After seven years of crane kicks, comebacks and character growth, “Cobra Kai” bows out this week with its final five episodes on Netflix. It’s been a wild ride, sometimes straining credibility with the sheer volume of interpersonal drama piled atop its martial arts warriors. But at its heart, the series always understood what made “The Karate Kid” mythology endure since 1984. Instead of merely taking audiences on a nostalgia trip full of familiar faces and places, “Cobra Kai” carved out its own identity elevating it beyond yet another ’80s relic wheeled out for sympathy.
In a bid to make the parting that much more sweetly sorrowful, Netflix stretched the farewell season to 15 episodes (instead of the usual 10), rolling them out in chunks since last summer.