Cobra Kai started out as a small series on YouTube Red, but it quickly grew into a Netflix hit and proved that no franchise is ever dead. It became one of the most well-known Netflix Originals and seemed like it still had years' worth of stories to tell. However, the showrunners have announced that Cobra Kai Season 6 will be its final season.
When a popular TV series comes to an end, there's usually uproar and pushback from its fandom. Tat hasn't been the case with Cobra Kai. Fans of the Miyagiverse are committed to the series, but they also trust the larger vision that Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg laid out for its characters. In fact, they believe that Cobra Kai ending with Season 6 makes perfect sense.
Why Fans Aren't Upset About Cobra Kai Ending
Netflix announced Cobra Kai's conclusion through a letter Heald, Hurwitz and Schlossberg wrote directly to the fans. They thanked the viewers for their support and made it clear that they never took their success for granted. They also made clear that it was their decision to wrap up the story -- the streamer didn't pull the plug. "Our goal from day one with Cobra Kai has always been to end it on our terms, leaving the Valley in the time and place we've always imagined," the letter read. "So it is with immense pride and thankfulness that we are able to announce that achievement."
Reddit user u/about_60_Hobos summed up fans' reaction to the letter by saying, "Sad to see the show end but glad they can go out on their own terms. Excited to see what they do to wrap it up!!!" Cobra Kai fans know that the showrunners grew up with and care deeply for the Karate Kid universe. They've been meticulous in planning out the plot and including countless callbacks, cameos and references. Knowing that Heald, Hurwitz and Schlossberg are going to tell the entire story they had planned has satisfied viewers.
And that's the best reaction. Occasionally, fans can get a series picked up by another company, but if the showrunners don't want to go on then the show shouldn't go on without them. Furthermore, since Cobra Kai has already moved from YouTube Red to Netflix, it's unlikely that it would find a third home. Especially when shows like Inside Job are having renewals reversed, it's a more competitive TV landscape than ever.
Fans Are Upset Over Misnomer of Cobra Kai's 'Cancellation'
While fans haven't been upset that Cobra Kai is ending, they have been upset at the news coverage. Multiple outlets have reported that Cobra Kai was canceled, which is when the network or streaming service chooses to end the program -- and not what happened in this case. Under CBR's Facebook news announcement, Robert Edward Ford commented: "That doesn't sound like it's being canceled so much as the story is just ending. The cast has even been on record for saying they didn't know how long the story could continue and how they wanted to end on a high note."
Cobra Kai fans hold their series and its showrunners in the highest regard and want everyone to know that it's going out on its own terms. That also means the show won't alienate its fan base like The Walking Dead did in its finale. It can keep from going on too long and make sure its characters get the resolution they (and viewers) deserve. Schlossberg told GamesRadar+ that there are ideas for Cobra Kai spinoffs, so perhaps fans can look toward those as the original series comes to its appropriate end.
Cobra Kai Season 6 does not have a release date. Season 1-5 are streaming now on Netflix.