The world of Cobra Kai is not merely about karate, it’s a narrative of redemption, rivalry, and legacy. After the finale, the show wrapped up its central story but the door to The Karate Kid universe is still wide open.
The character of Samantha “Sam” LaRusso, played by Mary Mouser, has left some fans divided. But is this the end for her, or the start of something novel? Let’s dive into her character arc and explore what the creators have in mind for the Cobra Kai universe.
Sam LaRusso’s arc in Cobra Kai: from a sheltered teen to a karate fighter
Sam LaRusso has been one of the central figures in Cobra Kai. She’s the daughter of Daniel LaRusso, portrayed by our beloved Ralph Macchio, and carries the weight of her father’s legacy while doing her best to carve her own identity. In the early seasons, we see her as a typical high school student who is well-adjusted and somewhat sheltered.
But when Sam reconnects with Miguel, she gets entangled in the rivalry of Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai. She evolves from a conflicted teenager who rebelled and caused trouble, to a respectable karate practitioner. Daniel is the one who trains her, instilling confidence and discipline.
Her rivalry with Tory keeps intensifying and forces her to confront her fears. All of this culminates in a high-stakes match in season 4, in the All-Valley Tournament, where Sam loses to Tory. She accepts the outcome with grace and begins to focus on personal growth. But what didn’t sit well with the audience was her dropping out of the Sekai Taikai tournament in the show’s finale.
The future of Sam LaRusso: What the creators say about Cobra Kai spin-offs
Cobra Kai might have ended, but The Karate Kid universe is far from over, and the showrunners have implied this several times. During a Q&A on X (formerly Twitter), co-creator Hayden Schlossberg addressed Sam’s arc, highlighting how her motives were different than her father’s.
He also suggested that the character is not done with karate yet, which suggests she might appear in future projects. In an interview with Screen Rant, Schlossberg discussed the possibilities of spinoffs.
Well, we can’t say anything official about any Cobra Kai spinoffs. All that we can say officially is that we’ve been talking about nonstop and working behind the scenes on multiple different possibilities. But we will have to wait for that official announcement. We’re hopeful that we can continue working in this universe. It’s been so fun.
A Miyagi prequel show would be a great place to start, but there could be multiple Cobra Kai spinoff shows in the future, possibly focusing on Johnny, or even on the younger cast members.
If they’re truly considering focusing on the young talent of Cobra Kai, we can expect a show centered on Sam LaRusso. Her decision to move to Okinawa could lead to new adventures as we watch her grow as a martial artist. But even a prequel show that features Mr. Miyagi would exceed fan expectations because he’s the one character that holds the franchise together, evoking all kinds of reactions within us, from nostalgia to deep and heartfelt respect.
You can watch Cobra Kai on Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
