From 1984 to 2018, the character of Johnny Lawrence was pop culture shorthand for a bully who finally got his comeuppance. And then along came Cobra Kai. The final five episodes of Netflix’s popular Karate Kid spinoff series premiered Thursday,

I love a good redemptive story. Seeing the quintessential bad guy confront his demons and move on from his mistakes is an encouraging reminder that our past doesn’t define us. And if there’s one character who perfectly embodies this,

Cobra Kai built tension and kept us all successfully invested for six seasons with its high kicks, rivalries, and heartfelt moments, and now, the show has delivered its final blow. The Netflix series, even though fresh, had a nostalgic value because it revived the Karate Kid franchise.