Warning: The following interview contains spoilers for Cobra Kai, specifically Season 3.
Since its inception in 2018, Cobra Kai has brought fans back to the ‘80s with the modern day lives of the beloved characters many grew up with in the theater and VHS. For three seasons, so far, the highly successful Netflix series has shown the post high school life events of karate bully Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), Miyagi Dojo’s Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), Cobra Kai master John Kreese (Martin Kove), love interest Ali Mills (Elizabeth Shue), even modern day return’s from Part 2’s Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita) and Chozen (Yuji Okumoto)..
The series shows the successes and struggles of Lawrence and LaRusso now approaching middle age. The series opens with Lawrence on hard times, struggling with past memories of his loss, his lost love and the venomous Kreese still in his head. His mindset is stuck in the ‘80s which provides continuing humor as he’s slowly exposed to technology and social media.
LaRusso is a success, owning a car dealership and has for the most part forgotten about the tournament now a dedicated family man. Focus starts on renewing the rivalry as Lawrence attempts redemption reopening the dojo. With good intentions while still fighting the bully inside him as a new group of students come.
Each character is shown having numerous flashbacks and put in role reversal situations as original lines are strategically added in randomly. Some you see coming while others are like verbal Easter eggs.
Kreese returns in season 2 seeking his own redemption while subtly manipulating the situation and Lawrence to his advantage. Season 3 builds to a boiling point between Dojo’s as Kreese’s sadistic Vietnam captor, played by Han Soto in flashbacks makes his first appearance. Pham Minh Thao, the man who tries to lead a young Kreese to his death, fighting his commanding officer above a large pit of predators.
Soto’s in a few flashbacks in episode 6 and 10, unintentionally giving Kreese the inspiration for his future dojo and many say, the main reason for The Karate Kid series.
Most of what happens in The Karate Kid is your characters fault. “We joke about it, if (my character) didn’t have an infatuation with cobras and one with Lemur’s, you’d be watching Lemur Kai. So, there’s that,” Soto says.
So far Soto’s character only appears a few times in flashbacks but in terms of cinema history, his character might have the most storyline influence and least amount of screen time in the whole series. Without his character, there may not have been a dojo and The Karate Kid might tell a very different story. Fans might dread to imagine The Karate Kid brand and universe without Cobra Kai. Soto says more scenes were filmed but stretched the boundaries of what could be shown. “I think a lot of that stuff, exceeded the ratings as it was a little graphic. It sucked it didn’t make the cut but some things have to go on the editing floor.”
Soto talks about the pit, being a mix of real snakes and props, “There were a lot of real ones actually. They had a pen and snake wranglers for this scene but they mixed in some fakes but for the most part, a lot were real. A boa-constrictor, a python, they had all kinds in there.”
The set was open air and the pit was as deep as it looked on screen. The men firing guns around the pit were Soto’s fictional soldiers, “They were all extras and they were great. I play a menacing character. I treated them on set as my subordinates. It played out pretty well. I maintained that character the whole time.”
His dialogue was adlibbed though he did talk some serious smack to the prisoners in Vietnamese. “It’s not too graphic, I was pretty much saying, ‘Bite on the gun you motherf-, put your mouth on the gun.’ I was in a space that I control. I do what I want and nobody’s gonna tell me it’s right or wrong. You don’t like it, you’re gonna get shot. That was my mentality when I went on the show.” He told the scripter what he said each take so subtitles weren’t needed given the improve nature.
Soto met the main cast coming to see the new set. “They all came out on their day off. “Because of the nature of the scene, it was one of the most elaborate sets they built, all three seasons. They had a helicopter flown in, the bamboo huts, it was incredible. Obviously, if you’re on for the run of the show, if it’s a new set, everyone wants to come out. They walked the space of it admiring what the decorator did to dress it up. It was an incredible feet.”
He can’t confirm or deny his character survived the attack, is in future flashbacks or returns modern day. Though hypothetically, he says if his character returned today it might be to make peace with Kreese, not for revenge. “I think modern day, with what’s happening with vets, there’s a lot of regret happening from that time. Even with a character like mine, having that opportunity and even making peace with what you’ve done is a possibility. I think that’s what a lot of soldiers are seeking today. Think about the circumstances they were in, they were pawns in the whole thing. These are the moment’s modern day where they’d want to try to find forgiveness. They’re human beings.”
Kreese’s superior gives him heartbreaking news as they’re about to walk up the bridge to fight, almost laughing about it. The mental, emotional, psychological damage this could’ve done, along with what happened next could have permanently screwed up his head, never getting over it, adding to the emotionless, sociopathic sensei he becomes.
Besides a few scenes in season 2 where you almost feel pity for him, there’s nothing redeemable about John Kreese on screen and Martin Kove does a great job of that. “They tease you a little bit. ‘He’s wonderful, if you met him in person you’d be like. What? How? You’re so evil. He’s a cool guy, who loves his cigars.”
His training and the pit gave him the no mercy mindset then Soto’s character gave him the Cobra Kai idea. “I think all that plays a role in who he is. Just like everything we do in our lives plays a part in who we become. I mean being captured, tortured, not knowing if you’re gonna live, fighting to the death, killing your friend. That’s a lot man.”
Part of the shows charm is it feels like you’re watching the lives of real people on screen. “I think the charm is, basically we’re watching one long-ass reality show. How often do you get to see the same characters come back 33 years later? It’s crazy to even say that, 33 years ago I was watching The Karate Kid. I was a fan, here I am. I had my He-Man lunch box, the plastic thermos. My cassettes and walkman, I still gott’em.”
The show is both nostalgic for the ‘80s kids also dealing with issues kids face modern day. “That’s the charm of Cobra Kai. They’re dealing with subjects kids deal with now. It’s relatable. It captured an audience from The Karate Kid installments and found a way to bridge a gap with the younger generation.”
Soto’s been in his share of blockbusters. “I’m grinding right now. As we speak, I’m driving back from New Orleans to Colorado after filming a TV show. It’s non-stop. We have a production-distribution company called Kamikaze Dogfight where we distribute horror films. We’re in partnership with Gravitas (Ventures). Life stays busy. We did one called Don’t Look Back. With Jeffrey Reddick the creator of Final Destination, it’s timely.” Don’t Look Back addresses the cell phone, internet culture of recording an accident, tragedy or emergency situation instead of helping, with a supernatural twist. “I was in that one, one of the six main characters. Another one called, Haymaker, out in theaters and on demand.”
There’s a scene in Logan with his real reaction captured on camera when they surprised him opening the door for Patrick Stewart. “They didn’t tell me anything on that. I’m glad they didn’t. I think he went about it the right way. James Mangold’s the man. I’ll follow his lead. That scene played out exactly how it was supposed to. Whoever was in the car, I would’ve made it happen.” It’s the scene with the bullet holes.
In G.I. Joe Retaliation, Soto came on as one of three stuntmen. “Jon Chu came out and picked the other two guys. It was a night shoot so he picked the two guys, scene wrapped. I didn’t get to do anything, got paid but whatever. At that point, it wasn’t about the money. I wanted to be in it. I got home and was kinda bummed. The A.D. called and asked if I could show up on set that night. I didn’t rest for a night shoot. They wanted to know if I knew Korean and I hurried up and learned. It was great, just when you think it’s working against you, the universe conspires to make some cool shit happen. I ended up being an actor on it. Got to hang with Jon and bring what I usually bring. That was a blessing.”
Nazy Seals vs. Zombies is another project he was in recently. “A lot of that was not CGI, ever the bullets shot were blanks. That had a very World War Z feel to it. I know it’s a sci-fi film. Its fast paced, its hand held, the coloring is nice and cold. Kinda awesome if you like zombies.” If you’re looking for a different kind of zombie with contortionist abilities, Soto recommends the Korean made Train to Busan.
Earlier in his career Soto did A Christmas Present playing a voodoo doll. There was no CGI face or head placement on a pin-pricked doll he says. “They dressed you up. It’s more of a comedy. They dressed you up in a ridiculous costume, just having fun with friends making films. I wasn’t sure until I showed up and they showed me what I had to do. I can do that. It’s a comedy.”
His latest is the Lisa Joy directed Reminiscence with Hugh Jackman. “I think it’s gonna be a hot movie. I wanna say it’s coming out this year, it was postponed obviously.”
Soto says it’s nice to have gas on his schedule, even for the time being, given the pandemic has caused major deceleration in Hollywood and the movie industry. “We were going below the speed limit during the pandemic. I wanna thank for all my fellow thespians, it’s about rising up together and keeping the industry alive.”