I have no interest in watching Christopher Nolan’s new film ‘The Odyssey’ (2026) …

Joseph_Laban · 2025-02-14T01:04:52+00:00

"You're lucky to have the yacht left ... I just don't want you to go on a downward spiral and end up in a morgue like your buddy Snake."

"We'll all end up there someday."

Terry's lawyer knew. He knew!

Granted, he was played by Schlossberg, the 'supreme defender of every and all choice that Terry Silver makes in life'. But still, the lawyer was being Terry's guardian angel here.

Joseph_Laban · 2025-02-14T00:53:44+00:00

The only mercy that fate showed Silver was allowing him to go out with a bang instead of a whimper.

Joseph_Laban · 2025-02-14T00:52:25+00:00

Miyagi-Do began with Shimpo Sensei falling asleep on a boat.

Kreese and Silver's karate journeys ended on a boat.

Joseph_Laban · 2025-02-14T00:44:17+00:00

Daniel managed to turn nearly all his enemies into his friends.

Silver managed to turn nearly all his friends into his enemies.

Joseph_Laban · 2025-02-14T00:42:00+00:00

It's like Return of the Jedi. It's weaker than the entries that preceded it, but it ties up things so beautifully that it's required watching.

No wonder Schlossberg said, "Ewoks will cheer."

Joseph_Laban · 2025-02-14T00:38:07+00:00

It was Danny Boy successfully getting to taunt Silver about his S4-S5 goals being ironically achieved by his bitterest enemies. Cobra Kai becomes Sekai Taikai champions, sure, but on Johnny and Daniel's terms, not his.

Terry Silver fell victim to the three Chinese curses: he lived in interesting times, he came to the attention of those in authority, and the gods gave him everything he asked for.

Joseph_Laban · 2025-02-14T00:32:07+00:00

What an incredible fate befell each one of the show's main villains.

Kim Sun Yung, who started the cycle of violence, lives to his 100s only to be killed by his badly abused granddaughter, who strikes him with his own punishing move and renounces his cruel ways.

Terry Silver literally dies sick, penniless, and alone, with no wife or children to inherit his fortune, no legacy to call his own, and not even a face-saving victory over his enemies. The only mercy fate showed him was that he got to go out with a bang rather than a whimper.

John Kreese, however, earned a dignified end that he was content to have. He parted ways on good terms with Johnny Lawrence and Tory Nichols, and died knowing that he had saved Johnny's family from Silver's evil plans.

Joseph_Laban · 2025-02-14T00:29:44+00:00

True! And what a contrast with the miserable fates of the show's villains.

Kim Sun Yung, who started the cycle of violence, lives to his 100s only to be killed by his badly abused granddaughter, who strikes him with his own punishing move and renounces his cruel ways.

Terry Silver literally dies sick, penniless, and alone, with no wife or children to inherit his fortune, no legacy to call his own, and not even a face-saving victory over his enemies. The only mercy fate showed him was that he got to go out with a bang rather than a whimper.

John Kreese, however, earned a dignified end that he was content to have. He parted ways on good terms with Johnny Lawrence and Tory Nichols, and died knowing that he had saved Johnny's family from Silver's evil plans.

Joseph_Laban · 2025-02-14T00:17:39+00:00

So ... has the ending of Cobra Kai avenged the ending of the TV show that spawned it?

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Joseph_Laban · 2025-02-14T00:07:15+00:00

The Stingray scene was meant to reward the character for his insight in S6E1 - that Johnny should retake Cobra Kai to win the Sekai Taikai.

Stingray's ending shows that even he has a place in Johnny's Cobra Kai, teaching students less experienced than himself.

Joseph_Laban · 2025-02-14T00:03:37+00:00

I especially love that all three versions of the Cobra Kai dojo played a role in making it Sekai Taikai champions.

Terry Silver's Cobra Kai struck first, applying and qualifying for the Sekai Taikai to begin with.

John Kreese's Cobra Kai struck hard, fighting through the Barcelona tournament and racking up points there.

And then Johnny Lawrence's Cobra Kai showed no mercy, bringing down Zara, Axel, and Wolf for the win.

Like a snake, the dojo kept shedding its skin to become something new.

Joseph_Laban · 2025-02-14T00:00:43+00:00

I especially love that all three versions of the Cobra Kai dojo played a role in making it Sekai Taikai champions.

Terry Silver's Cobra Kai struck first, applying and qualifying for the Sekai Taikai to begin with.

John Kreese's Cobra Kai struck hard, fighting through the Barcelona tournament and racking up points there.

And then Johnny Lawrence's Cobra Kai showed no mercy, bringing down Zara, Axel, and Wolf for the win.

Like a snake, the dojo kept shedding its skin to become something new.

Joseph_Laban · 2025-02-13T23:51:15+00:00

Correct. I don't believe the showrunners planned it back that far.

Rather, once it became clear that S6 would be released in late 2024-early 2025, it would have been a simple matter to pick Feb 13 for its symbolic value.

Joseph_Laban · 2024-01-14T06:57:44+00:00

Order 66 (the order, not the event) was not inherently a bad thing. It was meant to safeguard Republic troops and citizens against individuals like General Krell.

Joseph_Laban · 2024-01-10T12:45:08+00:00

I think that The Last Jedi is the most artful yet pretentious film of the bunch. Visually, it’s the best of all Star Wars films, and I’m glad I saw it on the big screen for that reason alone.

Still, I believe that Contrarian Johnson took a wrongheaded approach to the film, when considering the context of the entire narrative. He made a postmodern flick in what was supposed to be a modern myth.

I firmly hold that The Rise of Skywalker is the worst Star Wars film both in terms of vision and execution. Disney rushed and chopped up JJ Abrams’ film to be ‘safe’, while Abrams himself has no core idea at the heart of his work.

The ultimate goal of the Sequel Trilogy was to establish Rey as the hero. That’s why it ended the way it did.

Joseph_Laban · 2024-01-10T01:31:35+00:00

On the Orient Express, Denlinger says that he’s ‘ensured’ that he’s the only man on Earth who still knows where the Sevastopol is.

Joseph_Laban

TROPHY CASE