Kreese has new students in Cobra Kai, a development that appears to have been set up in season 5. In addition to previewing Johnny and Daniel’s efforts to prepare for the Sekai Taikai, the full trailer for Cobra Kai season 6 offered a look at what Martin Kove’s character will be up to. As the footage has now confirmed, John Kreese will have a whole new roster to work with as he seemingly gears up for a rematch with Miyagi-do and Eagle Fang Karate.

Cobra Kai season 5’s ending created an uncertain future for Kreese. Having escaped from prison, Kreese worsened a situation that might have been reversed by Terry Silver’s downfall. As a result of his actions, it wasn’t immediately clear how he’d get back into the picture. But Kreese’s declaration that “Cobra Kai is back” in the teaser trailer, the stakes of the season, and the new footage, it’s fair to say that Kreese will indeed have a presence at the Sekai Taikai tournament. And despite his dojo falling apart as a result of Silver’s defeat, it’s apparent that he’ll still have students answering to him when Cobra Kai season 6 releases.

Kreese’s New Students Are Probably From Kim Dae-Eun’s Dojo

Cobra Kai’s Villains Were Teased In Season 5

Although the young fighters seen in the trailer are all new to the series, their introductions are unlikely to come without proper setup. This idea is reinforced by the fact that Sensei Kim Dae-Eun is instructing the kids alongside Kreese in the trailer. This all but confirms that the students are the ones Kim was referring to when she spoke of her dojo “back home” in Cobra Kai season 5. In the show, she mentions that Tory, Devon, and others wouldn’t “last a day” in her dojo. Kim already had students during this time, but left South Korea without them to assist Silver in building up Cobra Kai into a Sekai Taikai contender.

Kreese’s New Students Are The Perfect Final Villains For Daniel & Johnny

Kreese And His New Students Are Both Products Of The Same Source: Kim Sun-Yung

Relying on Kim’s students to win the Sekai Taikai feels like the perfect way to complete Kreese’s battle with Johnny and Daniel. While it’s true that their training – up until this point – isn’t the result of his teachings, it’s important to note that as Kim’s students, they follow the same mantras that Kreese has been teaching for decades. After all, Kreese and Kim are both branches from the same tree; Kim is the granddaughter of Kim Sun-Yung, the founder of the style of martial arts that Kreese uses and one of his two mentors.

What all this means is that even if they’re not the Cobra Kai that Johnny and Daniel’s students have grown accustomed to fighting, Kreese and Kim’s students represent the same ideas that they’ve been up against all along. This makes them fitting adversaries for the main characters, as any other new villain group would feel disconnected from the overarching narrative. Instead, Cobra Kai will be able to pit Miguel and Robby against a familiar threat, even if the characters themselves aren’t.