‘Cobra Kai’ Season 5: Ralph Macchio Says 1 of Daniel’s 2 Fights With Terry Silver Was Easier
Cobra Kai always delivers Karate Kid fans’ fantasies. They brought back The Karate Kid Part III villain Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) in season 4. Although Silver spearheaded Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio)’s torture in the film, Daniel only fought Mike Barnes (Sean Kanan). Cobra Kai Season 5 delivered Silver vs. LaRusso, not once but twice.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Cobra Kai Season 5.]
Showbiz Cheat Sheet participated in roundtable interviews with the cast of Cobra Kai. In Macchio’s, he discussed his two fight scenes with Griffith in Cobra Kai Season 5. If you’ve seen Cobra Kai Season 5 on Netflix, here’s why one of those was much easier for Macchio.
The first ‘Cobra Kai’ Season 5 fight between Daniel LaRusso and Terry Silver was harder
In episode 5 of Cobra Kai Season 5, Silver ambushes Daniel. Childhood bullying is one thing, but in this episode you have to watch a grown man beat up another grown man. Even though both characters are martial artists, it was a challenge for Macchio.
“Well, the prep for the first fight with Silver in episode 5 was a lot more,” Macchio said. “That was a much bigger meal. It was a whole day and it was a lot, it was pretty intense and Thomas is a martial artist. And he’s 6’6 or 5′, whatever. I’m reaching up with every one of them. No one is eye level but with Thomas it’s tough. He’s got those long arms and legs coming at you.”
The ‘Cobra Kai’ Season 5 finale fight was easier for Ralph Macchio
Silver overpowering Daniel made the original Karate Kid give up karate for a while. But with the support of his friends and family, Daniel was able to face Silver again in the end. Daniel’s victorious bout was easier for Macchio.
“And then in the final episode, the showdown, the flip side where Daniel is fighting from a place of anger in episode 505 and in episode 510 he’s coming from a place of groundedness because he’s centered and balanced,” Macchio said. “That’s the big difference. He didn’t get any stronger. He knew how to combat that and Silver almost beats himself. It was fun to play all that stuff back.”
Ralph Macchio performed the scenes for others’ enjoyment
Macchio indicated that he did not put in the work on these fight scenes for his own benefit. He recognized that Cobra Kai Season 5 fights were for the fans, and those fans also included the creators of the show.
“The guys who have the most fun are the guys who write this show,” Macchio said. “And not just the main three creators, everyone in the writers room came down to watch that scene and they’re really like kids in a candy store to the monitor. Me, I’m just making sure I don’t get hit. They already got the popcorn and the soda and they’re just having the time of their lives. That’s the beauty of it. We’re really making a show written by the guys that are the fans from day one.”
