"That's What's Turned Me Into This Warrior": Axel's Beef With Miguel & Tense Sensei Wolf Dynamic In Final Episodes Explained By Cobra Kai Season 6 Star

The final episodes pick up very shortly after the shocking Cobra Kai season 6 part 2 cliffhanger ending, in which Kwon inadvertently killed himself amid the Sekai Taikai all-out brawl and left the tournament in an unclear state. After some deliberation, it's decided the tournament will resume, albeit now in The Valley, bringing the Iron Dragons and Cobra Kai to Miyagi-Do's home turf. In the lead-up to the tournament, Axel continues to find himself under the brutal thumb of Sensei Wolf, while Robby doubts his ability to successfully beat his opponent after his failure to do so at Barcelona.

In anticipation of the show's final return, ScreenRant interviewed Patrick Luwis to discuss Cobra Kai season 6 part 3. The star opened up about getting to join the Karate Kid sequel show in its final season, as well as the passionate support he's gotten from the show's fanbase, and teasing what's to come from the Miguel-Sam-Axel triangle, why he feels Axel is so susceptible to Sensei Wolf's abuse, and his thoughts on the future of both Cobra Kai and Rebel Moon.

Luwis Is Honored By The Positive Fan Response To His Cobra Kai Run

"...it's fun to come in at the end and hopefully make a stamp..."

With Cobra Kai's final season having properly introduced the Sekai Taikai and the various other dojos competing in the international tournament, this meant that Luwis had a pretty big expectation being one of the final new characters to be introduced in the show's world. In reflecting on joining the show in its farewell season, Luwis praised both the cast and fanbase for being so welcoming of him to the fold and his hopes of helping close the show out "on a high note":

Patrick Luwis: Oh, it's fun, man. They're all exciting seasons, but I think it's fun to come in at the end and hopefully make a stamp and just carry the story on, and hopefully, yeah, make an impact on the fans. I think with the final season, you're gonna get something special, hopefully, because you want to end on a high note. So, it's cool to come in and be a part of that. I will say it's a bummer though, too, because I really enjoyed working with everybody, and I'd love to continue on. It'd be great to do another season, but, yeah, I'm honored. It's been really fun.

The fandom is insane. I've never been a part of anything that has a fandom like this show. Just to even see the way they treat new characters, you know, typically you have to be the lead of a show to really garner that kind of attention, but with this show, you can come on and be a fun character that people really like or relate to. They're so kind, and they really build you up. I've never experienced anything like that before, and that's been great. And personally, I think, as an actor, it was rewarding because it was such a challenge, it was so out of my wheelhouse initially. I kind of didn't think it was something that I would be able to do.

When I got the audition, even, it was like, "This doesn't feel like a job that I'm going to get. This feels like it's going to someone who already has this experience." So, it was very rewarding, in that sense, just to prove to myself that I could do it. Because, ultimately, you always want to challenge yourself. I think, in some way, it's a little bit scary, but I think it makes it more interesting as an actor and just as a person, I think that's how you grow. So, yeah, it was a very rewarding experience all around, and I'm excited to see how the fans react to this next part, as well.

One of the biggest requirements that came from the role was its physicality, particularly as many of Luwis' season 6 part 2 scenes put him in the ring with a variety of foes. The young star particularly recalled that his preparation for his fight scene with Robby in the tournament was so extensive he found himself staying up very late the night before out of stress of wanting to get it right, though still found it to be a very fun experience:

Patrick Luwis: It's so exhausting. You, of course, imagine it to be strenuous, but I'll say it is very fun. You enjoy it, but I think it's fun when you're running it, and then when you have to do it on the day, there's just the pressure of — it's almost like learning lines. Sometimes, you'll know exactly what you're doing, then you show up on the day, and they just leave you, and you're like, "Oh, wait, wait a minute. I practiced these for so long, and they're gone." It's a similar thing with the choreography, because, obviously, you're memorizing these beats, and for the person you're in the scene with, you don't want to mess them up. So there's just the added pressure of being on.

And I think, luckily, it was pretty seamless. But there's obviously challenges, and it's exhausting, because in a fight, it's full throttle the whole time. You have to give it all your energy, for sure. There were definitely days I stayed up, didn't get much sleep, like before the fight with Robby in part 2. I was drilling that in my hotel room, could not sleep, maybe got, like, 30 minutes of sleep. So, there's a pressure to it, but it's really fun. And it was, again, super rewarding, because it was something I hadn't done. It kind of opened that door for me, now I want to do more roles like that. I'd love to get into the action world and do more stunts. It was great, a really good experience.

Axel Is Going Through A Lot Of Inner Turmoil Heading Into The Final Episodes

Luwis Also Recognizes The Absurdity Of His Character's Obsession With Sam

Looking ahead to the impending arrival of season 6 part 3, Luwis is careful about what information he shares with us, beginning with how Kwon's death is impacting the Iron Dragons' mentality going into the rest of the Sekai Taikai. Though he can't speak too much to the rest of his dojo, Luwis does tease that it will be part of his character's ongoing evolution going into the final episodes:

Patrick Luwis: Yeah, I should be careful just not to say [too much]. I can't speak to Zara too much, or the rest of the team, but I think for my character, the thing I'm assuming fans are hoping for with Axel, and I think is something to look out for him, is just growth as a person and a martial artist. I think that's probably as much as I can say without being too specific and giving away any plot details. But, yeah, I hope people are pleased with how he is in this third part.

One of the biggest parts of Axel's story coming into part 3 is his ongoing draw to Sam following their sweet-natured conversation in part 2, in which she sympathized with his abuse from Sensei Wolf and encouraged him to break away from him, only for Axel to read the situation the wrong way. While Luwis is again cautious about divulging too much, he did tease that Axel's feelings for Sam haven't been resolved yet, and positively reflected on his experience with Mary Mouser and Xolo Maridueña to find their dynamic:

Patrick Luwis: Gosh, to tell you the truth, I don't know what I could tease. I think you can assume that nothing has necessarily [resolved]. I mean, obviously, there was the huge event at the end of part 2, but I think there's still maybe a little bit of that — it's not really a rivalry, but beef, or whatever you want to call it, so maybe you can expect a little bit more of that, a continuation of that. Or maybe not. I don't know. [Laughs] I probably should be careful here, I don't want to get in trouble.

It's been really fun [developing that dynamic with Xolo and Mary]. I get to play a lot of different things, I get to be one thing, one moment, on the mat as a fighter, and then have that intensity. Then I get to be this sort of vulnerable guy who doesn't really know how to talk to a girl, or how to be around people who are seeing a different side of him, or seeing him for something different than he's always been viewed as. So, it's very fun as an actor to be able to do all that. I think fans really get a kick out of the beef with Miguel, just because it's so one-sided.

They're very much like, "Why is this guy [like this]? He talked to her for two minutes on the beach, and all of a sudden he's like, 'That's my girl.'" It's fun, and I think it adds, like I've said before, just with the brawl and everything, I love seeing how the character dynamics played into that big fight, like me defending Sam, and that happening because Kwon kicked her. It just adds an interesting layer to the story and kind of heightens these fights and experiences.

Axel Is More Susceptible To Sensei's Wolf Abuse Than Zara For 1 Key Reason

"...settle into that sort of little puppy dog, shy-ish guy around him..."

On the note of unresolved feelings, another major dynamic to watch in season 6 part 3 will be that of Sensei Wolf and Axel, particularly after it was shown in part 2 that the former takes a physically abusive approach to his coaching, something Sam witnessed and urged Axel to get away from. While Luwis praises Lewis Tan's off-camera personality and martial arts skills, he does tease a dark journey ahead for the two, and explains why he thinks Axel allows this treatment while Zara doesn't:

Patrick Luwis: Oh man, yeah, Lewis is great. He's a very nice guy, he's a big, strong, intimidating dude, and he's a great martial artist. So, he was definitely a good person to be under his wing. I think acting opposite of him, especially in the abuse scenes — some people, you kind of have to try, as an actor, to put it on a little bit more to really find the moment when someone maybe isn't giving you as much or whatever. He's one of those people who really gives a lot, and he's very intense as that character, and it just made it really easy for me to settle into that sort of little puppy dog, shy-ish guy around him as a sensei.

So I love that. I love when an actor brings it to a level where you can just react to what they're bringing, and we had a good flow. But I've really enjoyed working with him, every scene I've done with him, I've thoroughly enjoyed, he's great. I think she has control in other areas. I think she has control with how she's found her internet personality with her social media. I think she's found control and a confidence in that. I think I really just have confidence as a fighter, and I don't really have it in many other areas.

So, I sort of allow him to treat me the way that he treats me, probably because I've convinced myself to believe that's what's helping me win, that's what's turned me into this warrior. So, I think that's really where it's coming from with him, he's just allowed it to happen because he's conditioned to think that this is the kind of treatment that you have to allow yourself to [take] in order to become the best, which is really sad.

That's what's fun about Axel is he isn't really a villain. He's kind of just a misguided person who I think is well-intentioned, but he's just been around the wrong crowd and has had bad influences. So, it's cool to see him start to understand himself a little bit better and recognize, maybe, things that are not okay.

Luwis Hopes There's A Future For Him In The Miyagi-Verse Even As The Door Closes

"It's emotional because the show is ending..."

While season 6 may be the end for the show, reports and talks have swirled about the possibility of Cobra Kai spinoffs to continue the story beyond the show. For Luwis, he is hopeful to get the chance to continue exploring his character, particularly as he feels there's a lot of room left to explore, but assures that audiences won't be left hanging too much after the series finale:

Patrick Luwis: I think the show as a whole, you obviously want the people who have been with it since the Karate Kid and have been with the show since season 1, who want to see a good wrap up for these characters and their storylines, because you need that. Whenever you're really into a show, it just means so much more when they're able to end it on a good note, and you're just happy where it left off. I think you're always maybe wanting more, in some sense, if you really like something.

But I hope that fans just feel really pleased with how things leave off, and how storylines are wrapped up for characters. And I hope it's exciting. I hope it keeps that intensity. I think it's going to feel pretty epic and heartfelt, there's a lot of heart in this last section. It's emotional because the show is ending, and it's just emotional because of where stories and characters are ending up.

I would be thrilled. It would be so fun to get to work with Josh, Jon and Hayden, the creators, again and potentially work with other members of the cast in a different vein. I would be so excited if I got news of that, because I think there's still so much to explore with Axel. They've already proven that they can do that with turning The Karate Kid into a show, so I'm sure they're cooking up something. Who knows. But, yeah, I would be honored to be a part of anything to work with those guys again.

Luwis Has No Rebel Moon 3 Updates (But Wants In On The Action This Time)

"...put me in coach!"

Luwis' role in Cobra Kai came right around the time of his other major Netflix project in Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon, starring as one of the farmers on the moon planet Veldt. Having been part of the first two films, and the filmmaker having plans for upwards of six total movies, Luwis has heard no updates on a potential Rebel Moon 3, though is eager to use the action skills he gained from his time on Cobra Kai for the movie:

Patrick Luwis: I have not heard any updates, but again, something I would be [honored to do]. It was such an incredible experience working with Zack, and that whole cast and crew was one of the best experiences I've had on set. So, I would be thrilled if they brought me back for the next movie, or whatever they're doing. But no, I haven't heard anything, just waiting by the phone, we'll see. I've gotta really apply this [action] now, like, put me in coach! [Chuckles]

About Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 3

After a shocking result in the Sekai Taikai, Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai must reckon with their pasts while facing an uncertain future both on and off the mat. Almost 40 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, it’s all been leading to this.

Stay tuned for our other Cobra Kai season 6 part 3 interviews with:

• Mary Mouser, Xolo Maridueña, Gianni DeCenzo, Jacob Bertrand & Tanner Buchanan
• Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg & Josh Heald (pre-release)
• Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg & Josh Heald (post-mortem)

Source: ScreenRant Plus