In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, the creators of the Netflix series “Cobra Kai” answered fan questions about the popular show. As the hit series comes to an end this week, the three creators – Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg (who are all Jewish)—revealed that one major character is Jewish, Mr. Miyagi knew about the Holocaust, and other interesting details.
The series is based on “The Karate Kid,” one of the most iconic films that debuted in 1984. It portrays underdog Daniel LaRusso, a new kid on the block in Southern California, becoming the target of a group of bullies who study karate at the Cobra Kai Dojo. He then takes up an ancient style of karate, which he learns from Japanese immigrant Mr. Miyagi, to even the odds.
Flash forward to today, the Cobra Kai dojo is led by former high school bully Johnny Lawrence, who is suddenly the series’ protagonist, teaching teens who are bullied how to defend themselves. This gives a retrospective of the entire series from the former antagonist’s perspective.
Hurwitz revealed that Eli Moskowitz, better known as “Hawk” due to his trademark mohawk that changes colors every season, “is Jewish.” He revealed that this was intentionally done because they “wanted some Jewish representation” in the series.
“But we don’t have anything to do with religion in the show,” he added.
The creators also described the deuteragonist, Terry Silver, as a “Conservative Jew” who is “Orthodox on his mother’s side.” Silver, who debuted in the 1989 sequel The Karate Kid Part III as a rich, scheming, manipulative figure, was first revealed to be Jewish in season 5 during a brief conversation with a minor character simply known as “Sensei Rosenthal.”
When asked how Silver walks on Shabbat because he lives in such a huge Southern California mansion where one requires a long drive just to get to the main entrance, the creators laughed.
“Silver is not afraid of a little exercise,” referring to the arch-nemesis’s background as a Vietnam War veteran and a karate black belt on his résumé.
Schlossberg added that Terry probably “donates to his synagogue” because he wants to be perceived as a “mensch,” despite his nefarious ways. They described him as “rebellious” and someone who certainly “does not listen” to his rabbi’s advice.
Heald also suggested that since Mr. Miyagi fought in the 442nd in the US Army in World War II (a segregated Asian regiment), he might have seen action in the European theater of World War II and therefore “definitely knew about the Holocaust.”
When asked if he saved Jews from the camps in Europe, Heald sad that “maybe someone will explore this in the future in a prequel/spin-off about Mr. Miyagi.”
Did Mr Miyagi liberate Dachau?
But he was “a hero” who most definitely would have saved Jews from the camps if he had to. In real life, Japanese-American troops liberated Jews from Dachau.
They also confirmed that Chozen’s shrine in Season 3 is a nod to the less-known 1989 Karate Kid animated series of the same name, showing that they did not want to leave even the most die-hard fans disappointed.
The show creators also told fans to brace for more “surprises and Easter eggs” that will reference the original series in the season finale, including appearances from original film characters.
They said that during the show’s conception, they intended to bring back old characters but also balance and make it relatable for those who had not seen the original.
“We wanted them to have that feeling of rooting for the underdog,” Heald said. He explained, “We all hated Johnny Lawrence as a kid,” so seeing him as the protagonist was “unexpected.”
When asked about Israeli flags at the foremost karate championship, but no Israeli representation at the Sekai Takai, they suggested that Israeli athletes did not qualify for this year’s tournament, probably because it was very “competitive.” But it is possible that Israelis did compete or had a role in the past, and that is why the Israeli flag is still displayed at the tournament anyway.
The show, which launched in 2018, is expected to end after the sixth season, of which Part 3 just came out on February 15.
Hurwitz said that “many Israelis do watch the show” and added that Israel is a diverse place and hopes that people from all different backgrounds will be able to live together and enjoy the finale together regardless.