'Cobra Kai' Season 5: Is Johnny And Carmen's Big Twist Wise?

Netflix

Time to preface: I enjoy “Cobra Kai” as much as the next fan and have shipped Johnny and Carmen since binge-watching the hit series when it arrived on Netflix. Cut to Season 5 and after weathering their fair share of storms, Johnny and Carmen’s biggest issue seemed destined to be making peace between their sons. Cue a Season 5 plot twist that packed a knockout punch.

Spoiler alert for “Cobra Kai” Season 5! Plot details for Johnny and Carmen’s storyline are discussed below.

There was more than enough drama for Johnny and Carmen to sift through in blending their families in “Cobra Kai” Season 5. After all, Johnny’s son, Robby (Tanner Buchanan, “He’s All That”), went to Juvie for nearly killing and temporarily paralyzing Carmen’s son, Miguel (Xolo Maridueña). Robby had not done much to make it up to Miguel, either.

As “Cobra Kai” Season 5 got underway, it seemed ready to finally resolve the rivalry between Johnny’s bio son (Robby) and the son of his heart (Miguel). Robby and Johnny even joined forces to help retrieve Miguel from Mexico following his “Crossroads”-worthy meeting with his biological father. The dust had barely settled when Carmen revealed to Johnny that she might be pregnant upon their return.

“Cobra Kai” could have settled for a scared-straight plot in Season 5. 

One that set Johnny (William Zabka) on a path to reboot his life once again, setting him back on track. In short, urging Johnny to stop drinking, get a decent-paying job, and keep his relationships in a healthy form for more than five minutes. Instead, “Cobra Kai” doubled down on the roundhouse kick of baby feet. 

As of Season 5, Carmen (Vanessa Rubio) and Johnny are having a baby. Miguel and Robby are about to be big brothers, and they could not even spend the day at the same water park together at one point in Season 5. Thankfully, Johnny eventually got through to them, and they finally became friends in one of the many feel-good arcs of the season.

This “Cobra Kai” viewer is just not convinced a baby is what was needed to get them there. 

Like so many TV shows before it -- “Growing Pains,” “7th Heaven,” “Step-by-Step,” and “Coach” -- to name a few, a baby feels like an unnecessary plot device. Family expansion is a plot point many series fall victim to eventually. Unlike many shows, the Netflix hit is in no way hurting for ideas, which is why a TV baby normally comes into play.

“Cobra Kai” has so many stories to tell. There is the issue of Miguel’s dad Hector (Luis Roberto Guzmán, “Who Killed Sara?”) potentially resurfacing. Meanwhile, Robby should build his bond with Johnny while cementing his friendship with Miguel. Plus, Robby has not even gotten to know Carmen yet. Why not focus on all of that? Before giving a character like Johnny, who is essentially a big kid -- a kid.

Final Thoughts: Have Mercy

There are so many more reasons for Johnny to grow up and become an adult. A baby is an overly relied-upon trope, and real life has repeatedly proven that it does not work. Not to mention how do two grown adults, one of whom is a medical professional (a nurse), allow this to happen?

There is more to preventing an unplanned pregnancy than relying on the hilarious contraceptive for which Johnny wanted a refund. “Cobra Kai” got a laugh with that one, but it was a grudging one. Do not get me wrong. This has nothing to do with Johnny and Carmen.

Johnny and Carmen are what TV couples are supposed to be. They are a lovely opposites-attract pairing that brings out the best in each other with warmth and humor to spare. There is enough with their teenage college-bound-age children to give them interesting stories to tell. I wish “Cobra Kai” had allowed them to do that in Season 5 and heading into a potential Season 6. They are one of the few TV couples who can.

What do you think about the big baby twist? Are you happy that Johnny is getting another shot at fatherhood? Or do you wish “Cobra Kai” had another storyline in store for Johnny and Carmen? Sound off in the comments section down below! In the meantime, Seasons 1 through 5 of the hit series are currently streaming on Netflix.