One thing that most people don’t know about me is that I took Karate lessons on and off between 7th and 9th grade. I never went any further than a white belt because high school was starting up for me and my schedule was getting crazy. Not to mention, I never really enjoyed it.
I was still a preteen and incredibly shy. I often hid my face in shame anytime someone looked me in the eye. Being around all these seemingly confident karate students made me feel very weak; like I was trying to be this tough girl, when in reality I was the opposite.
Getting anything beyond a white belt just wasn’t what I saw for myself. Now that I’m older, I do often think about what would’ve happened if I stayed, but it’s more out of curiosity rather than regret. Back then I was just a kid, I didn’t know what my loves were in life yet. At 28, I can say I’m pretty happy with how my life turned out, even if it meant quitting karate.
Cobra Kai, however, has given me an entirely new perspective on the impact that karate can have on people. The teens in this show, as well as the adults, are learning some tough lessons that I think are worth exploring. So for this article, we’re going to dive deep into the complicated backgrounds of these multidimensional characters and see how their perspectives in life intertwine.
Bullying
Remember that one kid who made your life miserable in 8th grade? That person who spread that vicious rumor about you in homeroom? That gang of mean kids who picked on you no matter how many times you begged them to stop? Do you ever imagine what you would do if you could go back in time, with the confidence and wisdom you have now, and face those same tormenters? I find myself thinking this all the time, but not in a petty I’m gonna show them who’s boss type of way. I feel like I’ve grown past that kind of thinking and I have more respect for myself.
Frankly, I’m one of those people who strongly believes that happiness is the best revenge. Although this doesn’t necessarily mean that I’ve forgotten all the things that happened in the past. I still remember what it felt like when someone broke into my locker, stole my phone, and revealed to the entire student body how many pads I had (this was back in 8th grade where kids aren’t the nicest when it comes to periods). I still remember how the mean girls in my class were obsessed with pinching my skin because they thought it was unusual how a girl mixed with black could have skin that flashed white when pressed on. I still remember how it felt when one of them took a pen, flipped up my shirt and wrote insults on the skin of my back. But I’m still able to find happiness despite living through those awful moments in my life. And to me, cultivating that ability is truly one of the best things you can do for yourself.
Cobra Kai deals with all types of bullying, and it doesn’t just glaze over the surface. There are many nuances in terms of the psycho-social relationships between the characters. Hawk, for one, is a character who used to be brutally bullied on a daily basis due to his facial deformity. After getting an extreme makeover, both physically and mentally, he’s now become one of the most feared bullies at his school going even so far as to attack his former best friend several times.
Other characters such as Miguel, Sam, and Aisha have also been victims of bullying, but they never turned into bullies themselves. Miguel was usually bullied due to bad luck or just being at the wrong place at the wrong time. By the middle of the first season, however, his daily karate lessons pay off as he’s able to defend himself against the gang of bullies who once tormented him. Sam becomes a victim of cyber bullying, but she’s able to deal with it due to her already thick skin. Aisha was mercilessly bullied due to her physical features, but in the end she was able to embrace her flaws and use her size (and bottled up frustration) to her advantage.
Living in the Past
One of the reasons why we like to relive our worst moments is to see if we would’ve handled the situation differently. It’s the very reason why we think about our past bullies at all. What would have happened if I had the confidence that I have now? Would I still be so upset about what the person did or said about me? If I had the power to make them stop, would I use it against them or try to be the bigger person? Whether you want to admit it or not, these are questions that we ask ourselves everyday, and unfortunately we aren’t always going to choose the most peaceful and mature choice. No show displays this phenomenon better than Cobra Kai.
When Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence cross paths for the first time in 30 years, both men respond in different ways. Although Daniel was originally the victim of Johnny’s bullying all those years ago, he embraces Johnny as if they’re old friends. It’s obvious he just wants to let the past stay past and start anew. Johnny, however, hasn’t fully let go of what happened between them when they were in high school. He still feels the same shame and humiliation he felt when he lost to Daniel in the All-Valley Karate Tournament of 1984. He still regrets pushing away Ally, his high school sweetheart. But most importantly, Johnny just wants to go back to how his life was before he met Daniel. Needless to say, he wants nothing to do with Daniel, even though he means well.
After witnessing how successful Daniel has become as an adult, Johnny feels even more broken. As a result, Johnny reopens Cobra Kai, the very karate dojo that sparked their rivalry in the first place. Daniel sees this as Johnny trying to get back at him, so he decides to open his own dojo, Miyagi Do karate. This reignites their rivalry to the highest degree, but it’s different this time. Johnny is much more mindful of how corrupt the original Cobra Kai was and actively tries to teach his students the value of mercy. Of course, he sometimes epically fails in practicing what he preaches, but he was never taught the value of mercy himself so he basically has to reshape his entire mindset. Daniel, on the other hand, takes many extreme measures in order to deter Cobra Kai’s success. He not only remembers when Johnny and the other Cobra Kais mercilessly bullied him as a teenager, but he also remembers how corrupt and toxic their teachings were. The last thing he wants is his family and the youth of the community being exposed to such poison once more. His actions, however, backfire several times as they paint him to be the true bully, not Johnny.
Final Thoughts
All in all, being bullied is one of the worst things a person can go through. But it teaches us very important lessons like having compassion and learning how to deal with opposing personalities. At the end of the day, the best thing you can do for yourself is realize your self worth and understand that nothing is wrong with choosing the more peaceful path.
Comments are closed.