Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: "Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place"

GamesRadar+ VerdictWhile stopping short of earning its black belt, the second part of Cobra Kai’s final season is a significant improvement over its first – largely thanks to the Sekai Taikai karate tournament reinvigorating its plotlines and personal feudsPros+The focus on the Sekai Taikai freshens things up+The tournament matches don’t disappoint+The finale stands out as one of the show’s best episodes to dateCons-Repetitive storylines continue to punctuate the final season-The Mr. Miyagi sub-plot is unresolved and creatively unfulfilling GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict While stopping short of earning its black belt, the second part of Cobra Kai’s final season is a significant improvement over its first – largely thanks to the Sekai Taikai karate tournament reinvigorating its plotlines and personal feuds While stopping short of earning its black belt, the second part of Cobra Kai’s final season is a significant improvement over its first – largely thanks to the Sekai Taikai karate tournament reinvigorating its plotlines and personal feuds Pros+The focus on the Sekai Taikai freshens things up+The tournament matches don’t disappoint+The finale stands out as one of the show’s best episodes to date The focus on the Sekai Taikai freshens things up The tournament matches don’t disappoint The finale stands out as one of the show’s best episodes to date Cons-Repetitive storylines continue to punctuate the final season-The Mr. Miyagi sub-plot is unresolved and creatively unfulfilling Repetitive storylines continue to punctuate the final season The Mr. Miyagi sub-plot is unresolved and creatively unfulfilling Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. “I am tired of all this off-the-mat nonsense,” sensei Kim Da-Eun (Alicia Hannah-Kim) spits during the second part of Cobra Kai’s final season. Given how the first five episodes limped towards the Sekai Taikai, it’s a line that neatly summarizes the belief that the Netflix series had outstayed its welcome. Mercifully, Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 heeds its own advice and delivers an anime tournament arc-style that, for the most part, keeps the focus on the mat and delivers a full-throated flurry of punches and kicks, all laced with the sort of personal intrigue that made the early years of the show such an underdog success. Fresh off of the defection of Tory (Peyton List) to Cobra Kai, the remaining Miyagi-do fighters must do battle in the Sekai Taikai – all while the ever-duplicitous Kreese (Martin Kove) waits in the wings for his opportunity to strike. With a 16-team tournament ahead of them, they must overcome the usual mix of personal rivalries, double-crosses, and professional jealousy to reign supreme as the ultimate winner of the Tournament of Champions. Fast facts Release date:November 15 Available on:Netflix Episodes seen:5/5 Fighting fit (Image credit: Netflix) Cobra Kai also has a few curious choices when it comes to who receives the spotlight here. Sadly, this is no longer Miguel’s show, despite Xolo Mariduena clearly being a star on the rise with last year’s turn in DC’s Blue Beetle. William Zabka, barring one emotionally-charged moment, also has very little to do besides making snide remarks and giving pep talks – an odd choice given he is head and shoulders above most of the ensemble cast acting-wise. The one narrative detour that does make sense is Daniel’s continued digging into Mr. Miyagi’s cloudy history. However, that doesn’t get any real closure here – and comes bundled with what appears to be the use of a clumsy AI deepfake that almost certainly won’t sit well with audiences. (Image credit: Netflix) Heading into this second part, I was expecting Cobra Kai to double down on my belief that it had overshot the perfect ending with last season’s Terry Silver showdown. I’m pleased to say those fears were misplaced; the new batch of season 6 episodes are fun, frenetic, and end in a place that leaves ample room for unexpected twists and turns as the Netflix series wraps up for good in 2025. Cobra Kai, then, was clearly holding back. The first five episodes of its final season were meandering, low-stakes affairs. The second part, thanks to the Sekai Taikai, is a noticeable improvement. While it still fights familiar issues, including repetitive storylines and a lessened focus on some of the Netflix series' brightest stars, Cobra Kai returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place. The second part of Cobra Kai season 6 is now streaming on Netflix. For more, check out our picks for thebest shows on Netflix. CATEGORIESNetflixStreaming Services CATEGORIES More about cobra kaiRalph Macchio explains how the new Karate Kid movie fits into the Cobra Kai timeline: “They’re separate ecosystems"First trailer for Cobra Kai season 6 part 2 turns up the heat as Miyagi-Do takes on the world’s best martial artistsLatest"Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetSee more latest► More about cobra kaiRalph Macchio explains how the new Karate Kid movie fits into the Cobra Kai timeline: “They’re separate ecosystems"First trailer for Cobra Kai season 6 part 2 turns up the heat as Miyagi-Do takes on the world’s best martial artistsLatest"Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetSee more latest► More about cobra kaiRalph Macchio explains how the new Karate Kid movie fits into the Cobra Kai timeline: “They’re separate ecosystems"First trailer for Cobra Kai season 6 part 2 turns up the heat as Miyagi-Do takes on the world’s best martial artists More about cobra kai Ralph Macchio explains how the new Karate Kid movie fits into the Cobra Kai timeline: “They’re separate ecosystems"First trailer for Cobra Kai season 6 part 2 turns up the heat as Miyagi-Do takes on the world’s best martial artists Ralph Macchio explains how the new Karate Kid movie fits into the Cobra Kai timeline: “They’re separate ecosystems” Ralph Macchio explains how the new Karate Kid movie fits into the Cobra Kai timeline: “They’re separate ecosystems” First trailer for Cobra Kai season 6 part 2 turns up the heat as Miyagi-Do takes on the world’s best martial artists First trailer for Cobra Kai season 6 part 2 turns up the heat as Miyagi-Do takes on the world’s best martial artists Latest"Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetSee more latest► Latest “Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yet “Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yet “Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yet See more latest► Most PopularNemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"Anbernic RG28XX review: “a tiny budget handheld that fits in my weird tiny jeans pocket”Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"Razer Kraken V4 review: “an iconic 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review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but 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up for the misses” 3 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”