Major spoilers for Cobra Kai Season 6, Part 2 lie ahead, so read on at your own discretion.
Amid the 2024 TV schedule, fans were recently treated to the second third of Cobra Kai’s sixth and final season, and to say the episodes were collectively a doozy would be an understatement. The five installments saw the Miyagi-Do crew travel to Barcelona for the Sekai Taikai tournament. Miguel Diaz, Samantha LaRusso, Robby Keene and co. faced off with some stiff competition, before the entire event ended with a serious tragedy. As a fan of the show, I thoroughly enjoyed Part 2, but I really need to discuss how it does right by Kenny Payne.
What Was Going On With Kenny Leading Up To Season 6, Part 2?
One could definitely argue that amid the Karate Kid spinoff show’s ensemble, Kenny (portrayed by Dallas Dupree Young) is among the characters who’s had a tough time as far as his personal life and martial arts career go. Introduced early in the fourth season, Kenny faces bullies during his first day of school, with Daniel LaRusso’s son, Anthony, being one of the participants. Following that verbal abuse, Kenny seeks to learn karate and eventually meets Robby Keene, who takes him on as a mentee of sorts at Cobra Kai.
Eventually, Kenny becomes quite good at karate but, as his skills improve, his tendency to show kindness and mercy decreases. That fact disappoints Robby, especially after he personally cuts ties with his dojo – where Kenny keeps training under the watchful eye of the maniacal Terry Silver. However, by the end of CK Season 5, Kenny and the others leave following Silver’s arrest. The sixth season opens with a bit of hope for Kenny, as he’s convinced to join Miyagi-Do and finds himself in contention for a spot in the Sekai Taikai.
However, while competing for the position in the tournament, Kenny experiences a serious case of diarrhea (unknowingly because dojo mate Devin spiked his water with a laxative). Kenny is subsequently embarrassed, and that development caps off a series of unfortunate events for young Mr. Payne. Don’t get me wrong, Kenny has seen some wins on one of Netflix’s best shows but, in many cases, he’s been sidelined, led astray or humiliated. It’s been sad to see at times, which is why his shining moments in Season 6, Part 2 are so gratifying.
How Did Kenny Shine During The Latest Episodes Of The Show?
During the second part of the sixth season, Kenny is called upon to replace Miguel after he and Johnny leave Barcelona to attend to the former’s mother, Carmen. Payne is initially hesitant to go due to the embarrassment he still feels but opts to do so after he makes amends with Anthony and Devin calls to tell him about the laxative. The producers still throw a bit of a hurdle at the teen once he’s in Barcelona, as they’re convinced that he’s going to throw his fights in order to appease Silver, who even tries to recruit Payne to his Iron Dragons.
Kenny gets his show, however, when Robby finally tags him in during a match, and the result is glorious. Not only does Payne manage to resist the temptation to throw a match and join the Iron Dragons but he also helps Miyago-Do score a major victory against a Brazil-based dojo. What truly made me smile, though, was the sight of him flipping off Silver after his major victory. You can check out the amazing moment yourself in the X post below:
kenny did not have to do my boy silver like that (yes he did)📺: Cobra Kai pic.twitter.com/ymX5fv0gkkNovember 23, 2024
Before Part 2, I hopeful that Kenny was going to get his time to shine after all the adversity he faced. Needless to say, I was so thrilled to witness the scene above and his reconciliation with Anthony. Yes, the heartbreak associated with some of the character’s stumbles may still nag at me (and possibly even some fans) but, for this payoff, I’d say it was all worth it. To be quite honest, as an African American viewer, I feel a somewhat additional sense of pride in watching Kenny succeed. Kudos to Cobra Kai for delivering some Black excellence.
Now that Kenny’s situated, there are plenty of other concerns to address when it comes to this karate dramedy. That includes the fact that Cobra Kai competitor Kwon died amid the massive brawl at the Sekai Taikai after accidentally impaling himself with John Kreese’s eunjangdo dagger. Surely, one plot thread will involve everyone dealing with the repercussions of that. I’m not sure what lies ahead in these final episodes of the show, but I’m hopeful that they’ll close out the series on a high note and continue to highlight Kenny as well.
Cobra Kai is now streaming for Netflix subscription holders, and be aware that Season 6, Part 3 is set to premiere on February 13 amid the 2025 TV schedule.