WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Season 3 of Cobra Kai, streaming now on Netflix.
Martin Kove's John Kreese is one of cinema's most iconic villains, which is why Karate Kid fans were so excited he came over into Cobra Kai last season. It didn't seem fair that Johnny would try to revamp and rehabilitate the dojo without his former sensei having a sinister say in the project, which ultimately led to Kreese taking back the group and getting them ready to wage war on Miyagi-Do.
However, come Season 3, amid many shocking moments, Cobra Kai takes a unique direction by turning Kreese into the franchise's most sympathetic villain.
When Daniel fought Johnny and Barnes, they were simply weapons made by Kreese who masqueraded as a father-figure. It was the same when Daniel went to Okinawa with Miyagi and fought Chozen, who was pure evil under Sato. Fans felt for these teens as they were trained harshly, but now it's clear Kreese went through that same tragic conditioning, both before and during the Vietnam war.
In flashbacks littered throughout the season, Kreese was an outcast waiting tables at a diner. He was shunned as his mentally-ill mom committed suicide, which saw him getting into fights. However, after defending one young lady, Betsy, they sparked a romance that Kreese kept dear to his heart. The teen left her behind and enlisted, although he vowed to return home to marry her. Disciplined, honest and wanting to genuinely be an American hero, he was taken into a kill-squad by Captain Turner, who knew the kind of soldier he had.
Things then got dark for Kreese when Turner wanted him to sacrifice his comrades if it meant getting the job done. Sadly, Kreese wouldn't do it on a botched mission and the Vietnamese took them hostage, making them fight to the death. When Kreese fought Turner, the boss actually revealed that Kreese had nothing to fight for as he hid the letters sent to them indicating Betsy died in a car accident. He didn't want Kreese distracted, and as a result, an enraged Kreese beat his superior brutally. This broke him as they fought above a snake pit, and even after American soldiers raided to rescue them, Kreese stomped his mentor down and dropped him inside.
This is where he adopted the "Strike first, strike hard, no mercy" mentality and why he couldn't trust anyone after. Turner used him, beginning the toxic, vicious cycle, and when Kreese freed guys like Terry Silver afterward, that's when he realized he could use men, too. It only seemed fair in a world that chewed up and spat out a poor young kid trying to defend his country.
The unfortunate thing is Kreese seems to think Turner's methods toughened him up for a future filled with fear, tragedy and heartbreak, which is why he sacrificed his humanity and embraced the Cobra Kai philosophy. He's covering up old wounds and bandaging himself mentally and physically, all so he can't be hurt again, despite harming others along the way. It continues the theme of the franchise with fathers, sons and legacies, and in Kreese's case, it doesn't bode well for Johnny's son, Robby, who's now under the thumb of his father's former mentor.
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.