AlthoughCobra Kaiuses a blend of new characters and existing stars from the largerKarate Kidfranchise, some of the show’s most exciting moments are when familiar faces return decades later, but there’s one actor who has yet to come back and has perhaps always been unlikely to. To put it another way, some of thebestCobra Kaicharacterswere also prominentKarate Kidfigures in the original trilogy of movies. The buzz that’s been caused by established figures coming back throughout the spinoff show is a big part of why it has continued to happen.
There’s only really one remaining character who could create excitement if they came back now. They’d need to be part of theCobra Kaiseason 6 cast, as the show is set to end after the final episodes of the run have aired. That being said, every returning star has been well-received for many reasons - but one reason is perhaps far more important than the others. Therefore, it may not be worth bringing the character back at all. While they made their debut in one of thefiveKarate Kidmovies, they’re still an outlier.
Hilary Swank’s Julie Pierce Has Never Interacted With Any Cobra Kai Character
Julie’s franchise comeback could be a little underwhelming
1994’sThe Next Karate Kidwas the first franchise installment not to feature Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso. Instead, Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi served as sensei to Hilary Swank’s Julie Pierce. The movie is a soft reboot of the movie series, despite also being a sequel. Morita’s sage character was the only figure to carry over from the original trilogy.Swank still has yet to reprise her role as Julie inCobra Kai, but the most salient theory for why comes down to the fact that none of the other characters would know who Julie is.
While Mr. Myagi could be argued to be aCobra Kaicharacter,Morita’s character (and Morita himself) had already passed awayby the time the show began. As such, he never physically appears in theKarate Kidspinoff.
Despite Daniel and Mr. Miyagi briefly going their separate ways forThe Next Karate Kid, certain context clues inCobra Kaiconfirm an eventual reunion between the two, with Daniel’s mentor and father figure forming a bond with not just Amanda, but also the next generation of the LaRusso family.It’s possible that Mr. Miyagi told the LaRussos about Julieduring his later years, but they never actually met. Every otherKarate Kidcomeback has been a reunion with Daniel, so Julie’s return would likely fall a little flat because of the lack of familiarity with one another.
There Is Still A Little Hope For Julie Pierce Fans
The cast and crew of Cobra Kai have dropped hints about Swank’s potential comeback
Despite the risk of Swank’s franchise return falling flat if it were to happen, those connected with the show continue to tease the possibility of Julie’s comeback inCobra Kaiseason 6. Speaking withDigital Spy, Macchio confirmed he thought a Julie Pierce cameo after so long of waiting would be “the one piece that would be interesting.” Jon Hurwitz, one ofCobra Kai’s showrunners, has also confirmed he and co-boss Hayden Schlossberg are Hilary Swank fans, and stated that"anyone from the Miyagi-verse could potentially be in the final season."
1984
90%
1986
47%
1989
15%
1994
7%
2010
66%
2018-2025
92%
AlthoughThe Next Karate Kidfeels isolated from the original movies, it still exists within the same canon. So,Swank’s character is included under the “Miyagi-verse” umbrella.Interestingly, now thatJackie Chan’s 2010Karate Kidremake has been folded into the franchise’s main continuity, theCobra Kaishowrunners could also be referencing characters like Chan’s Mr. Han or even Jaden Smith’s Dre Parker. While Smith’s acting work has been sparse in recent years, Chan is confirmed to be coming back for the upcomingKarate Kidsequel in 2025. So a Hr. Han cameo isn’t impossible inCobra Kaiseason 6.
Why Julie Probably Won’t Show Up In Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 2
Swank’s Karate Kid character could have made more sense with an earlier Cobra Kai debut
WithCobra Kai’s final season building to an epic finale at the Sekai Taikai in Barcelona, the return of Julie Pierce wouldn’t really add all that much to the story. There’s a possibility she could have her own dojo at the tournament, but it would surely have made more sense to introduce her at theend ofCobra Kaiseason 6, part 1- a moment that was dominated by the reveal of Tori’s defection. Plus,Julie would also practice Miyagi-do karate, so it wouldn’t make sense for two dojos to enter the Sekai Taikai under the same name.
Cobra Kai Has Destroyed The Harsh Reality Of The Karate Kid Movie Franchise
Cobra Kai has been a huge success for the Karate Kid franchise, and it has also quietly rectified some of the movies' biggest ongoing issues.
There is a small chance thatJulie’s return could somehow tie into the ongoing Mr. Miyagi mysterythat has arisen. As exciting as the Sekai Taikai is bound to be, the next batch of five episodes in November should be sufficient to cover that particular arc. Then, when the third and final set of five episodes arrives in 2025, that is when the Miyagi storyline could come to the surface, which would arguably be the last time Swank’sKarate Kidcharacter could make herCobra Kaidebut.
Cobra Kai
Cast
Cobra Kai is a sequel series continuing the narrative of the Karate Kid saga, set 30 years after the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament. It focuses on Johnny Lawrence seeking redemption by reopening the Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with Daniel LaRusso, who strives to maintain balance in his life.
