Cobra Kai season 3 premieres Jan. 8 on Netflix, and although today’s high-energy launch trailer is stuffed with fan service, it leaves a critical question hanging in the air: Will Elisabeth Shue, as Ali Mills, return to the story?
We get no answer here, unfortunately. Shue has been coy about the series and its obvious entreaties to bring her back. The season 2 finale, in which Ali reconnects with Johnny on social media after he throws his phone into the ocean, was written without any commitment from Shue to join the show.
Cobra Kai season 3 is still doing its damndest to get the band back together. That’s Chozen (Yuji Okumoto) — the villain of The Karate Kid Part 2, showing up at the two-minute mark. Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita), Part 2’s damsel in distress, is back as well. Season 1 bully Kyler (Joe Seo), sat out season 2, but he returns, also. And it looks like Hawk (Jacob Bertrand) and Demetri (Gianni Decenzo) are going to have another clear-the-decks showdown, too.
Cobra Kai is still, at bottom, the story of Johnny’s rivalry with Daniel. Can they finally put aside their teenage soap opera grievances and unite to destroy lunatic sensei John Kreese (Martin Kove) and restore freedom to the San Fernando Valley? I don’t know! But it looks like it’ll be fun.
