The Karate Kid: Why Ali Broke Up With Johnny

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Why Ali Broke Up with Johnny in The Karate Kid

Ali Mills played a pivotal role in The Karate Kid franchise as Daniel LaRusso's girlfriend, but was previously in a relationship with Johnny Lawrence.

Johnny Lawrence was the high school bully in the first The Karate Kid film. Johnny and Ali Mills were the hottest couple in the Los Angeles area before they broke up prior to the events of the first film. In Cobra Kai Season 1, Episode 8, "Molting," Johnny revealed how he met Ali at the movie theater during a Rocky III showing. Johnny was drawn to Ali due to her reaction after Dutch threw Milk Duds at her. Johnny and Ali began a two-year relationship before it ended the summer before their senior year.

Johnny still hoped to rekindle his relationship with Ali, but his fierce rivalry with Daniel LaRusso began after he witnessed Ali and Daniel flirting at the beach bonfire party. Daniel and Ali's friendship eventually blossomed into a relationship, before they too called it quits off-screen in The Karate Kid Part II. Considering Johnny's intense jealousy, could that have caused the breakup between him and Ali?

Johnny and Ali seemed like the picture-perfect, country club couple, but Johnny's struggles at both the Cobra Kai Dojo and at home negatively impacted his behavior. Johnny not only faced the wrath of Sensei Kreese, but also his abusive stepfather's. The whole ordeal with his biological father abandoning Johnny's family also took a toll on him. Johnny turned to Cobra Kai for comfort and took up drinking and partying.

Decades after Johnny and Ali's breakup, Cobra Kai Season 2 finally discussed the reason why their relationship had ended. Johnny had missed Ali's birthday party due to his drunkenness. The same night, Dutch had destroyed a dartboard -- which resulted in his sentence to juvenile hall. Ali was fed up with Johnny, and his absence from her birthday party caused her to break things off with him.

Johnny revealed to Miguel that he and Ali were madly in love before Daniel came into the picture. It's evident Johnny's feelings for Ali have remained over the years, considering his nervousness about sending her a friend request on Facebook. It's also particularly obvious Johnny still holds a grudge against Daniel for ruining his relationship. Even while he pursued Miguel's mother Carmen, Johnny still held feelings for his high school sweetheart.

The high school sweethearts reunited in Cobra Kai Season 3, along with Ali's ex-boyfriend Daniel and his wife. Johnny discovered Ali was a mother and married to a wealthy doctor, but had filed for divorce. This current marital status change lit up Johnny's eyes. Johnny and Ali went on a date in Season 3, Episode 9, "Feel the Night," but a text message interrupted their potential kiss. Ali warned him not to live in the past in the next episode, which could have impacted their future relationship. It's better off that these characters remain friends, instead of reopening old wounds. Maybe Johnny's love life will improve in the upcoming season?