Warning: Spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6 part 2
Referred to as "Mr. De Guzman," in Cobra Kai, a mysterious, tattooed martial artist was introduced as an old adversary of Daniel LaRusso's. Among the many surprises in Cobra Kai season 6 part 2 was the re-emergence of Terry Silver as the benefactor of the Iron Dragons and Sensei Wolf. As it turns out, Sensei Wolf is not the only ally Terry Silver had procured ahead of the Sekai Taikai tournament. Apparently, the character who fought Daniel outside the cages was a henchman hired by Silver. And what's more, he's actually a returning character from The Karate Kid movies.
Played by William Christopher Ford, De Guzman joined a growing list of legacy Karate Kid characters to have their stories continued in the Netflix sequel series. His role also highlights the deepening influence that The Karate Kid III in particular has had on the series. Much like Mike Barnes, Terry Silver, and Jessica Andrews, De Guzman first appeared in the third movie and was played in Cobra Kai by the same actor who portrayed him originally.
Dennis De Guzman Helped Mike Barnes Bully Daniel In The Karate Kid Part III
Dennis And Snake Were Terry Silver's Minions
Before being rebranded by Cobra Kai as "De Guzman," Ford's Karate Kid Part III villain was known only as "Dennis." In the movie, Terry Silver had two hired thugs - Dennis and Snake - working for him when Sean Kanan's Mike Barnes was brought on board as the key to Terry Silver's masterplan. Not unlike his portrayal in Cobra Kai, Dennis was a rather quiet yet brutish character who had very few speaking lines, thus allowing the film to create a clear contrast between him and his loud-mouthed partner, Snake.
Dennis personally helped in wrecking Mr. Miyagi's home, prompting a short fight with Daniel
Snake and Dennis were both used as underlings to assist Mike Barnes when he was terrorizing Daniel. Dennis personally helped in wrecking Mr. Miyagi's home, prompting a short fight with Daniel - which Cobra Kai briefly showed through a flashback. Daniel secured a decisive win over Dennis, which may very well have been what motivated him to want payback against Daniel in Cobra Kai season 6 part 2.
What Happened To Dennis De Guzman After The Karate Kid Part III?
Dennis' Partner-In-Crime Died Sometime After The Movie
As for what became of Dennis after The Karate Kid Part III, Cobra Kai was sparse on those details. However, certain context offers some clues. His Cobra Kai tattoo, for instance, indicates that he became more than just a thug-for-hire. It seems he developed some degree of loyalty to the Cobra Kai name at some point in the past. This idea is corroborated by how he follows around Silver like a bodyguard in season 6. Based on this, it's safe to say that regardless of what Dennis went through, his station hasn't changed that much; he's still a subordinate to Terry Silver.
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It is known, though, that Dennis is no longer allied with his partner-in-crime, Snake. Exactly what befell him was left ambiguous in Cobra Kai, but it was confirmed by Terry SIlver's lawyer that Snake died at some point in The Karate Kid timeline. Since his death was used as a warning to keep Terry Silver from descending down the wrong path, it can be assumed that Snake's criminal activities is what became his undoing. Whatever impact this may have had on Dennis, it clearly hasn't swayed him from doing the bidding of Silver and putting himself in harm's way.
Set decades after the events of the Karate Kid franchise, Cobra Kai shifts gears and puts viewers into the perspective of a former rival/antagonist, Johnny Lawrence. In his 50s and down on his luck, a chance encounter with a bullied young man leads Johnny back to Karate. Agreeing to help him, Johnny takes the opportunity to revive his former home, the Cobra Kai dojo - becoming a refuge for outcast teens.
Seasons 6
Showrunner Jon Hurwitz
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English (US) ·