Johnny Lawrence would have been a great addition to Karate Kid: Legends‘ cast, but one Cobra Kai scene proves the movie is better off without him. After being featured as the main antagonist in the first Karate Kid movie, Johnny Lawrence suddenly disappeared from the franchise and did not return in any of the direct sequels or reboots. His departure from the franchise after the first film always felt like a loose thread because his story had more depth than the first film explored.
Fortunately, Cobra Kai took the opportunity to feature him as one of its main legacy characters and made him its primary focus till its final story arcs. Since Johnny Lawrence has been such a crucial part of the Karate Kid franchise, especially in Cobra Kai, his presence in Karate Kid: Legends’ cast would have made the movie even more exciting. However, one Cobra Kai moment highlights the real reason why his absence from the upcoming film is justified.
Cobra Kai’s Final Scene Was The Perfect Ending For Johnny Lawrence
In Cobra Kai‘s early moments, Johnny Lawrence was a lost, washed-up man who was on the brink of losing all hope. However, as the show progressed, he gradually turned things around and became the father figure he never had for Miguel and Robby. Towards the end of Cobra Kai, Lawrence’s biggest struggle revolved around his inability to have a stable job, which was something he needed to be able to support his family and newborn child. However, he overcame that as well by landing the Sekai Taikai win for Cobra Kai and restarting his dojo in The Valley.
With Johnny completely letting go of the dark shadow of his past and emerging as a much better man than he ever thought he would be, his journey in the franchise feels complete and well-rounded.
There’s No Point In Bringing Johnny Lawrence Back Right After Cobra Kai
Although many aspects of Karate Kid: Legends‘ story are still under wraps, it has been established that the film is a completely different project from other installments in the Karate Kid franchise. From a timeline standpoint, the movie is set after Cobra Kai‘s events and serves as a direct follow-up to the series. However, despite this, the movie is not trying to be an extension of the Netflix show’s universe. Instead, it will try to etch its own identity into the franchise and potentially pave the way for more direct sequels.
Some might argue that since Karate Kid: Legends is already featuring a collaboration with two of the greatest karate mentors, Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Han, it might have benefited from adding Johnny Lawrence to the mix. However, owing to its limited runtime, the movie would have risked overcrowding its narrative and diluting the impact of its karate crossover by trying to juggle too many legacy characters at once.
Since Karate Kid: Legends is also trying to honor Mr. Miyagi’s legacy by showing how both Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso have had ties with the legendary sensei in different ways, it would not have made sense for the film to forcefully add a Cobra Kai practitioner like Johnny to its narrative. Therefore, even though Johnny Lawrence will always be a crucial part of the Karate Kid universe, the upcoming movie is just not the right fit for his story.
I Wouldn’t Mind Seeing More Of Johnny Lawrence In Future Karate Kid Movies
Daniel LaRusso will always be recognized as the OG “Karate Kid.” However, after Cobra Kai, Johnny Lawrence, too, has his own massive following. Owing to this, even though he is not a part of the upcoming Karate Kid film’s roster, viewers, like me, would always love to see him in future movies. Even if future Karate Kid films end up featuring him in a limited capacity, it would be nice to know he is doing well after his Sekai Taikai win in Cobra Kai‘s finale.
Interestingly, it seems like Johnny Lawrence’s story in the franchise is far from over. In a recent interview, Cobra Kai‘s creators said that even though Johnny “has finally come out the other side in this Cobra Kai story,” there may be more stories to tell about him and his journey ahead. This could mean that, in the near future, audiences might get to see more Johnny-centric narratives in the franchise. For now, however, one must appreciate how Cobra Kai perfectly ended his story while allowing Karate Kid: Legends to carry the franchise’s mantle without him.
