Miguel’s big decision in the The Karate Kid Part II journey. In the aftermath of the All Valley Karate Tournament, Johnny (William Zabka) found out that Miguel (Xolo Maridueña) had run off to Mexico. Miguel’s trip to Mexico serves as a culmination of teases about the character’s mysterious father, who now resides there.
By sending Miguel to Mexico, Cobra Kai has laid the groundwork for a major season 5 storyline. While the next few episodes are sure to deal with Daniel’s alliance with Chozen and the fallout from Cobra Kai’s victory, Miguel’s situation will most assuredly be a big focal point. Johnny promised to bring him back, which means that at least two main characters will be spending some time in Mexico City in Cobra Kai season 5. Who else tags along for the ride, whether or not they actually find Miguel’s father, and if he can convince Miguel to come back with him, are all questions that remain unanswered for the time being.
Miguel’s Mexico trip is unchartered territory and a story that differs greatly from what’s been done in the show’s past seasons, but it’s not entirely new for the franchise. In a sense, it’s the show’s version of Daniel’s journey in The Karate Kid Part II. After taking on bullies and learning karate in the first movie, The Karate Kid series sent Daniel on an adventure to Japan, where he teamed up with Mr. Miyagi, shared a romance with a local girl, and fought Chozen. Like Daniel, Miguel too will find himself on a quest in an unfamiliar land where he’ll undoubtedly be faced with a number of new challenges.
For Daniel, going to Japan in The Karate Kid Part II was an exciting undertaking that took Daniel out of his element and far away from home. And based on how season 4 ended, Cobra Kai season 5 promises to do the same for Miguel. Fortunately for him, he won’t be alone. Similar to how The Karate Kid Part II paired Daniel with Mr. Miyagi during their time in Okinawa, season 5’s Mexico story is expected to add Johnny to the mix, especially since he already declared his intentions to find Miguel. Considering how far Miguel has come to find his father, getting him back is unlikely to be a one-episode story. Before heading home to the Valley, the two could end up fighting new villains and dealing with other big obstacles.
Given who Miguel is as a character, it’s perfectly fitting that Cobra Kai is taking this route. After all, Cobra Kai season 1 was essentially a reboot of the first Karate Kid movie, but with Miguel filling Daniel’s role. Parallels between his problems and Daniel’s in The Karate Kid were obvious from the very beginning and were acknowledged by both characters when they finally began to bond in Cobra Kai season 4. With Miguel being Cobra Kai’s very own Daniel LaRusso, it makes perfect sense for the show to continue this approach by giving him Daniel’s Karate Kid Part II adventure.