How Cobra Kai Season 5 Finale Sets Up Season 6

The wait is over; Cobra Kai has finally returned to Netflix for its fifth season. Friday marked the debut of Cobra Kai Season 5, picking up the beloved story in the aftermath of Season 4's All-Valley tournament. As popular as Cobra Kai has become over the last few years, plenty of fans have already started binging through the new season to see how everything plays out. As you'll find, by the time the Season 5 finale rolls around, there is a very clear direction for Cobra Kai in Season 6.

WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for Cobra Kai Season 5! Continue reading at your own risk...

Throughout Season 5, Terry Silver is the main villain, and it has appeared for the last couple of seasons as though the series has been setting him up to be its biggest bad. With John Kreese in prison and Silver trying to take Cobra Kai global, he was established as the one to beat. Kreese's storyline in Season 5 saw him in prison for a crime he didn't commit, seemingly trying to rehabilitate himself while locked up. The Season 5 finale flips both of those storylines on their heads.

Silver is taken down and cast aside by his students. He's exposed as a liar, a cheater, and apparently an arsonist. Even though Cobra Kai was accepted into an international karate tournament, it doesn't look like Silver will be around to reap the rewards. Kreese, on the other hand, is coming back even badder than before.

The final moments of the season show that Kreese's redemption arc in prison was all a ploy, as he was organizing an escape the entire time. He's last seen walking out of prison, seemingly seeking out revenge on Silver and hoping to reclaim his dojo. When the Valley dojos head to the international tournament, likely in Season 6, Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang will once again be up against, who has been the Big Bad all along. 

When Will Cobra Kai Season 6 Arrive on Netflix?

There's a lot to be excited about when it comes to Cobra Kai Season 6, but there are also a lot of logistical questions to ask, as well. Netflix's hasn't officially renewed Cobra Kai for a sixth season, though that seems like a sure thing at this point, given the show's popularity and the open ending of Season 5. 

Cobra Kai Season 6 will happen, but we don't know exactly when. The gap between Season 4 and Season 5 was only nine months, but that's because Season 5 was already nearing the end of production when Season 4 was released. Given that there hasn't been an official renewal yet, cameras probably haven't started rolling on Season 6. That means the gap between seasons will be closer to a year, at minimum. 

Previous seasons of Cobra Kai have been released in the fall and winter months, so a late 2023 premiere date for Cobra Kai Season 6 would make sense. 

What did you think of Cobra Kai Season 5? Let us know in the comments!