Cobra Kai fans excited as legendary Karate Kid character ‘returns’ in final season

Cobra Kai viewers have been left thrilled by an update about the forthcoming final season.

The TV sequel to the Karate Kid franchise, which picks up 34 years later, has become a big hit since it debuted in 2018, moving from YouTube Red/Premium to Netflix over the course of its five seasons.

It’s been confirmed that the forthcoming sixth run will be the show’s last, bringing the long-running franchise to an end.

But there are still some surprises in store for fans of the 1980s film series – a new casting report has claimed that a character fans will remember from the first film will show up in the final batch of episodes.

CS Lee, who has appeared in Dexter and Avatar: The Last Airbender, will show up as the present day version of Master Kim Sun-Young.

Eagle-eyed fans of the first Karate Kid film (1984) will remember that Master Kim Sun-Young was seen in a photograph, with his name being first mentioned in The Karate Kid III (1989).

The character, who also showed up in a flashback in season four of Cobra Kai, is credited with the creation of The Way of the Fist, a martial arts style that goes against the teaching of Mr Miyagi (Pat Morita).

Master Kim Sun-Young has long been presumed dead in the Karate Kid universe – until now. His return to the franchise, in present day form, follows the arrival of the character’s granddaughter, Kim Da-Eun (Alicia Hannah-Kim) in Cobra Kai season five.

The show’s fans are reacting to the news with glee, with many branding the decision to resurrect the character as “cool” and “exciting”.

This isn’t the first time existing characters from the Karate Kid franchise have shown up in the series – in season five, Thomas Ian Griffith returned as The Karate Kid III character Terry Silver.

Martin Krave, who played antagonist John Kreese in the Karate Kid films, also appears in the series.

Cobra Kai’s sixth season will resume production now the Hollywood strikes are over.