Cobra Kai by no means dies. Nonetheless, the sixth and last season of “Cobra Kai” will mark the tip of the legacy sequel collection that widened the scope of the Miyagi-verse. Although “Cobra Kai” is coming to an finish, there’s nonetheless heaps to look ahead to, as season 6 half 3 — which is able to characteristic the present’s last episodes — is about to reach in early 2025. For now, now we have to be content material with the newly unveiled season 6 half 2, wherein Miyagi-Do heads to Spain for the Sekai Taikai, essentially the most prestigious worldwide karate match in martial arts historical past. The present has all the time been about large fights and even larger rivalries, together with all of the fractured, tentative relationships in between. Because of the Sekai Taikai, the stakes have by no means been greater, as new challengers and previous rivals will make an look throughout a world championship which means loads for everybody concerned.
Season 6 half 2 makes the clever selection of taking issues to the following stage, permitting the simmering tensions and fissures to return to the floor even when each sensei and pupil has a recent begin in thoughts. Among the many robust, vibrant personalities which are part of the present, season 6 has launched Axel Kovacevic (Patrick Luwis), a member of the Iron Dragons dojo (whose ranks additionally embody Rayna Vallandingham’s Zara Malik). Similar to Miyagi-Do, the Iron Dragons are out to turn out to be world champions on the Sekai Taikai, and Axel initially finds himself at odds with Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do’s college students in the course of the match. Nonetheless, now that Axel has met Samantha (Mary Mouser), it seems destiny might produce other plans for these would-be opponents, inflicting the road between private instincts {and professional} rivalry to blur.
To his credit score, Luwis imbues Axel with refined complexities that additional complicate issues. However the place, precisely, have this promising younger actor turned up earlier than?
Axel Kovacevic is Patrick Luwis’ most outstanding function to date
“Cobra Kai” will not be Luwis’ first appearing credit score by a protracted mile, because the actor has already appeared in a string of tv exhibits and shorts through the years. He beforehand had episode-long stints in “The Dropout” and “NCIS,” and also you may even bear in mind him from Zack Snyder’s “Insurgent Moon — Half One: A Little one of Fireplace” (the place he performed Ivar, one of many extra battle-eager residents of Veldt). Luwis additionally made a blink-and-you-miss-it look in Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.”
Luwis was hesitant to signal on for “Cobra Kai” after his supervisor initially pitched him his function, as he realized the character is meant to be a martial arts prodigy and would require intensive accent work. Luwis talked concerning the difficult strategy of making ready for the present in an interview with Actors With Points, stating:
“So all these items felt prefer it was an uphill battle already. I assumed, ‘I’ll seem like an fool to this casting workplace’. I used to be speaking myself out of it […] I find yourself getting a name again and ultimately reserving the function. It is like an ideal instance of initially feeling intimidated and discovering all these the explanation why you should not or could not do it, and it finally ends up being the very best choice I might have made.”
Luwis completely nails Axel’s layered character. Among the finest fighters in “Cobra Kai” season 6 half 2, Axel has spent his whole life coaching with the only aim of turning into a karate champion. As a result of this uncompromising emphasis on being the very best at what he does, Axel has no possibility however to exude power always, even when it typically feels hole. This hollowness is likely to be simple to overlook because of his stoic, intimidating stature, however he nurtures a hidden vulnerability in entrance of characters who see him for who he’s. Iron Dragons dojo head Sensei Wolf (Lewis Tan) and Samantha signify opposing ends of this sentiment, as one pushes Axel to the purpose of exploitation, whereas the opposite urges him to embrace his true potential by widening his horizons.
You possibly can see extra of Axel when “Cobra Kai” season 6 half 3 premieres February 13, 2025, on Netflix.
