-old rivalry. Then Kreese showed up, and it wasn't long before he took over the role of overarching villain. So, Daniel and Johnny decided to team up and take out their common enemy.
For a while, that was the status quo, but in Season 4 things took another step. Kreese called in reinforcements by inviting Terry Silver to join him. If that wasn't bad enough, Terry Silver wasn't happy playing second fiddle, and by the end of the season, he framed Kreese for attempted murder and took complete control of the Cobra Kai students. Taking advantage of Kreese was a backstabbing move, but it was far from the worst thing Silver had ever done.
For a quick refresher, Terry Silver made his debut in The Karate Kid III. He was one of Kreese's old army buddies, and when Kreese was down on his luck, he went to Silver for help. Together, they concocted a plan to get revenge on Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi. Using "Karate's Bad Boy," Mike Barnes, as a make-shift villain, Silver played a friendly face and quietly drove a wedge between him and Mr. Miyagi. It all worked out in the end, though, because Daniel defeated Barnes. However, it was important that Daniel saw just how sadistic Silver could be.
That's why Daniel was so worried about Silver in Season 4 and why he'll recruit Chozen in Season 5. The new trailer opened with Daniel telling Chozen, "This is what we're up against. This is how everyone sees him, as some kind of philanthropist out to save the kids of the valley." That's why it's going to be so difficult to defeat Silver -- because he gives off such a professional vibe, by making it seem like he actually cares about his students.
In fact, that's actually Terry Silver's worst trait. He is a self-righteous, callous and brutal sensei, but he never shows it. Instead, he always brings in someone else to do his dirty work. In The Karate Kid III, Mike Barnes played the villain, while Terry posed as Daniel's friend. Now, in Cobra Kai Season 5, something similar is set to happen.
To help get his students ready for the next step of expansion, Silver will bring in some new faces. Mike Barnes will be back, but he may not be a villain this time around. Kim Da-Eun, however, will definitely be a villain. She's a sensei from South Korea, and from the little that the Season 5 trailer showed, her teaching methods are brutal. Some fans even think that she's related to Karate Master Kim Sun-Yung, Terry Silver's sensei.
Regardless of how Sensei Da-Eun ends up fitting into the story, it's clear that Terry Silver will be using her like everyone else. He will make her be brutal to the students so that he can stand back, watch from a distance and maintain his image. That's Terry Silver's most sadistic quality -- the way he hides his true self. The Darth Sidious comparisons are ringing more and more true going into Season 5, so Daniel and Chozen better watch out if they're going to save Miyagi-Do.
To see Terry Silver be totally two-faced watch Cobra Kai on Netflix. Season 5 premieres on Sept. 9.