Cobra Kai‘s William Zabka reveals the Johnny-Dutch scene we didn’t get to see

The actor also shares his thoughts on Johnny Lawrence’s redemption arc, potential spinoffs, and having Ralph Macchio call him a “p—y.”

William Zabka in the ‘Cobra Kai’ series finale. Photo: Netflix

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the final season of Cobra Kai.

No one was more surprised that Johnny Lawrence would end Cobra Kai as a world karate champion than William Zabka, the actor who’s played him since 1984.

“I’m not used to playing the character that wins it all,” Zabka tells Entertainment Weekly with a laugh. “That’s just not what happens to my characters, ever.” But Johnny Lawrence did win it all, on and off the mat: Not only did the former high school bully end the series by taking the Sekai Taikai championship, he also got married to his true love, Carmen (Vanessa Rubio), reconnected with his son, Robby (Tanner Buchanan), and made peace with his mentor-turned-tormenter, John Kreese (Martin Kove).

As Cobra Kai takes one last victory lap, Zabka took some time to chat with EW about Johnny’s redemption arc, the scene with Dutch (Chad McQueen) we didn’t get to see, and whether he’d be open to a Johnny Lawrence spinoff down the road.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: You knew that Cobra Kai would build to some kind of redemption for Johnny Lawrence, but tell me about the first time you read that finale script — what stood out to you the most about how the show wrapped up his story?

WILLIAM ZABKA: It wasn’t necessarily, in my mind anyway, about redeeming him in his All Valley title or a world title. It was never about getting a trophy. It was always about redeeming him and having him grow into his better self.

They told me when they pitched the final season that Johnny was going to ultimately win the whole Sekai Taikai, which I couldn’t really get my head around. [Laughs] We were all waiting to see who was going to get picked, but I never in a million years thought it was going to be Johnny. Then they said he’s going to win the whole thing, and I said, wow. But then I read episode 13 and saw the scene with Kreese and that moment where it all comes out. For him to have this moment of honesty and purging with Kreese, which is only made possible by the work Kreese has done on himself — when I read that, I got choked up. I literally got tears in my eyes. I said, this is amazing writing.

William Zabka and Martin Kove in ‘Cobra Kai’.Netflix

What was it like filming that confrontation with Kreese, and how did you get in that headspace?

I mean, some scenes you read and you get pregnant with instantly, and that one was one of them. I just knew what that feeling was, and I just wasn’t ready to go there yet in rehearsals or at home too much. And I just kind of came to set that day with a lump in my throat and knew that something was about to happen, but didn’t know what. Marty was in the same head space. It was originally written to play standing in the stands looking over at the tournament, but Joel [Novoa], our director, pulled us into this hallway, which made it really kind of intimate and moody. And sometimes when you do some of those scenes, you don’t really know [how it will go]. You just walk away from it feeling like something big just happened. The response from [creator] Hayden Schlossberg, especially, he said, “That scene’s going to help a lot of father-son relationships.”

On a lighter note, in the finale, Johnny gets a taste of his own sensei style when Daniel gives him what I like to call the P—y pep-talk — how did you keep a straight face watching Ralph Macchio call you a “p—y”?

I didn’t! When I first came over to Ralph, first of all, I love seeing him in a black gi. I’ll say that a million times. He belongs in Cobra Kai. [Laughs] When I came over to do that scene where he gives me that pep talk, halfway through, it just dawned on me how ridiculous it is that LaRusso is calling me a p—y, and I burst out laughing so hard. It was just so surreal. It just twisted me around. But he did a great delivery on that and really got me going. What a great full circle for these two characters.

Yuji Okumoto and Elizabeth Berkley in ‘Cobra Kai’.Netflix

You also got to direct episode 12, which had one of my favorite pairings in it — Yuji Okumoto and Elizabeth Berkley! What were they like to direct?

With actors like this, you don’t have to direct them much. You just give little ideas here and there. Elizabeth is amazing. I think I met her back in the day when she was on Saved by the Bell, and it was nice to see her. I love that whole episode. I knew I was going to direct one, and when the script came in and I said, this is the perfect episode for me. This is all about the humanity of these people. I loved the wedding in the hospital and the baby. I love directing. After being on camera almost every day, to be able to step behind the lens, it was like using another muscle that I haven’t used for a while, and it just felt so good.

How do you think Johnny reacted to news that John Kreese and Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) died in a massive yacht explosion?

Yeah, I think we’ll have to see in season 7. I don’t know if it caught up to Johnny yet. I think Johnny’s so busy signing his mortgage that I don’t think he’s read the front-page news yet on that. Certainly, the Johnny that we see [in the finale], I don’t think is aware of that yet. That would be something that he’d have to deal with.

But we’re not getting a season 7, are we?

Not that I know of, no. But it leaves it open-ended. What’s great about how they tied it up is it’s a satisfying ending, everybody lands on their feet, but it’s also oriented where all the characters are [ready] for any direction that this universe wants to pick up at some point. It’s one of those books that you close, but you’re still moving forward with the characters, so you never know what’s around the corner. Who knows? But definitely, I don’t think a season 7. [Laughs]

(L to R) Ron Thomas, Ralph Macchio, Courtney Henggeler , Yuji Okumoto, Tanner Buchanan, Rose Bianco, Xolo Maridueña, William Zabka, and Vanessa Rubio in ‘Cobra Kai’ episode 12.Curtis Bonds Baker/Netflix

Creators Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, and Hayden Schlossberg have always been very open about wanting to do potential spinoffs, and they have some ideas in the works. Have they talked to you about any potential spinoffs?

We’ve had conversations about a lot of projects, so I’ll leave it at that, but nothing specific. I’m aware of all the talk of all the spinoffs and everything, and I feel like there’s more in the tank, but I think that this story has to crescendo and land and do its magic first before we start planning new tentpoles.

The final episode begins with that wonderful scene with Johnny visiting his mom’s grave. But you said in a recent interview that initially, the episode was supposed to open with a scene between Johnny and Dutch, played by Chad McQueen, who passed away last year. Do you know what that scene with Dutch and Johnny was going to be?

The opening scene originally was going to be a flashback of Johnny visiting Dutch in prison, and just almost saying similar things about how we’re washed up and the best days are behind us. It was tonally very similar to the graveyard scene. And Dutch is basically saying, we don’t get second chances. It didn’t work out for Chad — he hadn’t passed away at that point yet, he just wasn’t able to do it. And so, the guys came up with this idea for visiting his mother, which was just as effective, if not more, actually. It’s great because on the flip side of that, literally the next day we’re filming the tournament scene, so it’s a great recap of where we started.

Chad McQueen in ‘The Karate Kid’.Columbia Pictures

All the characters got nice send-offs in the finale. Besides where Johnny and Daniel ended up, what character send-offs made you the most emotional?

Well, the airport scene, seeing Sam [Mary Mouser] go to Okinawa. I wasn’t there when they shot it, but on paper it looked beautiful. And I love that Miguel [Xolo Maridueña] goes with Sam just to get her set up over there, and as a parent, that scene really hit me hard. I love where Robby ends up, at peace with himself and with Tory and starting his life fresh. And of course, where Johnny and Carmen end up and he’s able to provide the home, thanks to the great character played by Adam Herschman. The finale was so well constructed. The writing and the stories and all the performances, everybody was so dialed in and just poured their hearts into it.

Courtney Henggler and Ralph Macchio in ‘Cobra Kai’.Netflix

Episode 12, which I directed, that was the last episode that was filmed. We had a few pickups to do in L.A., but for the most part, the bulk of the show was in the can. So, when I was behind the camera, I was really directing the last scenes of these actors. When Peyton [who plays Tory] and Mary were in the kitchen talking about training together, that was the last moment that they were working together. When we got the shot, I said, “Mary, is there anything else you want to say? And she goes, “Oh, no — is this happening?” And she got all teary eyed. And Ralph and Courtney [Henggeler] , their very last seen when they’re at the bar and they’re at the winery, that was their last scene together. I got to say “cut” — and then Ralph gave his speech. That was special.

Finally, seeing that Johnny Lawrence is behind you (for now), are you going to keep up your karate training?

Oh, 100 percent. After this experience, it’s baked into me. I will absolutely be continuing and hopefully even working with kids and inspiring the next generation.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Cobra Kai season 6 is streaming now on Netflix.