Let's get straight to it: the good news is that Cobra Kai season six has been officially confirmed by Netflix, but the bad news is it will also be the last season.
While it's going to be tough to say goodbye to these beloved Karate Kid characters after so many seasons on the streaming platform, we now know that the dojos are planning to go out with a fitting swansong.
Co-creator Hayden Schlossberg has confirmed this sixth and final season will be the show's longest yet, with 15 episodes in total and a bumper run time for the finale.
Here's everything you need to know about what lies ahead for Cobra Kai season six, billed as a "three-part event". Not including oboe solos.
Cobra Kai season 6 potential release date: When can we expect Cobra Kai season 6?
Cobra Kai has confirmed the release date for season six, with the show’s final instalment split into three parts.
The show’s final outing will be split into three blocks of five episodes, with the first five episodes premiering on the streaming platform on July 18.
Part two will arrive on November 28, while the final five episodes will hit Netflix in 2025 – with an exact release date yet to be revealed.
Cobra Kai season 6 cast: Who will be back for Cobra Kai season 6?
Cobra Kai just wouldn't be right without our two leads – William Zabka (Johnny Lawrence) and Ralph Macchio (Daniel LaRusso).
And they would be nothing without the women in their lives – Amanda (Courtney Henggeler) and the now-pregnant Carmen (played by Vanessa Rubio).
Add to this fellow Karate Kid returnees Yuji Okumoto (Chozen) and Martin Kove (John Kreese). We may not have seen the last of Thomas Ian Griffith (Terry Silver) either, considering he doesn't go down without a fight, and now has nothing to lose.
Speaking of Karate Kid returnees, Hilary Swank, who played Julie Pierce in The Next Karate Kid, could potentially make a cameo in the last instalment as well. Now that would be kickass.
Then there are the kids: primarily Xolo Maridueña (Miguel), Tanner Buchanan (Robby), Peyton List (Tory), Mary Mouser (Sam), Jacob Bertrand (Eli/Hawk) and Gianni DeCenzo (Demetri).
Now rudderless without their sensei behind their backs, there are also questions hanging over the head of several prominent Cobra Kai members – most notably Dallas Dupree Young (Kenny) and powerful newcomer Oona O'Brien (Devon).
There's also the gang of Cobra Kai sensei who have their own grudge to settle. Sensei Kim Da-eun (played by Alicia Hannah-Kim) in particular is on a mission to fulfil a promise to her father to win the Sekai Taikai tournament, and probably won't be too happy that Silver's behaviour has caused a major setback.
Speaking about what could potentially be next for her character in season six, the actress told Deadline: "Hopefully, we will continue what we've started in season five on Cobra Kai… I think they've opened a pandora's box with Kim Da-Eun and Master Kim Sun-Young.
"It really brought a darker element to this season and I'm curious what could happen now that Cobra Kai is ostensibly defeated. I do know Kim is hellbent on global domination for her family's legacy, so there's a lot yet to explore."
Meanwhile, Bertrand previously said that he would love to see a world tournament in the final season, which would introduce some new characters and locations.
Speaking to PopCulture, he shared: "I really want to go to the world tournament. I think the world tournament would be super interesting because right now, it's just confined to The Valley of Karate, you know?
"I think it'd be really cool to introduce some crazy new players from all around the world. Yeah, and I'm sure Hawk can win at least a couple of fights." Now that would be epic.
The rest is a mystery. When we hear more, you'll know more.
Cobra Kai season 6 plot: What will Cobra Kai season 6 be about?
Creators and showrunners Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg spoke to Collider about the challenges of keeping things fresh for the final season of Cobra Kai.
"We have a few more tricks up our sleeve for where we go from here, but it does get bigger every year," Heald said. "And we're trying at all times to make sure we're not plagiarising ourselves at this point.
"You know, we've had tournament fights, we've had all-out riots. We've had fights on multiple platforms and places.
"We wanted to make sure [that with these moments]… you want to feel every one-on-one, every two-on-one, every 10-on-10. It's always conducting the orchestra and feeling, when do the cannons go off, and it's full Tchaikovsky, fireworks, and when it’s an oboe solo."
But we already know it's not going to be the same old, same old on the show for its sixth outing. For starters, the rivalry between the two dojos isn't there any more.
In the season five finale, Silver's misdeeds finally caught up with him, and after being exposed for cheating at the All-Valley tournament, his cruel nature was revealed to his students, who all ditched him.
But they're still figuring out what to do now. Do they join Miyagi-Do/Eagle Fang (or whatever they decide to call themselves?), or do they give up karate for good?
Kenny, who had gone from a sweet-natured nerd to a cold-hearted bully under Silver's teachings, will likely feel this the most.
Speaking about his heartbreak at being let down by Silver, actor Dallas Dupree Young told Digital Spy: "Kenny's heartbroken. I mean, it was a gut-wrenching moment, honestly, because his father figure [Silver] is his leader, the guy that he looked up to, his mentor, kind of betrayed him in a sense.
"And for Kenny to watch that video and see the evidence, it was just very disheartening. So I think Kenny is in a rough headspace. He doesn't really know where he wants to go at this point. But I can't wait to see what happens with him."
Elsewhere, we're keeping all our fingers crossed for our new fav Chozen, after he drunk-dialled Kumiko back in Okinawa to reveal his true feelings for her (we've all been there, bud). Now recovering from what appeared to be near-lethal injuries, this guy deserves the biggest hug and the biggest break.
There are two major hanging threads this season: Kreese and his plans for revenge after breaking out of prison and going on the run, and the Sekai Taikai international championships.
Johnny and Daniel both screwed over Kreese while in prison by lying about getting him a lawyer, which likely won't sit pretty with him. But he's most likely wanting his revenge on Silver (which, ironically, he could have done if he'd just waited another couple of days). But he also clearly felt guilt over Tory and dragging her into his scheme, only to drop her when he felt like he was losing.
But the Sekai Taikai is one of the most prestigious karate championships in the world. If the group can stick together long enough, they can share their teachings (and Mr Miyagi's knowledge) with the world.
"I know that the creators want a great resolution like any good story," Gianni Decenzo, who plays Demetri, told Digital Spy. "They don't want to leave the fans hanging.
"There's a lot still to solve — you've got Miyagi-Do, Eagle Fang... They're kind of working together but there's still two separate groups and then of course prison seems to not be adequate enough to keep Kreese away!"
But, yes, the central plot element of season six will be the show's final global tournament. Who will stand (or limp) victorious at Sekai Taikai? "We now know that this is the biggest tournament in the world," Schlossberg told Collider.
"And Daniel and Gianni and Chozen, you know, have an entry point in there and Cobra Kai also does, but we don't know what's happening with Cobra Kai right now. And yeah, we just love the idea of constantly raising the bar and the levels. So they need a bigger challenge, and they will get one. But how that all plays out? We'll see."
Cobra Kai season 6 trailer: Any Cobra Kai season 6 footage yet?
When Netflix shared the release date for the final season, they also released a new teaser trailer to whet appetites.
The short clip teases plenty of action-filled fight scenes, alongside the tagline: "The end of a legacy deserves a grand finale."
We can expect a full trailer for the final season closer to its first release date, so watch this space.
Cobra Kai seasons 1-5 are available to watch now on Netflix.
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