Obstáculos
"If you wanna save yourselves, train the right way... you better be there."
Written by Josh Heald (Story), Jon Hurwitz (Story), Hayden Schlossberg (Story) & Alyssa Forleiter (Story & teleplay)
Directed by Jennifer Celotta
Directed by Jennifer Celotta
"We need something that tells everyone we're the most badass dojo in the Valley."
— Johnny Lawrence
Sam enters the Miyagi-Do dojo, only to find Tory waiting for her. The two fight, but Tory gains the upper hand and drowns Sam in the dojo's pond... until Sam suddenly wakes up in her bed, revealing that the fight was merely a nightmare.
Miguel continues his training under Johnny, ultimately discarding the wheelchair and crutches after Miguel regains the ability to walk. Johnny plans to start a new dojo, but he and Miguel struggle to think of a name for it. Miguel offers to handle recruitment while Johnny scouts for a building to hold his classes in. However, none of the prospective venues meet Johnny's miniscule budget, and he eventually settles for a public park.
Daniel and Amanda discuss the Cobra Kai situation with Sam and reveal that Miyagi-Do will reopen to combat the opposing dojo, but Sam declines Daniel's invitation to rejoin. Stunned by the rejection, Daniel admits that he has fallen out of touch with his daughter. Amanda offers to cover the dealership while he spends time with Sam. Taking Sam on a fishing trip, Daniel coaxes her into talking about her troubles. Sam confesses that she feels a tremendous amount of guilt about what happened to Demetri at the amusement center, and admits that she was too afraid to stand up to Tory again after the school fight. Daniel brings his daughter to the All Valley Sports Arena, the venue of the All Valley Tournament. He explains to her about the time he nearly lost to fear during his match against Mike Barnes in the 1985 tournament, only to get back up and win because of Miyagi's encouragement, and reminds Sam that he'll always be by her side.
Miguel returns to West Valley High, where he receives a hero's welcome, and reconnects with Hawk and Demetri. Upon learning about Demetri's broken arm, Miguel confronts Hawk at lunch, inviting him to join Johnny's new dojo and turn to a better path. He leaves Hawk, disgusted, after seeing that Kyler has joined Cobra Kai. He also witnesses Kyler bully Demetri by drawing a giant penis on his arm cast after Demetri bumps into him.
Johnny sneaks into the school to update Miguel about his location scouting. He then confronts Hawk and his gang, disparaging Kreese while reminding them that he was responsible for making them who they are. Before leaving, Johnny challenges them to join his new dojo.
Afterwards, Yasmine approaches Demetri sympathetically, and fixes his cast by signing "I love your BIG dick - Yas". She explains that after her confrontation with Aisha at the beach party, she knows what it feels like to be humiliated. The two now have common ground (and are obviously attracted to each other), but awkwardly agree to avoid letting this be "a thing".
Sam rejoins Miyagi-Do. She and her father train together with bo staffs using a new technique she learned from her fishing trip.
Johnny holds his first day of training in the park with his six students (including Miguel, Bert, and Mitch) and reveals his dojo's name to be Eagle Fang Karate. As they begin their training, Kreese and his students confront them, and Kreese offers Johnny one last chance to return to his side. Johnny sternly declines, and Kreese warns that he will regret his decision.
Tropes:
- Aesop Amnesia: After his experience with Zakarian (and Kreese), you’d think Johnny would be wary of suggesting a “handshake deal” for a new dojo, but the lesson apparently didn’t stick. Luckily for Johnny, the gym owner has too much integrity to rope him into another agreement that would have inevitably ended badly.
- All Just a Dream: Tory's cold-blooded murder attempt on Sam. It's just Sam having a nightmare.
- Armor-Piercing Question: Miguel's response to seeing Kyler has joined Cobra Kai is to ask Hawk, "These are your friends now?"
- Bait-and-Switch:
- Johnny and Miguel seem to be about to toss Miguel's wheelchair and crutches off a veranda. Then the angle shifts, and they toss them in a garbage container like responsible people instead.
- It seems Johnny finally found a place to run his dojo after talking to another "gym owner". It turns out the place he found is a public park and the "gym owner" is just a random guy who was in the middle of having a picnic with his family.
- Sam thinks Daniel is pulling this trope on her when he takes her fishing and starts reminiscing about teaching her karate.
- Kyler says he won't throw Demitri's food tray on the floor because he's better than that. He throws it in the garbage can instead.
- By the Hair: In the nightmare fight, Tory once again ends up dragging Sam by her hair.
- Call-Back:
- Daniel remembers teaching Sam to balance on the boat, like Mr. Miyagi taught him in the movies.
- So far, odd-numbered Cobra Kai seasons have featured someone on Team Cobra Kai doodling a giant penis to humiliate someone on Team Miyagi-Do.
- Tory's white skeleton on a black background costume is one to Johnny's similar costume on The Karate Kid (the first movie).
- Cassandra Truth: Johnny confronts Hawk and his gang, telling them that Kreese doesn't give a shit about any of them and that he only views them as pawns for his own nefarious goals. Despite this warning, Hawk and his gang affirm their loyalty to Kreese when he and his dojo confront Johnny and Eagle Fang.
- Catapult Nightmare: Dreaming of Tory confronting her at Miyagi-Do and trying to drown her in the pond, Sam wakes up in a huff.
- Continuity Nod: Daniel shares more about The Karate Kid Part III to Sam, which was not a story he was known to share, in a effort to show the value of Mr. Miyagi's lessons. Last time, the lesson was about forgiveness, while this time it is about not surrendering to fear.
- Disappointed in You:
- Miguel voices his disappointment with Hawk for associating himself with the likes of Kyler and the other new Cobra Kai recruits.
- Kreese warns Johnny that he'll regret not returning to Cobra Kai, after Johnny once again refuses Kreese's offer.
- Dramatic Drop: When Sam spots Tory in her nightmare, she drops her water bottle in fright.
- Dream Intro: The episode opens with a scene of Tory confronting Sam at the Miyagi-Do dojo. Tory beats her up and then straight up kills her with her bare hands. Then the scene is revealed to be a Catapult Nightmare of Sam's.
- Drinking the Kool-Aid: Miguel uses this phrase to describe how Hawk and the other members of Cobra Kai have been radicalised by Kreese into becoming bullies but Johnny, being who he is asks what's wrong with Kool-Aid. note
- Eskimos Aren't Real: Johnny reveals he thinks a mongoose is an imaginary creature when Bert correctly points out that they kill snakes.
- Exact Words: The owner of one of the buildings that Johnny wants to rent for his new dojo tells him that if he wants a roof and four walls, he'll have to pay for it. So Johnny instead decides to train in a public park, which has no roof or walls but is completely free.
- Faux Affably Evil: Kyler takes on a deceptively pleasant tone as he harasses Demetri in the lunchroom.Kyler: Oh, you thought I was going to knock down your tray? (Tsk) No, man, I'm better than that...(takes Demetri's tray and throw it in the trash). Oh, what else you need help with? Oh, you want me to sign your cast? Say no more (proceeds to draw a dick on Demetri's cast).
- Former Teen Rebel: Well, "former" in that he is no longer a teenager... Johnny gets into the school without being stopped by security because he remembers where to sneak in, and he apologizes after instinctively slamming down a random kid's books as he turns to leave, citing "old habits".
- "Friends" Rent Control: Addressed as Johnny goes looking for a place for his new dojo. He tries to make a 'handshake deal' with an upscale gym owner to save time and money. However, not everyone is as cavalier as Armand Zarkarian about the legality of the businesses they rent space to, and care about more than their ability to pay the rent. Sure enough, Johnny is seen checking a fourth place, a run-down basement "four walls and a ceiling" that still costs $3000 (as real estate in Los Angeles is still expensive, no matter what the shape of the building is). He eventually turns to training them in a neighborhood park for free (though that comes with privacy issues).
- Heel Realization:
- Johnny finally understands his mistakes and the dangers of Cobra Kai, and admits it freely to his former students in an effort to break them away from it.
- As Miguel goes back to school his loyalty to Johnny comes into conflict with his Cobra Kai friends, while also seeing a warmer welcome from his Miyagi-Do friends, cementing a change of attitude that had been building for several episodes.
- Hope Spot: After Johnny's "The Reason You Suck" Speech on his former students and inviting them to join his new group, Hawk and another Cobra Kai show up, and seem about to take him up on the offer. Then all of Cobra Kai including Kreese round the corner, and Hawk says "I told you. Cobra Kai for life."
- I Warned You: During his "The Reason You Suck" Speech, Johnny tells Hawk and the other Cobra Kai loyalists that they can go ahead and stay with Kreese if they want. But when their lives inevitably "end up in the shitter", they can't complain and say Johnny didn't warn them it would happen.
- Irony: Dieter is seen bullying Demetri alongside Kyler in the cafeteria even though Miguel beating up Kyler in the cafeteria back in Season 1 is what inspired Dieter to join Cobra Kai in the first place.
- Kick the Dog: Kyler humiliates Demetri in the lunchroom by doodling a penis on the cast covering his right arm."Hey, guys. Check this guy out, standing around with a dick in his hand."
- Lovable Alpha Bitch: Through Character Development, Yasmine has progressed to this from her previous Alpha Bitch state, as her humiliation in Season One made her more aware of the pain of bullying, even though some of her vapid habits still creep up. She shows compassion on Demetri after Kyler draws a penis on his cast by complimenting his "big dick" with her own writing, including some Ship Tease thrown in.
- Mythology Gag: Sam's nightmare about being murdered by Tory in the Miyagi-Do garden invokes shades of the scene
in The Karate Kid Part III where Mike Barnes trespasses onto the Miyagi-Do and attacks Daniel, at one point using his foot to crush Daniel's windpipe, and Daniel is then "saved" by Terry Silver, who then pretends to fight off Barnes. - Oh, Crap!: Demetri's reaction when he bumps into Kyler in the lunchroom — and for good reason.
- Pet the Dog: Yasmine fixes up Demetri's cast for him after Kyler defaces it."I love your BIG dick -Yas"
- Poor Communication Kills: Defied. When Johnny holds his first training session for Eagle Fang Karate, he flat out tells the students that the goal is to be badass, tough and able to end any fight, but this does not excuse using those skills to become bullies and target any of their peers. This was exactly what he had wanted Cobra Kai to do in the first place, but learned the hard way how to teach that.
- Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: Johnny's new "Eagle Fang Karate" dojo consists mostly of the kids who left or were weeded out of Cobra Kai because of Kreese. Miguel's the only real exception (due to his hospitalization), but even before he was hospitalized, he was getting uncomfortable with Kreese, and he definitely would have left Kreese's Cobra Kai anyway.
- Refuge in Audacity: Johnny still knows all the ways in and out of the school as he attended here, allowing him to slip into the school and talk to his dojo students without anyone stopping him.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech:
- Johnny gives one to Hawk when he confronts him and the others in the school, reminding the kid how soft he was before he started taking lessons from Johnny, that it was Johnny who made him and the others tough martial artists and not Kreese, and Kreese doesn't give a shit about any of the students."Now, you listen up. When you came into my dojo, you were softer than a baby's ass. I made you what you are, not Kreese. He doesn't give a shit about you. About any of you. So, if you wanna keep whining about the past like a bunch of pussies, fine. We could play that game. Wanna stick with Kreese? Go ahead. Don't say I didn't warn you when your life ends up in the shitter. Or you could sack up, and join my dojo."
- Before, Miguel said essentially the same thing to Hawk, albeit with less vulgarity and gendered insults.
- Johnny gives one to Hawk when he confronts him and the others in the school, reminding the kid how soft he was before he started taking lessons from Johnny, that it was Johnny who made him and the others tough martial artists and not Kreese, and Kreese doesn't give a shit about any of the students.
- Running Gag: Once again the cool/badass factor of Cobra Kai's name is acknowledged, this time by Miguel and Johnny as they lament how hard it is to come up with an even more badass name for their own dojo.
- Rule of Cool: Johnny chooses to name his new dojo "Eagle Fang Karate" to show how they are more badass than Cobra Kai. His students point out that eagles do not have fangs. Johnny is unmoved by their logic, and the name sticks.
- Serial Numbers Filed Off: In-Universe. Johnny's initial idea for a new dojo name is to simply use Xtreme Kool Letterz and call it "Kobra Kai Karate". He quickly abandons this idea when Miguel points out what the initials would be.
- Stating the Simple Solution: When Mitch remarks that he feels a little snug after putting on an Eagle Fang t-shirt, Johnny tells him to do some more sit-ups.
- Survivor's Guilt: On a minor level, combined with a bit of Shell-Shocked Veteran, Sam is traumatized by how scared she was when Tory entered the lasertag arena and how she was helpless to prevent Hawk from breaking Demetri's arm. Daniel recounts his second All-Valley win and how terrified he was of Mike Barnes, with Mr. Miyagi telling him he cannot lose to fear and that all he can do is focus.
- Take a Third Option: Given the financial costs involved with renting a roof and four walls, Johnny elects to run his new dojo, Eagle Fang Karate, at a public park.
- Take That!: In-Universe. Eagle Fang's name is intended to be this to Cobra Kai, as snakes are preyed upon by eagles in the wild. Unfortunately, the meaning is undercut by people constantly pointing out that eagles don't have fangs.
- Throwing Off the Disability: Miguel undergoes training with Johnny so that he is able to stand on his own two feet once again. By the end of it, he recovers enough to the point that he and Johnny completely discard his crutches and wheelchair.
- Totally Radical: Johnny tried to figure out a name for his new dojo and decided to create "Eagle Fang Karate" trying to sound as cool as possible. The logo is an eagle with fangs, which looks more ridiculous the more you look at it.
- Took a Level in Kindness: When Yasmine approached Demetri with a pen at hand ready to sign his cast, Demetri expects more mockery. Instead, Yasmine adds the words "I love Ur BIG DICK—YAS" on it after Kyler mockingly drew a penis on it. She explains she knows just what it's like to be humiliated in public and shows depth her season 1 character never would have."After the whole... you know, front wedgie thing, I know what it's like. Sucks to have everyone laughing at you."
- Toothy Bird: The Eagle Fang logo has the eagle beak have fangs prominently displayed.
- Unfortunate Name: When coming up with names for a dojo, Johnny suggest just keeping the Cobra Kai name, but spell it with a K. However, he quickly balks when Miguel points out that "Kobra Kai Karate" also has the same initials as a certain hatemongering organization...Johnny: What if we just keep that? But we spell "Cobra" with a "K". They can call us "Triple K".
Miguel: Like KKK?
Johnny: ...Yeah, it's probably a bad idea. - Unwanted Assistance: Sam initially refuses her dad's offers to help her with her emotional troubles, claiming that she's done with karate for good.
- Wax On, Wax Off: Turns out that taking Sam fishing isn't just a bonding moment, but also teaching a technique. At the end of the episode, Daniel asks her to "cast the line" while wielding a staff. She instantly catches on.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Miguel rips into Hawk for breaking Demetri's arm and abandoning Johnny for Kreese after everything Johnny did to help them.
- You Are Not Alone: The point of Daniel's story arc with Sam for this episode. He teaches her that even if she's the only one who can get herself up when she's down, he will always be there for her.
- Your Approval Fills Me with Shame: When other Cobra Kai students praise Hawk for having the gall to break Demetri's arm, he gives a look that he's not happy with what he did. This follows up on a similar moment in the episode when this happened.
