WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Season 3 of Cobra Kai, streaming now on Netflix.
The most enduring rivalry of the entire Karate Kid franchise is between Daniel LaRusso and his high-school bully, Johnny Lawrence. After vying for the attention of the same girl, Ali Mills, in the 1984 original film, the two boys came to blows, developing an immediate, and intense dislike, for one another. Despite their iconic, decisive showdown at the junior martial arts tournament, the feud continued for decades, even after each of them started a family. But as Cobra Kai Season 3 comes to a close, Daniel and Johnny put aside their differences and join forces, not once but twice, against mutual foes.
Although the rivalry between Daniel (Ralph Macvhio) and Johnny (William Zabka) reignited at the start of Cobra Kai, setting the events of the series into motion, the two begrudgingly began to work toward a reconciliation. However, that seemingly ruptured permanently when Johnny sheltered Daniel's teenage daughter, Samantha LaRusso, for night after she became drunk at high school kegger. The two men nearly engaged in a full-on brawl themselves but after learning that their respective students had gotten into an explosive showdown, resulting in Johnny's protege and surrogate son, Miguel Diaz, enduring a severe spinal injury after fighting Daniel's protege -- and Johnny's actual son -- Robby Keene.
With both men at their personal lows at the opening of Season 3, and Robby on the run for his role in hurting Miguel, Daniel and Johnny search Southern California for the teen in an impromptu road trip. The hunt takes them to a shady auto shop, where Robby sold a car he stole from Daniel's dealership to make his escape. The confrontation with mechanics leads to a frenetic fight, with Daniel and Johnny working together for the first time in the heat of battle.
That's revisited, under different circumstances, in the season finale, this time against Johnny's estranged former mentor, John Kreese (Martin Kove). After wresting control of Cobra Kai, Kreese's students attack the Miyagi-Do pupils at the LaRusso household while Kreese takes Robby under his wing. After realizing what had transpired, Johnny and Daniel attack Kreese at his dojo, with Daniel's timely arrival saving Johnny's life. And as the three men eventually stand down, Daniel and Johnny decide to train their respective students jointly to topple Kreese's pupils at the next martial arts tournament.
While tension is still visible between the lifelong rivals, it appears as if Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso may let bygones be bygones as they work against a mutual enemy. This alliance is likely fragile, given their differences in training styles and martial arts philosophy, but their shared antagonist will fuel their cooperation as they seek to defeat Kreese for good and rescue Robby from his dark influence. Fans have watched Johnny and Daniel stare down each other down for decades, but now, after more than 35 years, the two are finally on the same side as they lead the next generation of martial artists.
Cobra Kai stars William Zabka, Ralph Macchio, Courtney Henggeler, Xolo Maridueña, Mary Mouser, Tanner Buchanan, Jacob Bertrand, Gianni Decenzo, Peyton List and Martin Kove. All three seasons are available to stream now on Netflix.