Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 3’s Major Saved By The Bell Cameo, Explained

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Contains spoilers for “Cobra Kai” Season 6, Part 3

In discussing the revival of established franchises that have been dormant for many years, there’s often a worry that they are only being brought back to capitalize on fleeting appearances by familiar faces and overly sentimental reminiscence. However, in the case of “Cobra Kai”, these cameos have been skillfully integrated as part of a broader narrative development. Notable guest stars who have appeared include Elisabeth Shue reprising her role as Ali Mills from earlier Karate Kid installments, and Tamlyn Tomita returning as Kumiko.

In “Cobra Kai” Season 6, Part 3, there’s a unique, nostalgic appearance that fans of “Saved by the Bell” would likely spot. In Season 6, Episode 12, Daniel (Ralph Macchio) and his wife Amanda (Courtney Henggeler) arrange a blind date for Amanda’s friend Winnie with Chozen (Yuji Okumoto). Interestingly, Winnie is also the mother of Moon (Hannah Kepple), which fits well since she shares similar interests in unconventional beliefs and the hippie culture.

Elizabeth Berkley, famously known for portraying Jessie on “Saved by the Bell,” played Winnie. Although she didn’t appear in any earlier “Karate Kid” films, her recent appearance offers a delightful cameo and presents another opportunity to be part of a successful legacy sequel following the disappointment of her last attempt.

The Saved by the Bell reboot was inspired by Cobra Kai

A reboot of “The Karate Kid,” focusing on the antagonist from the original film and initially streaming on YouTube Red, might have ended up as a forgotten piece of nostalgia. However, something truly remarkable occurred: unlike many others, “Cobra Kai” didn’t fade away. Even when YouTube Red (renamed YouTube Premium) ceased to exist, Netflix took over “Cobra Kai,” continuing its successful journey, demonstrating that the show had a lot more depth than initially perceived. It even sparked other franchises to emulate its approach.

After the premiere of “Cobra Kai” in 2018, the popular series “Saved by the Bell” was revived on Peacock in 2020. Mario Lopez, who played A.C. Slater in the franchise, praised the way “Cobra Kai” blended nostalgia with a modern twist and expressed his enthusiasm for a similar approach. Similar to “Cobra Kai”, the revival of “Saved by the Bell” primarily focused on a younger cast at Bayside High. Lopez’s character, Slater, was now the school’s P.E. teacher, while Elizabeth Berkley Lauren’s Jessie took on the role of the school’s counselor. The showrunner of “Saved by the Bell” also drew inspiration from shows like “21 Jump Street” and the 1990s “Brady Bunch” movies.

Regrettably, “Saved by the Bell” didn’t have as extended a run as “Cobra Kai.” The show was terminated by Peacock following two seasons, even though the first season was the most-watched original series on Peacock in 2020. However, Lauren is getting another opportunity to strike reboot gold with her brief yet impactful cameo on “Cobra Kai.

Elizabeth Berkley Lauren’s character foretells the fates of Cobra Kai’s cast

Elizabeth Berkley Lauren’s character Winnie in “Cobra Kai” is quite different from her role as Jessie Spano on “Saved by the Bell.” Unlike the level-headed Jessie, Winnie is a hippie with psychic abilities who only appears in one episode but predicts several characters’ fates. During a tarot card reading she conducts for Chozen, Winnie picks the Death card and warns him that it foretells something disastrous: “It means someone you know is going to die, possibly even more than one person.” The dire prediction seems to come true as both John Kreese (Martin Kove) and Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) apparently meet their end a couple of episodes later when Silver’s boat explodes.

In the show “Cobra Kai,” Chozen draws the Empress card, as Winnie explains, signifying that his current journey is nearing its end and he’ll encounter a new person. This brings back memories of Chozen’s romantic rendezvous with Kim Da-eun (Alicia Hannah-Kim), indicating where his future lies. By the series finale, Daniel manages Miyagi-Do, Johnny instructs students at Cobra Kai, and Chozen joins Da-eun, who continues to train her own pupils. This suggests that there may be a permanent reunion between Chozen and Da-eun in the future.

In summary, Chozen’s adventure with Daniel and Johnny concludes, paving the way for a fresh journey. Though it seems improbable he will appear in “Karate Kid: Legends,” he still receives a satisfying resolution. Following his darker actions in “The Karate Kid Part II,” Chozen manages to have one of the most compelling redemption arcs within the franchise – with Elizabeth Berkley Lauren earning a credit on one of the most successful reboots of the last decade.

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2025-02-13 21:30