S05.E03: Playing With Fire

[paulvdb]

Quote

Another enemy from Daniel’s past resurfaces. After a spa day and some soul-searching, Sam comes to a decision about her future with Miguel.

[bettername2come]

"You are not at a blackjack table in Atlantic City! You cannot trash talk a karate assassin!" Anoush has been listening to Amanda describe Chozen obviously.  "What did that giant Bond villain want?" I missed Anoush and didn't even know it. 

I love that Anthony explained how they did the milk prank that mystified his principal ("we put it in a bag and put it in his locker"). "Is this because another one of your boyfriends ran away?"

It's nice to see Eli, Demetri and Miguel all hanging out again. The text conversation between them and their girlfriends was funny. I can't believe he was able to find an octopus necklace. And he just dropped it at the dojo? He could've gotten a refund for that! Or you know, handed it to her,

"I already have nightmares about drowning in shallow bodies of water." I'm with Yasmin that that was dark, but I appreciate a good callback. In her vision I feel like the only reason Eli was in there saying "You're the girl who lost" was because they didn't want to pay Peyton List to be in the episode and wanted the confusion at the "Tory?-No-it's-Sith-Sam" reveal. 

"Mike fucking Barnes." Whoa, first time hearing Daniel-San drop an f-bomb. "That guy tried to kill me once. You don't forget or forgive something like that." Chozen sideeye. "Except you. You and I, we're good." Oh, a classic misunderstood one-sided phone call. Ha to calling Silver Mike's "ponytailed pimp." And the misunderstandings continue with Chozen. 

I loved Johnny's baby prep montage, although the roaches under the couch cushion might give me nightmares. I liked how giving Miguel advice helped him get his head straight about everything (as is the foundation of their relationship). I was really expecting Carmen to walk in and say she wasn't pregnant so I was happy that she is.

Poor Mike Barnes is not a thought I expected to have. 

Edited September 11, 2022 by bettername2come

[twoods]

Xolo crying always gets to me. First, with his reunion with Johnny and then breaking up with Sam. It definitely gets dusty in here.

Mike Barnes and Chozen were hilarious. This season definitely feels lighter than the previous ones and I’m here for it, even though Terry is a pile of shit. Can’t wait to see him go down.

Edited September 9, 2022 by twoods

[Raja]

Johnny going strike first, strike hard when reacting to Carmen being late was classic. 

I have to admit during Sam's tank vision when Tory began to change I thought they had snuck in a Hillary Swank cameo but then it occurred to me YouTube thumbnails would have spoiled that if it had happened.

[BlueSkies]

I was still thinking after Daniel re met Barnes there’s be a twist and he’d be in cahoots with Silver

But the ending to the episode shows otherwise 

[Kel Varnsen]

I am disappointed they didn't try for some Netflix corporate synergy. When Sam was having her vision inside the sensory deprivation tank, and she was in the all black space, she should have been walking around in a few inches of water.

[tennisgurl]

The 80s style pump up montage of Johnny baby proofing his house was awesome, I am glad that he and Carmen are having a baby. This season seems more light hearted and fun than last season, there is still drama but it feels like there is a lot more comedy and most of the characters are in better places than they have been, even with Terry Silver lurking around. 

"Mike fucking Barnes." Its wild how many arch enemies Daniel managed to gather before he hit twenty five, just by entering martial arts tournaments. 

Mike and Chozen were hilarious, good thing Daniel was able to defuse things before things got out of hand, again. Those wacky misunderstandings, they get you every time. 

[RunningMarket]

3 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

The 80s style pump up montage of Johnny baby proofing his house was awesome, I am glad that he and Carmen are having a baby. This season seems more light hearted and fun than last season, there is still drama but it feels like there is a lot more comedy and most of the characters are in better places than they have been, even with Terry Silver lurking around. 

"Mike fucking Barnes." Its wild how many arch enemies Daniel managed to gather before he hit twenty five, just by entering martial arts tournaments. 

Mike and Chozen were hilarious, good thing Daniel was able to defuse things before things got out of hand, again. Those wacky misunderstandings, they get you every time. 

Hell, 18 even. I don't think Daniel was even out of high school by the time Barnes came around. Maybe first year of college?

Roared with laughter when Chozen admitted sheepishly they'd need to get an ambulance - cut to shot of the dock guys all on the ground.

[BlueSkies]

1 hour ago, RunningMarket said:

Hell, 18 even. I don't think Daniel was even out of high school by the time Barnes came around. Maybe first year of college?

Roared with laughter when Chozen admitted sheepishly they'd need to get an ambulance - cut to shot of the dock guys all on the ground.

I remember a quote in KKIII Daniel was a taking a break from school after he finishing high school.  And when you think about you're whole life up to that point is school you can recall.  PreK-12th grade.  Actually woulda suited me better to wait before I went too college but I digress....

I didn't get that second scene though.  Chozen did that to Barnes's guys?  I thought it might have been some of Silver's goons at first 

[Kel Varnsen]

1 hour ago, RunningMarket said:

Hell, 18 even. I don't think Daniel was even out of high school by the time Barnes came around. Maybe first year of college?

I haven't actually seen KK3 but I did read the Wikipedia plot summary, and isn't the All Valley Tournament an under 18 tournament? So Daniel wasn't even 18 yet in movie 3.

[RunningMarket]

29 minutes ago, BlueSkies said:

I remember a quote in KKIII Daniel was a taking a break from school after he finishing high school.  And when you think about you're whole life up to that point is school you can recall.  PreK-12th grade.  Actually woulda suited me better to wait before I went too college but I digress....

I didn't get that second scene though.  Chozen did that to Barnes's guys?  I thought it might have been some of Silver's goons at first 

Yup, because they were convinced Barnes was still a bad guy (and hadn't yet been told by Daniel that he wasn't), Chozen beat up "his goons" on the way into the store.

[millennium]

"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves."

Or when it comes to Daniel, multiple graves.  Poor Mike Barnes, spends years pulling himself up, now an upstanding citizen, then gets caught in the wake of Daniel's vengeance ride and loses his business.   Who will be taken down next by Daniel's vendetta?

Anybody who runs a business will face competition, and there will be times when the competition's business practices will not only seem objectionable but will directly interfere with your business.   But unless you're on the Sopranos, you can't just round up some guys and attempt to threaten or intimidate your competition into doing things your way.   But that's exactly what Daniel's doing here.   He's trying to dictate how Terry Silver runs his business, even sending in Chozen to demand that Silver terminate his plans for expansion.  And why?  Because Daniel disapproves of Cobra Kai's philosophy and techniques.

Daniel is so far in the weeds morally that it's hard to enjoy his story line at the moment.  He's so blinded by his obsession that he's making stupid blunders.  Hi, you don't know me from Adam, Mr. Shady Lawyer, but I need to talk to you about one of your old clients, Terry Silver.   I'm losing my mind over Silver, so I expect you to abandon attorney-client confidentiality and hand over a damaging legal document you prepared for him so that I can use it to bring him down, k?  WTF?

Did Daniel learn nothing from Mr. Miagi?   If he wants to challenge Silver, he should do combat on a field of honor.   Compete against him directly, whether physically by hand-to-hand combat, or commercially by stepping up his game and offering the public a more appealing alternative than Cobra Kai.  This business of getting down in the gutter with Silver feels dishonorable and unseemly.

Also not a fan of how Johnny's off to the side of the main story this season.   And now a baby?  Really?  He's had, what?  Two or three episodes of making things right with Robby and Miguel?   He and the boys don't even get a chance to enjoy it before he's suddenly pulled in a third direction.  

No Tori this episode, no Amanda, no Kreese, and no Mr. Miagi, either in spirit, practice or just a photo on the wall.

Edited September 14, 2022 by millennium

[Dobian]

On 9/12/2022 at 3:48 PM, Kel Varnsen said:

I haven't actually seen KK3 but I did read the Wikipedia plot summary, and isn't the All Valley Tournament an under 18 tournament? So Daniel wasn't even 18 yet in movie 3.

Even though Karate Kid was 1984 and Karate Kid 3 was 1989, KK3 takes place exactly one year after KK1 and Daniel is defending his title.  So yeah, Daniel is still in high school in KK3.

[Virtual]

On 9/10/2022 at 12:45 PM, BlueSkies said:

I was still thinking after Daniel re met Barnes there’s be a twist and he’d be in cahoots with Silver

I thought that myself for a brief second before they showed the scene with Mike’s business on fire. I thought maybe Mike gave Daniel the number to Terry’s phone.

Looks like Mike Barnes did what Johnny, Kreese and Silver all couldn’t. Move past Cobra Kai and thrive in life. Silver was on the perfect path to doing so before Kreese brought him back in last season (and Terry agreed due to his insane pull to Kreese for saving his life).

[Raja]

1 hour ago, Virtual said:

I thought that myself for a brief second before they showed the scene with Mike’s business on fire. I thought maybe Mike gave Daniel the number to Terry’s phone.

Looks like Mike Barnes did what Johnny, Kreese and Silver all couldn’t. Move past Cobra Kai and thrive in life. Silver was on the perfect path to doing so before Kreese brought him back in last season (and Terry agreed due to his insane pull to Kreese for saving his life).

Was Mike Barnes a disciple of Cobra Kai or just a karate hit kid hired by Cobra Kai to go after Daniel?

[Sir RaiderDuck OMS]

On 10/4/2022 at 2:32 PM, Raja said:

Was Mike Barnes a disciple of Cobra Kai or just a karate hit kid hired by Cobra Kai to go after Daniel?

Barnes was just a ringer hired by Silver in KKIII to go after Daniel. Silver offered Barnes half-ownership in Cobra Kai, Inc. if he beat Daniel in the All-Valley.

NOTE: If my preceding description makes no sense, it's because the entire plot of KKIII made no sense. Hell, even Silver himself lampshaded it last season ("I spent months mentally torturing a teenager over a high school karate tournament! It sounds INSANE to even say it!")

[BlueSkies]

Re-watched this episode for the Mike Barnes and Daniel bits.

 

Also something pretty funny I picked up.  When Johnny is ready to do a google search it seemed to show a history of his searches 

 

How to tell your student your banging his mom came up😆  That is so Johnny Lawrence