#his mom? mr miyagi? sure | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

belphegor1982 · 2 years

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“The night before we got married, I was so nervous. I came here to see Mr. Miyagi. He sat me down, poured me a cup of tea... and some sake. And we talked about you.”

Amanda’s last evening as a bachelorette with her family (mom, cousin, aunts and uncle) gets a little derailed by nerves. Sometimes you just need some perspective to help you sort everything out.

I’ve had season 5 of Cobra Kai doing cartwheels in my head and stuff to my heart for a month and a half (ish) now, in particular episodes 5, 6 and 10. What Amanda says in 5.06 about her conversation with Mr Miyagi made me wish we could have seen that kind of scene in the show. (and cry. It made me cry, big time.)

So I wrote it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

___________

In the Light of Tea and Sake

Winnetka, San Fernando Valley, 1999

“Well, I think that’s it.”

“That’s it? Really?”

“Yep. Everything on the list.”

Daniel took a sip from his espresso. How he could keep downing coffee at 6PM and still sleep like a log afterward had always baffled Amanda. Especially since he wasn’t exactly short on energy to begin with.

“Wow.”

Amanda took the paper, sliding it closer on the table. The ‘list’ in question was a little chaotic and largely symbolic anyway, but it was something, seeing all those checked boxes in front of various items like Pick up dress from the dry cleaner, Send RSVPs, or Order extra Lambrusco. They weren’t even in the correct chronological order, but every single one was crossed out.

For some reason her heartbeat was very loud in her chest, and she wasn’t sure all of it could be chalked up to excitement.

“We’re getting married,” she said softly, almost to herself.

Daniel flashed her a grin.

“Well yeah, that was the idea.”

“No, I mean… married.”

“That’s… a thing that can happen when two people decide they want to spend the rest of their lives together. You’re not going Runaway Bride on me now, are ya?”

A smile slipped past the tension in Amanda’s chest.

“And miss on the buffet afterward? Are you kidding?”

She was rewarded by a laugh and a cheeky grin, followed by an exaggerated waggle of eyebrows which Daniel was bound to know looked both ridiculous and charming.

Some of the weird tension inside her eased.

God, she loved that man so much.

At least that had never been in question.

“You’re so much prettier than Julia Roberts, anyway,” he said loyally, before adding, “Besides, you know the only thing that’ll be different tomorrow night is that we’re gonna be wearing a ring, right here.” He pointed at his left ring finger. “The ceremony’s just an excuse to get everyone we love together for once. Once that’s out of the way we’ll all stuff ourselves with great food, and dance, and we’ll have a great time. Oh, that reminds me – give me the list, I just thought of something –”

Food, dance, and all their loved ones in one place. Amanda couldn’t help but smile at the mental picture. Sure, when you put it that way, it all sounded so simple. Daniel had a gift for making complicated things sound simple, or at least straightforward.

But this shouldn’t be complicated, should it?

Except… Maybe it should. It was one of the biggest decisions of her life, after all, right up there with deciding to swap Ohio State for UCLA almost at the last minute and move halfway across the country. Talk about a leap of faith. At least she’d had Aunt Pat, and Jessica on holidays sometimes.

So. Maybe a few jitters were only natural.

She put her chin in her hand, letting her shoulders sag, and gazed at the man seated near her at their kitchen table. He was scribbling his last-minute entry on their list with the earnestness he usually reserved for tasks like writing letters or trimming bonsais. Things he loved doing.

Amanda smiled softly into her palm, almost despite herself.

“What are you adding?”

“Nothin’ important, just a couple of ideas for the music. You know, in case the DJ goes through his entire playlist and decides to take requests.”

“It’s our wedding, babe,” she pointed out. “I’m pretty sure we’ll be allowed a few requests. You know, besides the first song.” She paused. “Although I might have to bribe the guy with cake to get him to play ‘Always’ at some point. Preferably around 11PM when we’re all a little wasted on champagne and I can get you to myself for a slow dance.”

Daniel’s grin came back full force. “Way ahead of you.”

It was the second of the songs he’d added to their Things To Do Before The Wedding list, the first being ‘Desperado’, because he loved the 70s and 80s soft rock he’d grown up with. Besides the Eagles and Bon Jovi, the rest of the songs was pretty eclectic. Amanda was fairly sure he’d thrown in ‘Tutti Frutti’ specifically for his mom to lindy hop to.

With him, probably.

Daniel LaRusso was something of a momma’s boy (the logical result of having been a family of two for so long), a trait which against all odds Amanda found charming. If only Lucille’s attitude toward her didn’t set her future daughter-in-law’s teeth on edge…

Good thing Daniel’s close family didn’t stop at his mother.

Sometimes it felt just a little odd that he and the closest thing he had to another parent essentially called each other “Mister” all the time, like a teacher and his student, but over the years Amanda had learned to hear the terms of endearment behind the honorifics.

When she looked up from the list she met Daniel’s eyes, warm and a little bit wistful.

“Still set for your girls’ night, then?”

“It’s more of a games night, really,” she pointed out. “Besides, my uncle Brian will be there too, so I don’t know if you can really call it a girls’ night. But yes, I’d better get going. Aunt Pat likes everybody to be punctual for big dinners and I’ll be glad to see Jessie again. And mom,” she added as an afterthought, feeling vaguely guilty that it had to be a late addition.

“Okay. Well, enjoy your last night as a bachelorette.”

“Aren’t you gonna tell me to not do anything you wouldn’t do?”

Daniel snorted.

“I think we both know the chances of that are pretty slim.”

“Oh, please. I know you’re a bit impulsive, but surely you couldn’t be that reckless as a kid, right?”

“That depends on where you rank ‘Blowing all my savings on a last-minute passport and round trip to Okinawa’ on your scale of reckless things people can do.”

“Pretty damn reckless, yeah. But in context it was also incredibly sweet, so as far as I’m concerned it doesn’t make the scale.” She leaned in to kiss him, lingering just a bit, hoping he wouldn’t feel just how fast her heart thumped an erratic rhythm against her ribcage. “I’ll see you at the church tomorrow, then.”

“Can’t wait,” said Daniel softly, all shining eyes and earnestness, with no trace of the nerves she realised with a flash of guilt she’d been trying to squash for a while.

No doubt there, no uncertainty. He was one hundred percent committed to marrying her and, like he said, spending the rest of his life with her – like his parents probably would have if his father hadn’t died way too soon.

Amanda had made her choice, wanted that, too, so… Why was she so goddamn nervous?

She turned up the volume on the radio in the car to drown out the question, and resolutely avoided glancing back at the cover bag that contained her dress for the entire drive to Aunt Pat’s Chatsworth house.

* * *

The door opened on Aunt Pat’s beaming smile.

“Heads up, folks, here comes the bride!”

Amanda barely had the time to smile back and say hi before she was engulfed in a warm hug and plied with questions about how she was keeping, and was she excited for tomorrow, and her well-being in general. Aunt Pat was a veritable whirlwind, her love as generous as it was relentless, and in the blink of an eye Amanda was whisked upstairs, hugged welcome several times, and seated on the couch between her mom and her Uncle Brian.

“So good to see you, honey.”

“How are you doing, Mandy?”

God, she’d missed them. But she hadn’t missed being the last guest who inevitably took the spotlight and got mobbed.

Amanda found herself calling on everything she and Daniel had had to learn when they’d started selling cars to and rubbing elbows with North Hollywood royalty in order to mask the anxiety churning dully in her stomach.

(Those people could smell impostor syndrome a mile away, like sharks with blood in the water. You needed the right smile, the right poise, and a self-confidence that could shatter a rock. She’d gotten surprisingly good at it. Daniel was still working out some kinks.)

“Oh, well I –”

“Don’t crowd the poor girl,” exclaimed Aunt Maggie from the staircase. Presumably she’d been the one to take Amanda’s overnight bag and dress upstairs to what had been Jessica’s room once. “Canapés, sweetie? Brian made them specially for you.”

“I know you like ‘em,” Uncle Brian chimed in with fake bashfulness and real pride, handing her the plate.

Amanda picked one – a spinach and goat cheese pastry, nice – and grinned. “Thanks.”

“He’s not the fancy caterer you picked for the wedding reception, but nothing can beat your uncle’s cooking, right?”

“Mom,” said Jessica from the armchair she’d sat in after welcoming Amanda with a brief hug like everyone else, “please. You promised you wouldn’t say anything more about the catering. I’m sure it’ll be great,” she added with a smile in Amanda’s direction. The warmth of it eased a knot that had just started to tense in Amanda’s shoulders.

Aunt Maggie sighed the heavy sigh of the put-upon, but thankfully didn’t protest.

“So, Jessie,” said Amanda swiftly, before more questions or remarks about her upcoming wedding, “how’s Nick? And Holly and Paige?”

“They’re fine,” Jessica said, helping herself to more appetisers. “Nick’s minding the girls tonight.” She laughed. “They’re all psyched up about tomorrow, but I don’t know how much of that is getting to sleep in a hotel or the prospect of hurling flower petals at people tomorrow. We’re gonna have a couple of excited little gremlins on our hands until they serve the cake,” she added with transparent fondness.

Amanda shook her head with a snort. “Sorry about that. If I’d known asking them to be flower girls would create monsters…”

“Don’t worry, they love you and Daniel to pieces. They’ll keep their mischief down to tame levels for your sakes.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Amanda raised the glass of white wine Aunt Pat had just put in her hand and toasted them both.

There was a scoff to her right.

“What, Mom?”

“Nothing, darling, just… I still don’t understand why you’d want to put yourself through all this hassle. I understand wanting a big family reunion, but you don’t need a wedding for that. Do you know just how many marriages end in a divorce these days?”

Amanda had to force herself to take a second to breathe – in through the nose, out through the mouth, Mr. Miyagi’s voice echoing in her head the way it did when she did her yoga while he and Daniel did katas – and attempted to smile. The result felt more strained than what she aimed at. She must really be off tonight; usually her diplomacy game was much better than that.

“Four point one for every thousand Americans1, I know, Mom. You told me. Several times.” At least she still knew the exact amount of warning needed in her tone to make her mother know she was toeing the limits. “But it was my choice. Our choice.”

For a second, Joanne appeared to have a ready argument on her tongue. Fortunately, it was the moment Aunt Pat chose to clap her hands and ask her to help her set the table.

“Oh, and Brian made buckeyes2 for dessert,” she added with a wink at Amanda and Jessica.

The two cousins looked at each other.

“Okay, how many of those do you think can we eat before we realise we no longer fit into our dresses?”

Jessica laughed. “I don’t know, but I like a challenge. Come on, let’s find out.”

Amanda popped one last canapé into her mouth and rose from the couch, taking Jessica’s arm as they went.

* * *

The dinner was excellent.

It was also, at times, endless.

At her best, Amanda cultivated patience like a well-kept garden. Being patient helped when co-running a business. It also helped smooth things out in her personal life. Her couple was a partnership of equals, well balanced, but she’d known from the start her temper was more even than Daniel’s. Each knew to take their turn at patience when the other needed some, though.

So it wasn’t like a few derogatory comments on her life choices and management style were enough to rile her up – not usually, and especially when scattered among casual kindnesses and funny anecdotes. Mrs LaRusso could dish worse than that on a good day. But the timing sucked.

Why couldn’t she seem to stop feeling so worried already?

“Joanne,” said Aunt Pat in a warning tone while they were all helping themselves to dessert, “leave the girl alone. That’s the second time she makes that face, and I don’t like that face.”

Amanda was tempted to point out that, as an almost twenty-nine-year-old with a thriving career, she was more of a woman than a girl, but at this point any kind of lifebuoy was welcome.

“I’m just saying,” said Joanne in a voice Amanda was annoyed seemed to sound much more reasonable than her own, “Daniel’s a good man and I’m sure you’ll be very happy together. It’s the shackling up I don’t get. Everything you own, everything you earn, you’ll have to share – you’ll completely lose your independence. And what if it doesn’t work out in the end?”

“Then you get to tell me ‘I told you so’,” Amanda retorted. The sarcasm came out sharper than she intended. She had to take a second to centre herself. “Look, Mom, can we drop the subject already? I just wanted a nice family dinner, not a re-enactment of the Salem trials.”

Her mother rolled her eyes, but softened.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I just want what’s best for you.”

Oh, for…

“So do I, and I’ve been old enough to know what I want for some time now.” Amanda paused as the realisation hit her. “And right now, I think… I think I want to go home.”

There was a shocked silence.

“Oh, sweetie,” said Aunt Pat, startled, “you’re not staying for game night?”

“Sorry, Aunt Pat, not tonight. I’m turning in early. If it’s okay with you I’ll be back here at 9 to get dressed, just after the hairdresser appointment. You know, if the dress still fits.”

The quip fell slightly flat. Her mother looked crestfallen.

“Amanda, honey, I swear I won’t say a single –”

Amanda waved a hand, already feeling calmer for her decision to not stay after all.

“I’m not storming off in a huff, Mom, don’t worry. I just… need my own bed right now. I’ll see you guys tomorrow, okay?”

To her relief, she was answered by murmurs of assent and sympathetic noises.

One of the perks of being a bride-to-be was that many people expected you to be nervous and irrational, and were more willing than usual to let it go. In hindsight, maybe she should’ve banked on that much earlier instead of doubling down on trying at all costs to come across as chill, efficient and cheerful to everyone but Daniel.

She bid everyone good night, kissed her mother on the cheek (getting an apology hug she’d probably appreciate better tomorrow), and picked up her handbag.

“Sorry about your mom,” said Jessica softly when they were both at the door. “And mine. And Dad. Wow, this dinner was kinda terrible, huh.”

“We’ve had better, yeah,” Amanda conceded with a small smile. “I really would have enjoyed the sleepover, though. Sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry, we can always take a rain check. I’m sure Daniel won’t mind if I borrow my cousin for a girls’ night out one of these days.” She paused, and rubbed her hand along Amanda’s arm. “Sure you’re gonna be okay?”

“I’ll be fine, Jessie. Thanks. I’m just a little beat right now.”

Jessica peered at her for a few seconds without saying anything, then pulled her into a hug Amanda returned gladly.

When they parted her heart was lighter, though it still beat uncomfortably loud in her throat.

“All right, go get some rest. I’ll save you some buckeyes.”

“And that is why you’re my favourite cousin,” said Amanda with a laugh. Jessica grinned.

“Yeah, I know. See you tomorrow morning, then.”

“Bye, Jessie.”

The lull had done Amanda good. By the time she was behind the wheel of her car, fishing her cell phone from her handbag to send Daniel a text, the tension that had kept building during the dinner was waning a bit. She still felt on edge though, like electricity running just under her skin.

She did want to go home, change into her most comfy pyjamas, and snuggle her boyfriend as if tomorrow weren’t anything special. Maybe pop Ghostbusters into the VCR. They’d watched it so many times over the years the tape was starting to get creases in some places.

But the state she was in right now… Daniel was a perceptive guy. What if he picked up on her nervousness and jumped to the wrong conclusion? Jitters weren’t cold feet, but it was bad, right? Or at least a bad sign?

Amanda flipped her phone closed, buckled her seatbelt… and threw her head back in frustration, hitting the headrest. Ugh. If that little voice in her head could just shut up—

She didn’t send the text, figuring she could surprise her boyfriend – fiancé – and drove off.

She was coming up to Sherman Way when she spotted the bridge over the Browns Canyon Wash in the near distance. Before she knew it, she was turning west toward Canoga Park.

This is probably a bad idea, she thought, but she kept driving.

* * *

Amanda knocked once, then twice, softly enough for plausible deniability that someone was on the threshold at all. The door opened before she could decide whether to stay or leave discreetly while it was still polite.

Mr. Miyagi’s eyebrows went up.

“Amanda-san?”

“Good evening, Mr. Miyagi,” she said, and did a hasty bow after belatedly realising she’d forgotten. “Sorry to bother you at this hour, I just… I…”

He waited until she failed to finish her sentence, then asked with a frown, “Thought you go to family tonight. Everything all right?”

Amanda gave a shaky laugh. “Yes. Well, no. Well, yes, it’s just… This is so dumb. I’m sorry, I’ll—”

“Amanda-san.” His voice was gentler than usual, less gruff. “Want some tea?”

She breathed out, let her tense shoulders sag a little.

“Tea would be lovely, thank you.”

Mr. Miyagi silently stepped aside to let her in.

Amanda went to sit on her knees in front of the low table, her hands in her lap. It felt strange, being there without Daniel. Mr. Miyagi had never made her feel unwelcome, even for a second, but the bond between those two was so obvious it was almost tangible, a living, breathing thing. They shared so many private jokes, and memories, and overall a kind of shorthand to each other that it might have made Amanda feel left out very easily.

She never did.

All it took was Daniel’s voice pulling her back from the sidelines, or Mr. Miyagi’s eyes twinkling as he shared a quiet smile with her, to remind Amanda that there was a place there with them that was just for her.

But she’d never been on her own there before, let alone at ten in the evening.

Mr. Miyagi soon came back with a tray loaded with a steaming teapot and two round cups. Amanda made sure to hold hers correctly, despite the impulse to wrap her fingers around it.

“Thank you,” she said quietly. Mr. Miyagi gave a short nod and sat down, too.

The tea was a good quality matcha, foamy and sweet, the perfect temperature when Amanda dipped her lips into it.

Her evening hadn’t been quiet. It had been frustrating at times, sure, but also full of love and laughter, a familiar brand of chaos as various conversations collided across the dinner table. As she closed her eyes to savour the silence, the heat of the cup, and the flavour of the tea, some of the tension that had made her heartbeat loud and her chest tight seemed to drain away.

The rest of that tension remained in place, but its coils were slightly less taut now.

The little house felt as it always did, cosy and warm despite the early October night outside flirting with the lower fifties. The light-coloured wood walls helped. So did the paper lamps, the rug, and the decorations here and there, testament to a life rich enough to contain several.

A few items stuck out, though. There was a navy blue suit on a coat-hanger, the pants neatly folded over the lower bar. It was flanked with another hanger, over which a white shirt was draped. Hanging around the hook of the hanger was a silk tie with a blue and white flower motif.

The shirt’s wide lapels were a few years out of date, but the ensemble fit together surprisingly well. And retro was in style, anyway.

Amanda smiled.

“Mr. Miyagi, you’re going to look fabulous tomorrow.”

“Good suit. Do all work.” He took a sip from his cup and glanced at her. “Good thing about wedding: everyone look at bride, nobody else. So Miyagi can wear flashy suit, no problem.”

Amanda suppressed the urge to shift uncomfortably.

“Hopefully they’ll be also looking at Daniel. I mean, he’s the groom. And his suit is pretty neat, too.”

“Hai. And Daniel-san look at you whole time.”

This time Amanda’s smile had a touch of heat in her cheeks. He probably would stare a little, at that.

Quiet fell again, so unobtrusively Amanda started when Mr. Miyagi asked, “So. What wrong?”

Amanda drank from her matcha again and gently laid the cup on the table.

“Mr. Miyagi, can I… can I ask you a question?”

Mr. Miyagi gave her a nod.

“Have you ever been nervous, even though there was absolutely no logical reason to be nervous?”

“Miyagi nervous plenty of time,” he said, glancing at her curiously. “Sometimes true reason hidden, only see later. Why?”

“I’ve been feeling… a little weird about tomorrow, all evening. Well, make that all week, now I think of it. And now I’m – I think I’m a bit scared?”

The last word surprised her even as she said it. She had to take a second to think, a little taken aback.

“Which is completely absurd,” she continued with a wave of her hand as though it might hide how self-conscious the admission made her feel. “I mean… It’s a wedding, not some high noon duel. I love Daniel and he loves me – we’ve been living together for four years, for God’s sake. I’m not having second thoughts, I’m just…”

Like earlier, Mr. Miyagi waited patiently until it became clear Amanda would not finish her sentence.

“Nothing wrong with nerves before big day. Natural.”

“I know, but… Look, we’re in 1999. People can choose to not get married and it’s not a big deal, so getting married shouldn’t be such a big deal, either. I mean, my mom just plain told me she didn’t get why I wanted a wedding. She thinks it’s old-fashioned.”

“And father?” asked Mr. Miyagi, pouring a second helping of tea into both their cups.

Amanda downed some of her matcha, licked the foam from her lips, and lowered her eyes.

“I didn’t invite him. We don’t have a good relationship.”

And if that wasn’t a spectacular understatement.

At the beginning, when they were drafting the list of guests, she’d hesitated. Daniel had said, Take your time, honey. It’s your call. I know things are complicated between the two of you. Which was sweet of him, because all he’d had to work from were the bare bones: that Ted Steiner had walked out on his family during Amanda’s last year of high school, that he lived in Boston now, and that neither Amanda nor her mother talked to him more often than a few times a year. Daniel hadn’t pried, hadn’t prodded at sore spots and scar tissue; he had taken what she’d been willing to give and not demanded anything more. Amanda had been ridiculously thankful for it.

Mr. Miyagi didn’t pry, either, nor offer platitudes. He was just there, giving silent support, with neither judgement nor impatience.

Amanda breathed out.

“My dad had an affair when I was a teenager. My mom caught him cheating and… I guess it was the last straw for their marriage. They got a divorce pretty soon after that.”

Mr. Miyagi shook his head ruefully, but made no comment.

“So… maybe that’s part of why I’m scared, you know. I do remember them being happy together, and I think even when that stopped they put up a convincing front for my sake, but… I’m not starting out this marriage thing with the best of examples, you know?

“I mean… Daniel’s parents really loved each other. I don’t really get on with his mom enough to have hearts-to-hearts with her about it, but Daniel’s a big fan of scrapbooks and photo albums and I’ve seen their faces when they look at his dad’s pictures. Perhaps he could have ended up having an affair, or doing something that’d make his family disappointed for some reason, but they’ll never know. They’ll always have these memories of him being a good husband, and a good dad, and that’s all they get to keep, because he’s dead. Meanwhile, my dad lives in Massachusetts with a woman sixteen years younger and he never remembers my birthday. And he blows me off when I call him at ‘inconvenient times’.”

Amanda downed her tea in one go, suddenly wishing for something a lot stronger.

“I didn’t mean to unload on you,” she said quietly, not quite looking Mr. Miyagi in the eyes. “Sorry about that. I think the bottom line is just that I’m scared that even good things go south eventually – someone dies, someone cheats, you know, life happens – and I’ve been trying not to think about that for some time. And now it’s all I can think about. I’ll be fine,” she added, “I think. But the timing is really, really bad.”

“Hm. Timing is what is, can’t change that.” She raised her eyes. Mr. Miyagi drank the rest of his matcha, then climbed to his feet with a slight groan. “Wait here a moment.”

While Amanda worked on swallowing the lump in her throat and blink the sting out of her eyes, he made his way across the room to a cabinet, from which he took a bottle and two glasses.

Not just any bottle, too. This was the kind of sake that always made its way into his cabinet as the winter grew close. The one Daniel said he couldn’t let him drink alone. He’d told her the reason for the yearly bender a couple of years ago, when he and Amanda had first moved in together and he’d come back from Mr. Miyagi’s one November morning with a massive hangover. Since then, grief and outrage fought an endless battle in Amanda’s heart whenever she saw the little hand-coloured photograph in Mr. Miyagi’s bedroom, but she’d never found the right words or the right moment to talk to him about it.

“Oh, Mr. Miyagi, you don’t have to –”

“At-at-at-at. Tea good, but for this? Strong stuff better. Drink.”

He poured two generous drinks and toasted Amanda’s tumbler. The glass went clink.

The wine was light, slightly sweet, with a kick at the end. It seemed to warm her throat and chest from the inside, much as the tea had. She closed her eyes for a second, enjoying the taste. And the kick. She had needed that kick.

When she opened her eyes again Mr. Miyagi was looking straight at her.

“How ridiculous do you think it is,” she asked in a low voice, “being scared of your own wedding?”

He shook his head.

“Amanda-san, in life, always easier to hide head in sand. Admit being scared, though – that pretty brave. You face fear.”

She took a sip from her glass to hide the wry turn of her mouth. “Brave is the last thing I’m feeling right now.”

“What feeling right now, then?”

“Stupid, mostly. And, well. Still nervous,” she added.

“Ah, not stupid. Just young.”

“Not that young.”

“And not that stupid either.” A small laugh escaped Amanda. Mr. Miyagi’s expression softened. “Miyagi… very nervous before wedding. Very young then, and very stupid.”

Amanda held her breath. He had never mentioned his wife to her before.

“Why were you nervous?”

“Daniel-san tell you about first trip to Okinawa?”

Amanda nodded. “He said you’d left your first love there. She was engaged to marry your best friend, and you left so you wouldn’t have to fight him to the death. And win,” she added in a softer voice.

Another time, another place, another world. Arranged marriages and duels of honour – it all sounded like a story, not like something regular people her parents’ or grandparents’ age could have gone through. And maybe at first glance the little old man seated next to her in a khaki button-down did not look like the stuff of stories. But as she had come to know him better, she’d come to know better.

Mr. Miyagi nodded with a smile.

“Hai. Yukie. Very kind, very smart. Very beautiful. Miyagi’s heart… broken, little pieces. Think never love again.

“I come to Hawaii in shame, start working small jobs. Fix carts, fix roads, cut cane in fields. Then… meet Sakiko.”

He stopped for a gulp of sake, then continued in a faraway voice, “And she smart, and kind, and beautiful too. Her laugh was like… sun, here.” He patted his chest. “Each time, little piece of heart come back. One day I ask, Will you marry me? And she not laugh. Say yes.”

Another gulp.

“Luckiest guy on Earth.”

Amanda drank, too, hoping it would make her throat less tight. It didn’t.

“And you were still nervous?”

“Of course. Sakiko was sunshine, I was bum with broken heart! Didn’t believe second chance at love. Too rare. Like, blow it with Yukie in Okinawa then, blow it with Sakiko in Hawaii now, you know?”

Despite everything Amanda had to bite on an unexpected smile. That last bit was definitely a LaRusso contribution to Mr. Miyagi’s English.

“So, what did you do?”

“Marry Sakiko anyway. Say to myself, Must not lose to fear. Love… too precious to be touched by something like fear.”

If Amanda had been seated on a chair, this would have been a perfect time to cross her arms on the table and lay her head on them, if only as a cover for the emotions she could feel rising in her throat. But the table was too low for that. Instead, she took another gulp of sake and leaned forward on her elbows, her whole body slumping even as her mouth wobbled into a smile at the last sentence.

A smile that fell when Mr. Miyagi poured himself another glass and muttered, “This story no happy ending, either.”

He stole a glance through the open door of his bedroom, where he kept Sakiko’s picture and the little box that contained some of his most painful memories. Amanda swallowed, her eyes burning.

“I know,” she murmured. “Daniel told me what happened then. Mr. Miyagi, I am so sorry, that—”

“Eh, long time ago. Not worry.” But his voice was rough, his eyes shining wetly in the dim light of the lanterns. He reached for his glass, downed some of the wine; when he set his glass down Amanda laid a hand on his arm, gently, at a loss for how to convey everything she wanted to.

Somewhat to her surprise, he didn’t pull his arm back.

“Was boy, you know. Little American Miyagi boy, born California. Sakiko wanted American name, like George, Harry. I wanted Kanryō, like father. Sakiko say, Why not both? Many Americans more than one name. Last letter say, Little Kanryō Harry strong, kick hard.”

Mr. Miyagi picked up his glass with his free hand and emptied it in one go. A breath shuddered out of him.

“Miyagi pretty damn lost for a while after. No pick up broken pieces for many years. Too much work.”

Amanda was reluctant to remove her hand, still clasping his arm. She clenched her lower jaw to keep it from trembling and wiped her eyes with the thumb of her left hand.

Mr. Miyagi made for the bottle again, but seemed to think better of it. Instead, his hand flopped on Amanda’s, patted it once or twice, then squeezed.

Then he let go and leaned back, blinking at the ceiling.

“Life, you know. Sometimes work out, sometimes, ah… sometimes not.”

“That’s one way to put it,” said Amanda, her voice thick and echoing around strangely in her head. Mr. Miyagi looked back down again and peered at her.

“Not mean give up on life. Never know what you find next. Like chocolate box.”

Something that might have been a laugh in different circumstances snorted its way through Amanda’s nose. Thank goodness she hadn’t been drinking. Look at the dignified bride, snickered a voice in her head that sounded a lot like her own.

“Did you just quote Forrest Gump!?”

“I watch TV,” Mr. Miyagi retorted with what she could recognise as a rather poor attempt at his usual stone-face sarcasm. Not that she’d dream of calling him out on it. “Good for catchy saying. Sound wise later, when make this face and go hmm. Listen to wise old Miyagi.”

Amanda, flabbergasted, dealing with severe mood whiplash, and maybe just a little buzzed after Aunt Pat’s dinner and half a glass of sake, stared at him open-mouthed for a while until delight started to creep into her face, like a blush. Mr. Miyagi smiled.

“Daniel-san make same face first time figure out karate training. Mouth open, big eyes, ooh.”

“I know that face,” Amanda laughed. “I’ve seen that face. His eyes go…” She made a gesture with all five fingers extended, palm out, and smiled fondly. “He loves to make everyone think he’s got it all figured out. You know, control, balance, and everything. But then something will blow his mind and wham – surprise face.”

“Hai. Good moment. Great fun, too.” Mr. Miyagi picked up his sake again, both his moustache and his glass almost hiding his smile until he realised there was no alcohol left in it. “Miyagi father teach karate since small boy. This high.” He raised his hand at a height Amanda, through her patchy experience with kids, guessed must mean ‘very young child’. “Do kata, blocks, balance exercises. Build good muscle, good reflex, good head. Years to learn. But Daniel-san, only two month training before tournament. Had to trick mind for body build muscle and reflex quickly.”

“And did he have a good head?” asked Amanda, resting her right elbow on the table and her cheek into her palm, smiling at the mental picture.

That smile widened at Mr. Miyagi’s expression.

“Eh… Depend. Hard head, yes. Big mouth. Bit of a handful. Tended to rush into things, not look right, not look left – only forward. Sometimes not even then!” He raised his eyebrows in mock outrage. “And stubborn, like mule. If really no want listen, no listen at all, even Miyagi, even mother!”

He shook his head.

“Good head, yes, sometimes – but good heart, always. Big heart. Bigger than him.”

Amanda had to smile again at that. She and Daniel were the same height; she stood taller than him when she wore high heels, but she’d always been tall for a woman. 5’9 was the average height for a man. He did seem to have twice the average amount of heart, though, which had been one of the things that had drawn her to him in the first place.

“You know,” said Mr. Miyagi as he screwed the sake bottle’s cap back on, “Daniel-san tell me later he was angry when he and mother move here, to California. I understand. Left family, friends. Memories. Tomb father buried. And for place that no want them, no understand them. Funny face, funny accent. Get laugh at, beat up. Don’t know rules here, he say.

“Well, Miyagi know thing or two about Don’t know rules here. He say angry boy now. I see lonely boy then. Polite to old Okinawa fixer guy. Gentle with bonsai. Come down, say, Hey, Mr. Miyagi, can hang out with you tonight? I know mother work late, I know boys with bad attitude in school. I say, Sure, here bonsai clipper. Here story about Okinawa. And then, later, karate training. But even after tournament, still show up. Do kata, help fix house, talk. Talk a lot,” Mr Miyagi added in that special tone of his, dry but for the twinkle in his eyes, “but, er… listen, too. Listen good, for young man who talk so much.”

Amanda smiled into her palm, both at Mr. Miyagi’s words and the guarded but transparent affection in his voice.

“He is good at that,” she murmured, “when he wants to be.”

“Hai. Sometimes forget, but never for long. Love bring him back, always.” He paused. “Even when being bonehead.”

The word made Amanda chuckle silently.

“He really means a lot to you, huh.” Like you mean the world to him, she didn’t say. But then again she was fairly sure she didn’t need to.

Mr. Miyagi pursed his lips in thought. Then gave a short nod.

“Boy lonely when come here. Miyagi… lonely for long time then. Busy life, busy hands, yes. But, er, heart need busy too. Need love to give, to get. Like bonsai; no love, then no water, no help shape and grow. Root go weak. No good.”

His eyes fell on a little juniper on a cabinet – one of the many bonsais scattered here and there, in the house and the garden – and his moustache twitched.

“Then one day Miyagi realise heart get pretty busy, too. Turn out lonely boy with big mouth and hard head, plenty of love to give. When I get letter from Yukie that father dying, he say, I’m coming with you, Mr. Miyagi. Be there for you. And when father die…” He cleared his throat. “When father die, no more wise Mr. Miyagi for a while. No more funny jokes, no more smart sensei. Just little old man alone, full of tears and regret.

“Daniel-san lose father, too. Shared grief with me then, regret, guilt. Kind words, gentle silence. Help pick up broken pieces.”

For some reason this reminded Amanda of her mom taking up yoga after Dad left, like her, so they’d share an activity that was all theirs and help each other through it. Or Jessica spending six months in California after Amanda moved in, just so she wouldn’t be alone in a strange place.

She drank from her sake and smiled into her glass, trying to catch Mr. Miyagi’s eyes.

“That’s what a good family does,” she said softly as she set the tumbler down. “Be there in the good times and the bad.”

“Miyagi not very good family. No see father for forty years.”

“No, but… family doesn’t have to be blood, right? You were there for Daniel and he was there for you. That’s the important thing.”

Mr. Miyagi shot her a side glance.

“True.” His gaze softened. “Once I lose baby boy. Later, I get young man. Not same, but not less.”

And before Amanda could figure out whether she wanted to smile or cry – and if she could get away with blaming it on the sake – he said in a voice that was a lot more like his usual matter-of-fact tone:

“You say Life happen – you right. I say Sometimes work out, sometimes not – Miyagi also right. But life is people, too. And…”

He stopped, as though searching for words.

“Look, important thing about Daniel-san: hot head, kind heart. Always fight for what believe, here.” He put his hand over his heart. “And what Daniel-san believe most is family, friends. Trust. Support in hard times. No walk away from difficult situation – go right toward trouble and say, I make this right. And I think you same, Amanda-san.”

“Mr. Miyagi,” said Amanda in a small voice, putting her chin in both her hands and leaning with her elbows on the table, “if you’re trying to promise me we’ll never have problems, I’m not gonna believe you.”

“No. You will have problems – plenty good couple have problems. But you and Daniel-san, love each other very much. Work through problems. Make good team.” He looked her in the eyes again. “Worth it.”

“I know,” murmured Amanda. “Believe me, I know.”

Fact was, she did know, and she’d known for a long time, way before anxiety had started to whisper inside her brain. She did have doubts, and fears, and insecurities – but never about that.

Maybe sometimes all you needed was someone to lay out the inside of your head for you and show you what was in it. In the light of tea, sake, and good insights, everything became just that little bit clearer.

Mr. Miyagi was smiling.

“So. You better?”

Amanda gave the question some consideration.

“Yes,” she said eventually with a solemn nod, “I’m better.”

“There you go. Power of matcha and nihonshu3. Work every time.”

“Power of a good host, too,” she pointed out, “and a good friend. Thank you, Mr. Miyagi.”

“Ah, no thank me. Want guest room? Is late. And you getting married tomorrow.”

She gave a laugh. “There is that, yeah. But I think I’ll go home. Thanks for the offer, though. And the perspective.”

Mr. Miyagi nodded and started getting to his feet, slower than before. The two glasses of sake and the late hour were taking their toll, like it did on Amanda.

“Thank you for company. Always welcome here. And, er, Amanda-san?”

“Yes?”

He hesitated again, although this time it didn’t look like he was searching for the right English words, but rather bracing himself.

“Next month, fifty-five years since… since telegram. I know Daniel-san come – not like it when Miyagi alone that night.” He cleared his throat. “If you… if you want to come, too… have tea, perhaps drink some sake in memory, then… Would be good. To have you.”

Amanda’s breath caught in her throat.

“I would like that,” she said softly, but with feeling. “I would like that very much. Thank you.”

Silence fell between them, soft and comfortable, a bridge rather than a divide.

When the moment broke, Amanda retrieved her handbag and her coat to leave; but as she went to open the door she let her hand fall and turned back to him.

“Mr. Miyagi?”

“Hm?”

She bit her lip, tasting the remnant of the lipstick she’d put on before leaving her and Daniel’s apartment. It felt like ages ago now.

“I, uh… I’d planned to walk down the aisle alone. You know, there’s a tradition that the father of the bride gives her away, but… well, you know. He’s not… He won’t be there. So.” Heat was rushing in her cheeks and ears which would have been convenient to blame on the sake, but a complete lie. “Would you… come with me? Give me away?”

Mr. Miyagi didn’t answer straight away, and she faltered a little.

“I know you’re already Daniel’s best man, so it’d be a bit irregular, but—”

Mr. Miyagi made a dismissive hand gesture.

“This first American wedding Miyagi go to, not suppose to know what regular or irregular. Good excuse if someone say Oh, can’t do that. But… Important for you?”

“Yes,” Amanda said, the word rushing out of her along with a breath. “Yes, it’d be… it’s important.”

“Then Miyagi honoured to give you away, Amanda-san.”

He bowed, very formal and deliberate. She bowed back in the same manner, careful to keep her eyes on his, smiling warmly.

Her heart finally at peace.

* * *

The apartment was dark and silent when she turned the key in the lock and walked in as noiselessly as she could. She hadn’t let Daniel know she was coming home. He must have gone to bed by now.

The kitchen still smelled faintly of mac and cheese when she passed by the open door.

Daniel’s go-to comfort food.

Amanda smiled fondly. Perhaps she hadn’t been the only one in need of some reassurance tonight.

The feeling was confirmed when she stopped in the bathroom to change into her night clothes. The laundry hamper had gained a couple of additions in a few hours, ie. sweatpants and a t-shirt, though the most telling was Daniel’s headband, carefully set aside to be washed by hand later. His bath towel was damp. He’d definitely been practising something more intense than slow katas and breathing exercises. Sometimes they joked that if they managed to get a bigger place – an actual house, for instance – they might include a dojo just so he wouldn’t have to clear space in the living room to work on his karate.

The shapeless lump under the covers didn’t move when she tiptoed into the bedroom, but as she slipped into bed she heard a mumbled, “Hey, honey. Didja ditch your game night for me?”

“Kinda,” Amanda whispered back, wrapping her arms around her boyfriend. “Turns out I want to spend my last night as a bachelorette with you.”

“Aw. I’m flattered. And hey, who could blame ya.”

Sleepy and slurred as his voice was, the grin in it was unmistakeable. The accent, too. The more tired, angry or emotional he was, the stronger the Jersey came out.

Amanda snorted, and made herself comfortable. It was easy. The texture of the pillowcase, the scent of fabric softener on the sheets, the solid warmth of Daniel as she curled up against him and buried her nose in his hair – it was all familiar, reassuring. None of that would change tomorrow, or next week, or next year. And the changes that would come – their joint career plans, getting a house, having kids one day – they would face or embrace together.

Daniel shifted until he had his arms around her, too.

“You okay?” he murmured.

Amanda looked at him in the dim light filtering through the blackout curtains, closed eyes barely visible through the tousled dark hair flopping across his forehead.

“Yeah.” Quiet, heartfelt. Nothing stirred in her chest except the usual affection. “You?”

“Mhm-hm. Quiet night. Glad you’re here.”

Not a word about working out through possible anxieties. Daniel hated to make people worry. It was both an endearing quality and a frustrating flaw of his.

One breath, two, three, each longer than the last before his voice came again, barely audible.

“Still on for tomorrow?”

“It’s a date,” she whispered, and he let out a silent laugh. With possibly some relief in it. Amanda was too sleepy to tell for sure.

They fell asleep intertwined, arms and legs in a tangle, like any other night.

___________

1In 1999. (of course I checked ^^’) I don’t know about now, though.

2A candy made of peanut butter fudge partially dipped in chocolate originating from Ohio.

3Aka sake.

___________

💜

Please drop a comment if you like! I’m Belphegor on AO3 and the fic is at archiveofourown.org/works/42425775, except I can’t make the link clickable because then the post probably won’t show up in the tag. (dammit, Tumblr.) I’ll put a clickable link in the replies.

#cobra kai #karate kid #fanfiction #my stuff #I have a lot of feelings about this okay

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shallowseeker · 2 years

Text

Dean's farewell tour + avoiding Cas, Part 3

SPN 14x11, 14x12, 14x14:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 4

So, despite Dean saying that Sam is the only one who can talk him out of the coffin plan at the end of 14x11, his actions speak differently: A whole-ass episode later, and he's still actively avoiding Cas and Jack.

For starters, Dean has probably convinced himself that he cannot tell Jack, both because of the parental dynamic between them and the immense guilt this would trigger in Jack for not defeating Michael in Apocalypse-World. (Michael has been Jack's primary nemesis, remember.)

Cas

Meanwhile, Sam would rather Cas work on research than approach Dean, who he has judged as hopeless. Sam might even be right in his assumption, but he's also not emotionally keying into why Dean may be avoiding Cas and Jack in the first place. He's not recognizing that Dean's avoidant actions speak louder than words.

Sam misses the meaning when Dean says seeing Cas might make him "too shaky," although Sam muses that that might be a "good thing."

Instead, Sam falls back on books and spells as solution, and Sam encourages Cas to be their analytical lore-hound instead (14x12):

///

Yet, when the inevitable Dean-Cas confrontation comes to a head, Sam braces for impact, like he knows this could become...something. Maybe even something explosive or...awkward. Sam is at least a little aware at this point that their fights can be...weird:

Aw, Cas is exhausted, but he's mustering up some care and support. On screen, Dean seems puzzled, maybe even a little flustered.

Dean, looks over at Sam, who fidgets. This is completely different to how Sam felt around tattling to Mary. Here, Sam is nervous. Then, Dean totally, "We'll talk about this later's" Cas. It's even played a bit for laughs.

Anway, Dean is SUPER annoyed with Sam. This reads as an outsized reaction, given his recent affection for Donna, warmth for his mom, despondant fatalism with Sam, and of course, the Mr. Miyagi-style, life-has-passed-me-by-and-I've-made-peace-with-that emotive speeches for everyone else.

Tattling to Cas is different.

Dean: (annoyed) Sure. Had to.

Why the unnecessary tension here?

///

The recovery of Donatello

14x12 is also an interesting story, because it deals with Donatello, the prophet that Sam and Cas determined could not be salvaged due to combined tablet corruption and soul damage.

This was very specifically a Dean-Cas schism back in 13x14 Good Intentions, and it was an important human-angel schism in terms of battle strategy.

///

When they go visit "Uncle Donny," there are very painful, coded conversations around letting go which allow Sam and Dean to snipe passive-aggressively at one another. Then, hilariously, Cas inserts himself into the fray. He's, as Chuck might say, just too stubborn.

Dean immediately gets catty, but we note the solemn implication that Cas has checked in on Donatello "a few times." Perhaps, he's even been quietly checking on Donatello since he brain-melted him. Aw.

It's turning into a weird fight right outta the gate. Again, Dean totally, "We'll talk about this later's" Cas, like he doesn't want to get vulnerable in public, like theirs are the type of fights that should be had in private.

And here we have the crux of the issue: Dean's getting emotional. “This is exactly what he'd been hoping to avoid.”

But as the audience knows, Dean has been "getting emotional" and spillin' his guts in regretful, eloquent speeches for two damn episodes now.

The implication is that this is different.

(Or else he and Cas would be binging a dumb cowboy movie, eating pizza, and you're the best friend we ever had-ing right about now. At the very least, they'd do a Donna-style burger outing.)

So how is it different?

///

Dean: This isn't easy for me either.

Cas: So then...this is goodbye?

The two share an awkward beat.

Why did the prospect of goodbye trigger an AWKWARD beat here?

Arguably, it shouldn't be. Cas had reasonably little issue issuing a low-level knights' dying speech with, "I love you, I love all of you," when he was dying from Michael's spear. Much earlier than that, Dean said I love you I need you in the crypt.

At minimum, if Dean is following the pattern for the rest of the fam, Dean should have a readymade one-armed hug and a canned brother-in-arms speech ready to go.

But he can't, because in this scenario, there is enough time to act on feelings, even for a night or two, and Dean might even want that.

They're at least subconsciously aware of what a goodbye could trigger in themselves--something desperate. Something they might give into. That's why it's awkward.

///

#spn 14x11 #spn 14x12 #my takes #spn scripts

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phoomwhoosh · 1 year

Note

so once gay marriage is legalized will kreese put a ring on it in kiss/fist lmao? and will terry and danny ever be able to be in the same room without the latter having ptsd and wanting terry dead? and finally: will daniel ever let his ma know that he's bi (?) and with his ex-bully's ex-karate sensei...lmao?

I like to imagine that, after about a year of dating, they talk and decide to get rings and consider themselves married even though, legally, they aren’t. But then gay marriage is legalized and both of them get Ideas and wind-up proposing to make it Official at the same time. Because sometimes the brain cell ping-ponging between them takes a vacation and neither realize something is up until they both start saying, “So, now that gay marriage is—” and then they look at each other and realize what’s happening and Daniel starts laughing and Kreese just grins and shakes his head because of course this is how their marriage proposal winds-up going. XD

As for Daniel and Terry, I honestly couldn't picture them becoming friends at all. Daniel learns to tolerate Terry to an extent, though, for Kreese's sake. In fact, if they had a wedding, he’d allow Terry to be there.

However, I imagine that they would probably just get married at the courthouse. They already feel married and had a big party after they got each other rings and that was enough for both of them. Of course, they'd make sure Lucille is at the courthouse with them because Daniel knows his mom would be very displeased to learn they made it Official without her there. (Mr. Miyagi could be there too despite the fact that he canonically he dies in 2011. I'd gladly fuck with canon even more, though, to have him present.)

Once they date for a few months, Daniel tells his mom who he’s with and she remembers Kreese and is like “are you sure about this?” Daniel convinces her that it’s all good and tells her he really loves Kreese and knows Kreese feels the same way. She just tells him to be careful, partly because of the age gap but mostly because of who Kreese is. But then she actually sits down with Kreese and they have a long, long conversation—longer than the one he had with Mr. Miyagi—and then Lucille accepts their relationship. Does she still have some reservations? Of course. But, as time goes on and she notices how truly happy her son is, those go away. Did she picture Daniel marrying a man older than him? Heck no! However, all she wants is for her son to be happy and he most certainly is.

Thank you for the asks!

#kiss with a fist fic #thank you for the ask #i think i'm gonna make a new ask tag #in which you ask and i eventually answer #lol there we go

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karatelives-a · 1 year

Text

nate is, unabashedly too, a mama’s boy. yeah, his dad is cool, but his mama? she’s a badass bestie. julie lost her parents at a young age, but their influence never left; a lesson that mr miyagi helped teach her. it was important to julie that she gave nate the same love & security they gave her, if not more. was she overbearing & overprotective at times? yes. can nate probably get away with literal murder & still be called her angel? absolutely! but on the other hand, nate would do anything for her. sure, he messes around, but he’d never intentionally cause her any real stress or hurt because he knows how lucky he got in the mom department.

#headcanon. ⸻ nate molina pierce.#tw parent death

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greatearthquakestudent · 2 years

Text

Characters Anaylsis: True Strong Females

Samantha LaRusso and Tory Nichols

A lot of feminism these days are weak, bland, or stupid as heck. But Cobra Kai has able to produce two true strong female characters, Samantha “Sam” LaRusso and Tory Nichols.

Some people may say Sam is an annoying brat or Tory is a psychotic murderer. But I call that flawed characters more than anything else. Both these two have done terrible shit, but they also mean well too.

Early Lives:

Samantha “Sam” LaRusso:

Samantha aka Sam LaRusso is the daughter of two time all valley champion and successful salesman, Daniel LaRusso. Her mother Amanda LaRusso (Steiner) is a tough chick from the mid-west. She’s also the older sister of Anthony LaRusso. And the granddaughter figure of the wise karate master, Mr. Nariyoshi Miyagi.

Sam was raised in a wealthy house alongside her younger brother, Anthony LaRusso. Being from tough backgrounds, both her parents had spoiled her and brother to near ways of other rich kids.

At a young age, her father and grandfather started teaching Sam karate, which she shows true talent in. She trained for several years. But around the time Mr. Miyagi passed away, Sam dropped karate from her life.

She befriend a girl named Aisha Robinson at a young age, and later in life, befriended two popular girl named Yasmine and Moon causing her to ignore her friend.

Tory Nichols:

Tory Nichols was born to an unfortunate family. Her father was a deadbeat, her mother was a struggling worker, who barely can make enough money. She has a younger brother named Brandon Nichols, and a criminal for a aunt named Kandace Nichols.

Early in her life, her father has abandoned her, her mother, and her brother for whatever reasons. Her mother had been kicked out of a good waitress job for taking used food out of the trash. This incident made Tory believe that the fortunate are selfish and heartless monsters who won’t care for people like them.

Later in her life, her mother fell ill to a unspecified illness. This causes her to be the adult of the household. She started working minimal wage jobs to make money to take care of her mother, raise her brother, and pay the bills. But since she basically is now her mother, she developed a hatred and anger for these things.

She also get scammed for her at, who wants her mom to die, so she have her and Brandon for guilt-trip money. She had been threatened with sexual assault by her landlord.

Season 1:

Sam

We see first the young LaRusso through an event. She was one of three girl hit- car accident of future sensei Johnny Lawrence.

The girls, or just one is a part the reason that led Ms. LaRusso’s down her spiral of bad decisions. But reason why she did so was because of her desire to leave the shadow of her famous father. But this influence she made to her person outside her family who was connected to the real her, Aisha, utterly useless .

This desire causes her to date super popular boy, honestly who wouldn’t to be liked, I surely do half the times. But after seeing his true color and avoiding an attack, the boy by humiliating her, made her seem like she’s not something, just like her friend.

But Miguel Diaz, a new kid that Sam barely knew and cared for, stood for her honor and punish this boy. Being a decent person she tries to be and clearly does a good man, Sam is willingly to give Miguel a chance in love.

But tension raises as when she finds out that Miguel is a student of her father’s old enemy, making her and Miguel’s relationship like Romeo and Juliet. But not speaking up about her role in Johnny Lawrence’s car incident, Sam loses her device privilege for some time.

The someone new came into her life, another nice boy, named Robby Keene. They quickly became friends, but since she couldn’t commune with Miguel, her friendship with Robby turned into something that looks more intimate, romantically intimate.

But when she been caught with this romantic looking friendship by her boyfriend, he got mad. He was understandably mad, but Sam never thought her and Robby have anything romantic between them.

Sam still feels guilt for the two people she hurt, she tries her best to fix it, but the damage has been done, Robby has been hurt by Miguel. I don’t know why she went into karate maybe she use it as a coping mech or whatever

Season 2:

Sam:

After a while of trying, Sam wasn’t able to get Miguel explain her and Robby’s relationship. But during this time, their friendship developed into something more, the even were able to do the wheel technique together. When the chance came for her to get back her old friend, Aisha, she got it. But then that quickly diminishes, when she meets her new friend, Tory Nichols, who has mean girl demeanor and stole a bottle of vodka. When she found out her mom’s wallet was missing, Sam already knew someone that would that. She confronted, but got humiliated. Even though, Tory didn’t steal her mom’s wallet, Tory’s demeanor still was enough for Sam distrust her. But before her chance was diminished by her feelings of Tory, Aisha planted seeds of her and Robby’s relationship which cause her to sees him in the same way she saw Miguel possibly even more. Then found themselves close the felt each other.

But when she went on a date with Robby, she saw the boy she still loved with girl who she can’t the shake of the feelings of trouble off of. And after she antagonized her enough, Sam decided to take revenge on her.

At the party, Sam was probably willing to have a fun time with Robby and co, until she saw Tory with Miguel. Her distrust and along with her jealousy, made her unwilling to let her bully-looking ass intimidate her, so she was willing to challenge her in a drinking contest, knowing she’s more balanced than her. And since she was, she was able to beat her, and gained some glory.

She would’ve probably be into the drinking after beating Tory in it. This happen to where she doesn’t think she needs Robby with her. Then Aisha admitted the truth about what Miguel did by returning the medal of Miyagi.

This action, and along with her undealt feelings for Miguel, She approached him. And with the drugs she was on, she loss herself and kissed Miguel.

But since she still does care about Robby, she felt guilt for kissing Miguel, But she wasn’t able to tell due to fleeing away from the cops, being drunk, and her dad getting her out of Johnny’s apartment.

On the first day of school, Sam tries to tell Robby about what she did, but she couldn’t. Then both things that was on Sam’s mind came out real quick. 1. The Cheating and 2. Her thoughts on Tory. She was hesitant due to her been afraid of what she’d seen in Tory this whole time.

But when Tory physically cut her open, she beat her up in order to survive. Soon afterwards, she witnessed the love of her life fall to his death caused by the other boy that she genuinely cared about as well.

Despite the fight being over, she was left with the pain that was caused by the girl that she knew who was dangerous and the guilt of her mistake affecting not just her life, but the lives of the boys she loved.

Tory:

Tory Nichols enters the scene showing her badass credential by challenging Cobra Kai champion, Miguel Diaz. There, she showed herself to be a natural tough fighter.

When she found herself hanging out with the other girl in her dojo, Aisha Robinson, she opened up to her about her best friend Sam, who wasn’t the best to her. And when she met the said friend Sam, she probably already heard so much shit about her.

Then Sam shows her pain in the butt attitude causing her to think that Sam some kind of “saint”. But when Sam accused her for her stealing her mom’s wallet, she really believed she’s an entitled little brat. When she grabbed her, this reinforced the entitlement, and made her pushed Sam down.

After trying to flirt with Miguel, he was trying to win the affection of his ex, When Tory found out it was Sam. She think that she wasn’t worth it due to what she heard from Aisha. And gets the idea for them to date, because she liked him and she could teach this little brat a lesson.

When Tory tells Miguel about her mom and how the fortune people were horrible to her this was a big part of her character. Both Aisha and Miguel had been wronged by a fortune person which she could sympathize with. And Miguel was an immigrant, she could understand that struggle too. This also ties Kreese’s speech how, if one person goes down, the rest of you do, since they could share experience with each other.

While on the date with Miguel, she runs into Sam and her date. She started to mess with the entitled brat. But when it looks like Sam’s trying to play with Miguel’s heart or be selfish, Tory retaliated by knocking her down. Sam got an easy revenge by doing the same thing. This got her a consequence which pleads Tory.

At the party, Sam challenged her to the drinking contest which she was an expert in. When she seemed unphased by vodka this shocked her. This causes Tory to lose her balance and lose. Since the brat won, she was angry.

Later on, Tory witnessed Sam kissing Miguel confirming to her that Sam is really a player.

With all the times that Sam was “better” than her, Tory decided to punish the brat for her actions with the people around her.

But sadly, her anger caused the only person she loved to fall to his death.

Season 3:

Sam:

Months after the school fight, Sam was living the trauma of the fight, and with physical reminder for it. And after months of recovery she believed she was ready to go back.

But when she did got the memories of what happened, she’s shamed for being a victim in an assault for something that wasn’t entirely her fault. She’s also living with the guilt of where this all left both important boys in her life. She try to relentlessly check on Robby to make sure he’s alright.

And when Miguel woke up, she tries to amends with him and help him get helping with raising money for his surgery.

When Cobra Kai was antagonizing her fellow students, since she knows what it’s like to have Cobra Kai antagonize her, she steps in for them. Any kind of antagonizing behaviors they show, Sam will be there to counteract that, even if that gets her in trouble.

And when she did, she decided to antagonize them to show they can’t just do that to them. But when Tory showed up, the face of her fears was coming, causing her to go into flight mode.

But sadly, she let her friend, Demetri get his arm broken, and since she could’ve done something, but didn’t she at least felt guilt for that.

This guilt along with her role in everything causes her to have some nightmare of Tory coming over to her safe place, blaming and beating the shit out of her for the role she had, saying it’s all on her. Then attempted to drown her.

When she wakes up she comes to the realization that she isn’t good for her anymore.

Her father tries to help built her up, but she found that useless. But after finding out her father was in her shoes once before with another cobra kai and getting the good of karate back in her, she felt much better with it again.

When she sees Miguel all better, she decided to have a fresh start with him and have redo by on their relationship before the trouble came in. And when they saw unlike couple of Demetri and Yasmine, they saw more of a chance in them.

And after, they worked together to restate the all-valley tournament, they had a moment. This similar moment with her and Robby, but unlike that, she had fully realized her feelings for Miguel and they made a move.

But then Robby came in and made her realize she just betrayed his love too. But hopes of Robby being sensible seemingly low, Sam didn’t reach out to him anymore and focused on her and Miguel.

Miyagi-Do and Eagle-Fang were getting together, Sam able to them together due to her knowing they both hate Cobra Kai now and to stop it.

When Tory confronts her again, the face of her fears was back which causes her to flee. But when she confronted her in her dojo, she had no where to run. With what she learned from her father about fear, Sam was able to face her fear and overcome Tory again.

Tory:

After the fight she started, Tory was expelled from school, was put on probation, doesn’t pay for the dojo, and was low at making money.

Adding more salt to the wound, she has to deal with a sexual predator in the form of her landlord, but the worse part of about it, he has both financial and lawful power over her, leaving her with no way to defend herself without facing more consequences.

Then Kreese came in and made her a lot better by solving two problems, he got rid of landlord and getting her back into the dojo.

When she found out Miyagi-Do, more specifically Sam was at the arcade, she found another chance to try to punish her again for everything she had done especially after the fight. Even when she didn’t show, this made Tory believe that wasn’t bold enough to fight and chickening to her mom reinforced the spoil brat image she seen in Sam. When Hawk and Tory were talking about getting revenge on Miyagi-Do for getting Miguel involved, Tory showed signs of guilt, but hides it from Hawk who questioned if she had seen him yet. Later that day, she ran into a wheelchair bounded Miguel while going to work. She told him she’s now working two job.

She tried to apologize to him for not showing up, she explained she really didn’t mean for him to be like he is now. But she and the other will get back at the Miyagi-Do for him. She uses the line Kreese said, “if one man goes down, so do the rest too”.

But Miguel points out that he’s the only one that’s down. She tried clarifying herself, but Miguel said he understood. He explained he only cared about her during that time and nothing else. Based him and Sam, Tory questioned if he wanted to use her to make Sam jealous. And admit she witnessed their kiss.

She felt justified over that. Miguel stated he understood and implied she needed psychological help, which she didn’t because her mentality doesn’t matter and that only that people were wrong get what they deserved, and that Miguel is Sam’s. When she sees Sam’s ex Robby again, she wasn’t happy. She blames him along with everyone, including herself too. Then she helped his anger about Miguel and Sam by channeling it into his fighting. But after the finding a cobra test, she was impressed by Robby’s confidence.

With guidance from Kreese, Tory breaks into the LaRusso household to settle her score with Sam. With Miguel with Sam, she’s enable to listen to him. All that mattered to her was settling the score with Sam. Even when she loses, she was still angry that the brat won again. But she was still determine to get back at her.

Season 4:

Sam:

After the intense fight with Tory, a few months ago, Sam, her dad, and co had officially joined force with Miguel, Johnny, and Eagle-Fang.

Although she’s with Miguel, she still cares about Robby and tries talk to with him. Another way she still cared him about is admitting she went the skate park everyday back then for him to show up. She was angry at Robby for what he did. Which causes Robby to bring up her and Miguel. Sam tries to explain her thoughts at the time.

But Robby didn’t care and told her that she made a choice. But she knew Robby is much better than her, and try to use that fact to make him choose to go back to Miyagi-Do. But Robby brings up a major flaw of her’s, she believe she can get whatever she wants.

When she and the Miyagi-do students were being taught by Johnny for the day, Johnny wanted them to free run jump off one building to another.

Sam was understandably afraid, she might fall to her death or cripple herself, plus her dad wouldn’t want that. This led into a mini argument with Johnny about their past mistakes and what’s the difference between were. Sam is still young while Johnny was in his 50s Johnny showed sympathy to Sam about having by your parents, but he now he’s something he likes.

After mix of that conversation from her dad, she developed the confident to jump across the building, soaring an eagle for the first time, being herself more now. After some time learning Johnny’s style of karate, Sam finally strong again.

With the ideal of Johnny, striking first, Sam gets a little payback at Tory for all the time she hurt her. But to no avail.

Then her dad forbid her from using Eagle-Fang, she is the first-step of feelings helpless and restricted to her.

After Hawk got jumped and his hair shaved, she goes to same instinct, to back to up them,

But then soon after, she found Tory getting help from her parents, making her betrayed and more restricted in her life. Brings up how unfair it is that her allowed to do the same while she can’t

With her life getting out of her control, she starts turning to the only person that she could trust, Aisha.

Aisha gave her advice make, to the first move and set her terms. Since Sam was trying to get into get control of her again, she made the move and threated to Tory.

When her pointed out her cycle of love interest and general mess of that, she promised deal with aspect of her life.

Her trying to take control of her life again clouded her judgement on Tory, and it’s 180 to her, Tory seem insincere.

At the junior prom, she was trying to forget it all, forget the drama that happened from the past year. But then the two biggest thought of her life came back, but worse, Tory with Robby.

Seeing Tory with Robby triggered her jealousy, trauma, guilt, and lack of control.

During the after party, Tory was acting like she didn’t mess her up real bad. These feelings in Sam overflows and causes her to lash out.

Her and Miguel got into a fight with Robby and Tory which ruined her and Miguel’s night. With all the emotions she feels, she felt hurt that Miguel blamed her for everything going on.

During the all-valley, when Sam was fighting someone that knows her moves she decided to use Eagle-Fang. The best thing to counter that mimicry. But this get reprimanded by Daniel. Sam fought Tory, she was ready to win again. Even she got the approval to do her own thing. She made the Miyagi-Fang style. But somehow, despite all efforts, she loss. She felt like she failed.

Tory:

After losing to the brat again, Tory is angered than ever before. Tory express to Robby a reason she dislike Sam, because she believed Sam could have everything she wanted, because it does happen a lot in their conflict.

When Robby challenges the whole dojo, she wasn’t willing to let him win, but after showing his strength, she let him stay.

During work, she met Amanda LaRusso who gives her an ultimatum, to stay away from her daughter or she’ll go to prison for life. Tory tried to say something about it, but couldn’t knowing this couldn’t end well for her, losing everything right there.

But still knowing what she knows about people like Amanda and not wanting to do this during work, she tried to not let her push her around But with the annoyance of a customer asking for his food, she lashed out at him. Due to having a history of lashing out, this was the last straw for her boss to fire her. Since Amanda played a role in this, Tory blames her for making her angry and expresses her anger by admitting all her deep thought on the workplace.

At practice when she got tripped by Robby, it adds on her frustration what happened earlier. When Kreese tried to ask her, she refused at, but knowing what kind of person she knows he is. She admits why she’s angry.

When she found the bag of food that Amanda gave her. She got angry for her potentially fake sympathy, even with her explanation. She uses this fuel to her anger about Sam.

Despite her anger and frustration, Tory found another job as a children entertainer. It might’ve been humiliating especially with Sam around, but she was knew it necessary for her life situation. Then Sam came over and was being girl that she knew she was. But due to everything she done, Tory had decided to stay calm and in character. Even when she brought things that were personal to her. But her belittling Tory was enough for a little payback. Knowing she can’t attack at the place, she gets tame way, by having the children throw glitter on her, getting good payback. But, when Sam kissed Miguel, this triggered her frustration, jealous, and anger that she felt that night. This was enough fpr her quit the job. But, then Amanda apologizes and explains Sam’s behavior. She was full anger. Amanda tries to tell her to look for help, but she believes she could handle this. But Amanda just tells her to try, Tory didn’t react to that though.

At the movie drive in, Tory was still thinking about everything, when Robby checked on her, she tell about that she been having bad day, but, Robby respect her if she didn’t want to tell. Some time later, she gets a visit her aunt Kandace, who was trying scam her. But Tory was seemingly fully aware of her tricks and her games learn them from her. When Kandace was talking about her mother’s illness and taking custody of Brandon, she greatly offended Tory and caused her try to hit her. But she pull the fact that she has nobody to help her not even her dad, just her. Tory knows that Kandace doesn’t care about them. But she pulls the fact that her record will not make her look worthy for custody over Brandon. This leaves Tory to realize Amanda is right about needing help and realized what her action cost her. Later that day, Tory went to the LaRusso wanting help to get back into school, so she could finish and get her G.E.D. With knowing she what did at least wasn’t right for her and her situation Tory promises to stay away from Sam. But Amanda tell her to go to therapy, to have someone outside karate to talk about her issues. When she went back to school and saw Sam, She hesitant, but she was thankful for helping her get back in. This is unknown would’ve gone well, made Tory less of everyone around and including. After spending so much time with Robby, something sparked between them. And when junior prom was rolling around, tension between them really came up, Robby suggested that she should go to mess with Sam and Miguel since that was the lesson of the day. And she suggested that they should do it together.

When they got there, they were ready to give Miguel and Sam a performance they will remember. But slowly the thought messing with Sam had started to fade from Tory’s mind. It was replaced with the thought of her actually being with Robby. As dance continues she confess to Robby about how she realized her what she desire, is to have something she could be proud of herself for, that she earned something in her life.

During the afterparty, she was probably having the night of her life. So such she seem to be nice to Sam for a little bit, keeping the promise that she made to Amanda. But since Sam was still the same person, she doesn’t let her boss her around.

Then Sam strikes first, and since Sam is the attacker, Tory has a reason to fight back. Then Miguel comes and carries her, but they fall to the ground. She reminisce for a second about their time together, but since everything that happened, she doesn’t linger on it, and goes back to fighting. When it seem Sam was messing with Robby’s heart now, Tory swept her legs. Since they’re together now, they work together to take on Miguel and Sam. But that didn’t thing, since Robby accidently shoves the couple and Tory into the pool. With the excitement that happens around them after the fall in, Tory playfully pulls Robby into the pool making there night fun. After all that, Tory and Robby were enjoying the fun that they had at the party, and their night in general. That combine wit there closeness, they shared a kiss and a night together. During the all-valley, when Sam showed more offense to Tory while in her other fights, which caught her guard off. When getting some convo and advice from Amanda and we know that her therapy is really help explain her current self. When she was ready wish to Sam, she was hesitant, not wanting to disrespect Amanda’s wishes, but Kreese assured that her could do it.

When Sam and her fought, she was really trying to hold back her hard side. But after Sam shows her aggressiveness, Tory was conflicted on what to do. Silver tells her to amp it up, which she did, getting her the point. When Sam strikes back with an unfamiliar style that got her the edge. Despite that all, Tory tries her best to hang into the fight. But while doing so, she accidently used an illegal move on Sam, which she knew wasn’t right. When Silver tells her harm Sam more, she knew that isn’t going to be any good in this fight. But Kreese tells her to do whatever she wants. With this in mind, Tory was able to overcome Sam fairly. After her victory, she attempted to make amends with Sam by checking on her, but she got swept away by the glory of winning the all-valley. When Tory thought she has finally earned something in her life, it was quickly shattered by her stumbling into Silver paying the ref to rig the fights. She walks away in shame knowing she didn’t actually win.

Season 5:

Sam:

Some time after Sam’s big loss, Sam still has feelings of guilt of letting everyone down. She blaming herself getting Miyagi-do shut down. And she’s been replaying her fight with Tory, but since her guilt was so much and since it already happen, she loses every time.

When Miguel called, she rationally explain how what he’s doing is a bad idea. With having Miguel to about happened, she felt in little neglected by him, but Miguel brushes her issues aside, making her feel alone in this.

This sent Sam in a bit numbing mood and Anthony telling about his problem which is karate was leading to her wanting get away from it all more now.

After getting text from Miguel, Sam was hesitant after the last time they talked. But with some advice from Moon and Yasmine she was confident enough to suggest them having a talk. At the Spa, Sam tries out a sensory deprivation tank, while she was in there. She was visualizing every issues in her life in the past couple years. Her being in a shadow of her father, her tournament loss, her public image, guilt on hurting Robby, and her tough relationship with Miguel. This all spiral down into what sounds like Tory, but she was really her, or the her that caused all this.

Sam started to battle with the twisted side of herself, but got it cut short by Moon. Sam was shaken up by her experience.

Still being shaken up by her vision, she decided to remove one of her problems, her struggling relationship with Miguel, by breaking up with him.

With her break-up with Miguel, Sam had felt a little relief for problem, but since they’re still friends and their own friends are dating, she still kinda has to see him. While in Ohio, she found out her brother is being terrorized by Cobra Kai, she decided to step in by teaching him ways to defend himself.

When her dad got hurt physically and mentally, she decided to step back in to help him. When her dad reopened, she was there, ready for the fights.

While learning from Chozen, Sam rekindled her friendship with Robby. When her and Miguel found out, Miguel brought up the fact about her being back in karate. Which she has again remembered what it had meant to her. And hearing him and Robby are closer, this made her guilt on what happened to them dissolve.

When getting ready for the Sekkai Tekkai qualifier match, Sam was little hesitant, but her new sensei, Chozen was able relate about feeling like you needed to be better, he convinced her to fight for the people she cares for.

Then she found an octopus necklace by the dojo and was immediately able to put together that it was Miguel’s. During the match, she was ready to fight Tory, but when she disappeared, She had to fight Devon Lee instead. She was dominating Devon, but the ref was making her lose every time which gets to her head. But after encouragement from her team, she was able to overcome these calls and fairly beat Devon. Sam has finally won and she’s very happy about it.When Sam arrived at the party, she was ready to reconnect with Miguel, her hopes to do so was shattered when she saw him making out with another girl. She flees. She tries to go home, but Tory came and told her the truth.This made Sam angry, since her holding this info cause all the events that happened after the tournament. Next day, Sam is still struggling with this information causing her to be judgmental and hostile.

After just not getting the results she wanted from Stingray, Sam was very frustrated and leaves, but as she’s doing so, Miguel questioned everything that been happening in their lives with her. Especially with what happened last night. Sam admitted how much hell this was that came from a lie, she blames herself for not knowing, she blames Tory for not telling her until now. But Miguel gave a perspective with what effects Cobra Kai can have on its students.

With this perspective in mind, Sam decided to talk to Tory for information. After seeing her living environment, her broken hand, hearing the struggles she went through in the dojo, this made Sam realize Tory herself is a victim of Cobra Kai.

With this in mind, Sam decided to finally shut down Cobra Kai. After it was all over, Sam’s life was nearly completed, she and Miguel finally admitted they loved each other, and they kissed.

Tory:

After finding out what happened, Tory was hesitant to go back to the dojo, but knew she had to.

When she questioned as champion by a potential sensei “Joe”, she reluctantly answered the question yes.

Tory’s mind wasn’t fully into the training which doesn’t go unnoticed by Joe. Joe questioned why she isn’t giving an effort into training, possibly not wanting to train anymore. But Tory’s core motive for karate is to be strong. Then she questioned Joe on why he wanted to be a sensei. He told her his motive was honor. This confused her a bit, but he explained his loss of honor and how he realized it was a self thing. Then he told her that she could do the same. Tory realized this could mean about her as a fighter and person.

The he told her, if she break free of her problem, she must face them. Knowing what to do, Tory was able to now focus on training.

Later, she took Sensei Joe’s advice, to confront her “problem” aka Terry Silver, by confronting him about the cheating. But when Terry promised a good future for her, she couldn’t that pass that up.

At home, Tory looks at her trophy knowing she didn’t deserve it, but she went on display it in fear of Silver.

With no one to really confide in, Tory turns the only person she could rely, Kreese. They came with a plan for her to find out what she can and report back to him.

When Robby came back to leave and asked her, she knew wouldn’t work, because she needs to get info on Silver.

But after Daniel got hurt, Tory felt a mix of guilt making him a part of this, lying to everyone, especially Robby, deceiving people with mysterious notes, letting Silver expand his dojos. But when she told this to Kreese, she was very thrown off on how inconsiderate he was.

When Tory and the senseis took over Topanga Karate, she ended up teaching Devon. She was confused by her combative behaviors, but she brought her late mother dying from illness, she was to able to sympathize with her.

When the senseis made her fight Devon, she tried to go easy on her, but Sensei Kim made her go harder. But every time she did, she felt sorry for hurting this poor girl who just want to live up to her mother’s words.

When Devon joined Cobra Kai, Tory was worried for what Cobra might do her.

Training with Kim and Devon, Tory tries to set a good example to Devon, but to no avail. When Devon questioned how she defended her, Tory just express showing how that’s a good leader.

When the Sekkai Taikai came around, and finding out the effects of these events, Tory asked for advice on what to do. But Kreese just refuse to help her, the image of what Tory thought had shattered. She realized this betrayal, led to the belief that she has nobody.

When she found out the match was rigged again, Tory isn’t willingly to feel like faker again and leave the dojo.

After both dojo got into the Sekkai Talkai, Tory was finally decided to come clean to Sam about the cheating. But with Sam not giving her a chance, Tory feels like she had nothing but Cobra Kai as a place to go.

When Robby showed up and tried to convince the students to see who Silver as the terrible man he is. Tory struggled to hide with the guilt of not listening to Robby and not showing her agreement of the argument of fear out of getting found out.

After the training for the day, Tory was ask to stay back and punch a solid dummy. With no way out, Tory risk breaking her hand in order to avoid further punishment.

But when Kim was tormenting her with her love for Robby, this anger her and try to hit her, but hit the stone instead. This sent Tory to the ground in fear, pain, and regret.

When Tory was icing her hand, the most unexpected visit happened from the person she wouldn’t expect to see her, Sam. Tory already knows how Sam feels about this, so she tried to push her away, but when Sam told her, she wants to talk. Tory hesitantly let her in. There, she let of all her pain, guilt, regret, fear, feeling of being a fraud, and her disappointment to Sam. But when Sam told her about Stingray, she realized what chances they have.

Despite her feelings and her injured hand, Tory put taking Cobra Kai down above all those things. She tries reason to why the other Cobra on how used they are. She also tried to apologize Devon for deceiving her.

After the defeat of Silver, Tory and Robby get back together, Tory wanted to have the good things first, before going into the difficult ones.

Conclusion:

Sam and Tory are very flawed characters, but have very strong redeeming qualities to them. Sam is a drama magnet, but deep down she’s just trying to be a decent person, who struggles with life. Tory is a girl with very deep psychological issues due to her past. But deep down she’s a very strong, caring, hard working, and sweet person.

#sam larusso #tory nichols #Cobra Kai #miyagi-do #mary mouser #peyton list

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taughtdefense · 3 months

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it’s way too hot to be training extensively right now, which is why your dad opted to have everyone take a break for the time being. your reusable water bottle is almost empty, & you’re too lazy to drive to a nearby convience store to get a plastic water bottle. despite mr. larusso initially being on board with your mom's idea of trying shochu-geiko, she backtracked seeing that temperature only continue to increase; mr. larusso agreed that it’s way too hot & stuffy to try shochu-geiko, something that both surprised & secretly relieved you. so for now, you're currently laying next to robby underneath the tree at miyagi do, trying to resist the urge to run your hand through robby’s hair. maybe @taughtpain wouldn’t appreciate it, because it’s too hot. you’re mostly trying to conserve your energy.

your spell of tranquility is broken by the increasingly loud chatter of your friends—& some recent ex-cobra kai students turned miyagi-fang.

hawk walks into the dojo from the side gate, & jesus christ, his fucking hair. it’s like an american flag shit all over it. you actually sit up from where your back is resting on the bark of the tree, eyes wide. hawk moves further into the dojo.

yep. okay. it’s a medical fact that hallucinations are a sign of heat stroke. maybe the first sign of yours comes in the form of your best friend having his hair fashioned into an american flag—stars & all.

❝ holy shit, my love, ❞ you blurt out, nudging robby’s shoulder gently to get him to open his eyes. ❝ look. ❞ you urge, then point towards hawk.

the laughter or shocked gasps that spill from your friends’ lips makes you grin. after getting to the middle of miyagi do over by the foot bridge, hawk immediately starts batting away charlie’s hands as the brunet tries to touch his new—absolutely batshit ridiculous—star-spangled hairdo.

❝ woah, that’s certainly a statement. ❞ calla laughs lightly, a huge grin on her lips. ❝ i didn’t think you’d actually do it, eli. ❞ demetri sounds equal parts shocked & amused. ❝ fuck you guys! ❞ hawk squawks. ❝ my hair isn’t that bad. ❞ he defends himself, his hands reaching up to touch the top of his hair.

you almost roll your eyes. yes, it really is that bad. the top of his hair looks so fucking fake.

❝ sorry, but it really is, hawk. ❞ emma seems to read your mind, laughing lightly. he turns to glare at her, which makes icarus immediately narrow his eyes slightly. hawk grunts & wisely looks away. he smacks merrick’s hand away as the younger tries to pose for a selfie—in the middle of chanting USA, USA, USA like a buffoon—his phone clatters loudly right into a bonsai plant, & those two begin bickering loudly. despite the brain-melting heat, you smile, amused.

❝ i’m going to blast the national anthem every time you walk by. ❞ you call over to hawk, laughing lightly. ❝ i’m sure you’d still be able to get a refund at party city! ❞ you quip after a moment, settling back next to robby, placing your hand—the one with your engagement ring—on top of his.

hawk cuts himself off mid-squabble with the youngest brown sibling. ❝ literally fuck you, wilson! ❞ hawk huffs, turning around to glare at you, his arms crossing over his chest. ❝ wilson-keene. ❞ you & your friends chorus automatically, correcting him. you still get a little giddy from being called that—you’d only just changed your name last week. you do plan on making it legal at some point.

❝ i’ll pass. i’m definitely not interested in you like that. ❞ you deadpan. hawk’s face heats up in anger. god, sometimes he wonders how you don’t get sick of your own shit, or where on earth you managed to quip so effectively.

well, that answer is pretty obvious to you, & to your friends who are aware of you in your alternate lives. you had a good teacher on how to be so chaotic: that would be wade.

miguel & tory, who had just walked into the dojo from the other side of the double doors, are holding hands, clad in their gis. they both pause in front of the doors, staring at him with wide eyes, & miguel squeezes sam’s hand. ❝ dude, your hair. ❞ he blurts out with wide eyes. hawk spins around to glare at him. ❝ yes, i know, bro, it’s a shock. bold statement. what-fucking-ever. let’s just move on. ❞

miguel chuckles lightly, leading sam & tory over underneath the tree where you & robby are residing. as she settles underneath the shade, tory kisses robby’s cheek in greeting.

❝ i don’t know how any of us can. ❞ you respond brightly, automatically. tory laughs lightly, automatically looking over at sam to gauge her fiancée’s reaction. fed up with your shit, hawk grunts in annoyance, jambing a thumb towards to the larger, currently unoccupied sparring deck.

❝ if you make one more comment about my hair, ethan, i’m going to kick your ass. we’re going to fight. ❞ he declares. you don’t say anything immediately. you just lean forward to gently kiss robby for a few moments. you clearly want to kiss him more, but you have another matter to attend to right now. of course, you push the proverbial envelop. because you’re you.

you pull away from robby, flashing hawk your best shit-eating grin. ❝ your hair is gonna distract me so much i won’t be able to take you seriously. ❞ you warn him.

hawk huffs, taking a few menacing steps towards you. you don’t react, merely lacing your fingers with robby’s, your other tangling with sam’s unoccupied hand. ❝ that’s it. sam, tory, miguel, robby, i’m going to beat your fiancé into a pulp. ❞ he only sounds half serious. you perk up slightly, while seth & chase, who are standing with the rest of the group, exchange amused looks with one another.

❝ twenty bucks says eth’s going to absolutely destroy him. ❞ seth tosses the bet out there, already pulling out his wallet, mostly for show. it succeeds in annoying hawk a little more. chase nods in agreement, clearly thinking back to your fight with silver. ❝ i’ll take that action. ❞ he chuckles, fist-bumping his brother-figure.

you smirk, leaning over to kiss robby again sweetly, just because you can. you ignore the wolf whistles from chris & luffy, the slight laughter from dami, the cooing from cosette as you continue to kiss robby, the amused, slightly exaggerated eye roll you can sense from theo.

❝ once you two are done locking lips, ❞ hawk calls out, annoyance in his tone, ❝ let’s fucking do this, eth. ❞ you flat-out grin into the kiss with robby, not wanting to pull away until he does, even though you have a certain star-spangled best friend to fight.

#taughtpain #in character. / season 6.#main verse.: miyagi fang. — ❝ i ached for warmth & peace. the universe laughed at me. ❞

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adamwatchesmovies · 7 months

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The Next Karate Kid (1994)

The first film in the Karate Kid series not to feature Ralph Macchio has convincing performances and enough heart to make it the kind of sequel that’s not quite good but still possibly worth recommending to little girls. They might respond to it better than the original film. Maybe. Ultimately, all of the good in The Next Karate Kid is counterbalanced by its cartoonish villains. Combined with the all-too-familiar elements and you've got a film with limited appeal.

While reconnecting with the widow of an old friend, Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita) is introduced to her granddaughter, Julie (Hillary Swank). To help the high schooler deal with the anger of losing her parents and the bullies at school, Miyagi takes her under his wing.

Let’s start with the pros. This is Hillary Swank’s first theatrical appearance in a starring role and she’s great. She and Miyagi have terrific chemistry - more than enough to make you forget about Danny once the plot gets going. She handles the fight and stunt sequences well. Morita also surprises us in the unusually numerous amount of scenes that call for Mr. Miyagi to fight. Though there are ultimately more missed opportunities than payoffs in this gender-swapped scenario, any scenes with Miyagi and Julie warm your heart. The two take an excursion about halfway through the film to a Buddhist monastery to deal with Julie’s anger and learn about the true ways of karate. I'd call it the best scene but for a different viewer, it might be the one in which Miyagi teaches Julie to dance to get ready for prom.

On the negative side, when the writing gets bad, it's so awful you'll start thinking things you were never supposed to think of. You’d expect a female villain to go up against our female protagonist, but no. The film’s most prominent baddie is Ned Randall (Michael Cavalieri). I wasn’t able to find out when he was born so I’m not sure how old he was during filming but he looks 30. With his gang of dudebros always harassing Julie, waiting for her in the dark and chasing after her during the school after-hours, he looks like a serial killer rapist. Grown men leering at Julie is a bit of a recurring motif throughout the film, which makes it even more uncomfortable. It’s like there are racists and abusive men around every corner: at the gas station, the bowling alley, the school…

Assuming that Ned is supposed to be roughly Julie’s age - and not some creep who’s been held back for the larger part of a decade - he would be placed second in the list of “most heinous characters” in this film. The gold medal goes to Colonel Paul Dugan (Michael Ironside). The man’s a straight-up psychopath; bullying Julie nearly as much as his head crony does and taking any opportunity to strike his students or break them mentally. At one point, Julie has started a bit of a relationship with a boy named Eric (Chris Conrad). While at practice with the Colonel, Eric is called away to speak to his mother (actually, Julie pretending to be his mother) on the office phone. The Colonel tells him if he leaves, he’s off the team. For taking a call from his mom? What? And he proclaims this in front of the school secretary. What sort of Ironside grip does he hold over this establishment that he can go around doing whatever he wants, including setting up late-night Mortal Kombat-style death matches with his students?

As a whole, The Next Karate Kid is unmemorable and unnecessary. There’s so much that could’ve been done with the fact that teenage girls are usually bullied in a very different way than boys, or Miyagi getting to care for a girl after losing his daughter years ago. Instead, there’s a subplot early on about Julie taking care of an injured bird that feels like it was added just to fill time and make this different from the original. Well, this is different alright; The Karate Kid is great. This is mediocre at best. (January 21, 2022)

#The Next Karate Kid #the Karate Kid #movies #films #movie reviews #film reviews #Christopher Cain #Mark Lee #Noriyuki “Pat” Morita #Hillary Swank #Michael Ironside #1994 movies #1994 films

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quicksilver-babeyy · 3 years

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First Kiss Headcanons Part Two

Characters included : Sam Larusso, Miguel Diaz

It was after the fight she had with Tory at Mr Miyagi's house and she couldn't stop shaking, you weren't share whether it was from fear, adrenaline or even both but what was undeniable was that she couldn't stop crying.

As you held her in your arms she whispered how she wanted things to go back to normal, but she didn't know how to and she felt completely powerless at the moment.

You stroked her hair gently and rubbed her back comfortingly as you spoke softly to her, reassuring her that things would eventually get better and you kept telling her that she was strong enough to get through this.

That is until she pulled away from your embrace and looked deep into your eyes with admiration, she had a smile that could go unnoticed by everybody else but not you. You always paid close attention to her and she knew that.

She slowly leaned in closer to you as she whispered in an almost enamoured tone, how she wouldn't be able to get through bad moments if it weren't for you being there. Then she closed her eyes and pulled in for a soft kiss.

Just from the way she kissed you you knew she had wanted to do this for a long time already, she was also sure of it since no one else's lips had made her feel this way. Not Miguel's, not Robby's not anybody else's. It was addicting the feeling of your soft lips against her chapped ones.

She pulled away and rested her forehead against yours, her eyes were still closed but you noticed her expression had relaxed unlike some minutes ago when she came crying to you. Almost begging for your comfort and affections.

“I like you...no! I love you more than I've ever loved anybody else, I have wanted to say that for so long but I never had the courage until now. I know it's not a very appropriate moment to tell you this but it doesn't matter anymore”

“You're everything I need and more now and forever, so will you do me the honour of being my s/o?” she continued asking in a hopeful tone, then she noticed the way your eyes lit up when she confessed to you.

You simply kissed her once again and she couldn't help but smile against your lips, knowing she finally was with the person who had never given up on her no matter what. The person who she had always reserved a big part of her heart for, you.

The All valley tournament was just around the corner and that had left Miguel feeling more anxious than ever, he came to you in search for relaxation with the person he adored the most in the entire world. When you opened the door and smiled at him he melted completely.

He simply wrapped his tense arms around you as he slowly felt his body relax, it still hurt but it seemed like your hugs were healing to him. He let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding in, he closed his eyes and breathe in your familiar scent.

You hugged him back and let him inside the house without letting go off of him, since you couldn't cause the boy clinged onto you like a koala. You decided to ask him if he wanted to maybe watch a movie with you, he answered with a simple positive hum.

You played one of his favourite movies trying to see if it would catch his attention but it didn't, he was more focused on cuddling you instead. He seemed rather sleepy unlike other times he had visited you, also way more quiet than normal so you asked what was going on.

He finally tells you how training, his mom and sensei Lawrence dating, and the whole dojo war was getting too stressful for him so he just wanted to forget about it. And when he thought on who he found peace in he thought about you.

You felt bad for him so you simply let him relax not noticing that he was now looking at you, he couldn't help but get lost in your eyes or wonder how your lips would feel against his. He tried to not think about it but when you'd smile at him or laugh at a joke in the movie he would do it again.

Eventually he sat up and looked away for a bit taking a deep breath and he seemed to think about something, until he turned back to you with a determined look on his face and he leaned in giving you a kiss which you quickly reciprocated.

You pulled him closer by the collar of his shirt with one hand and played with his soft hairl locks with your other hand, he wrapped his arms around your waist to keep you in place and after some seconds you both pulled away from the kiss to breathe.

“I'm sorry I kissed you out of nowhere I just...I have to admit that I have feelings for you, although it's probably pretty obvious by now. So I wanted to know if you'd like to be my s/o?” He asked in fake tone of confidence, which you could see through mostly due to his shaky voice and him looking away shyly.

You smiled and nodded accepting his confession he smiled brightly and his eyes seemed to be full of excitement, immediately he covered your face in lots of kisses making you giggle which he found adorable. After that you two spend the entire day cuddling.

Wow, it felt nice to know that could call you his s/o and be able to kiss you whenever he wanted to. Which was basically all the time, damn he was genuinely whipped for you.

-------------------------------------------------------

Note : I might make another part of these with more characters.

#miguel diaz x reader #miguel diaz imagine #Miguel Diaz headcanons #sam larusso x reader #sam larusso imagine #sam larusso headcanons #cobra kai x reader #cobra kai imagine

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emletish-fish · 2 years

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So I'm partly sending this just to say that I really love your CK fics and you've captured all the characters so well and they're EXCELLENT!!!!!!! But I also wanted to ask you something about Daniel, and that is - why doesn't he have any sympathy for the kids in Cobra Kai? Like I get that a lot of it's to do with his KK3 trauma, and also his issues with Johnny, but aside from a warning to Miguel near the start there's basically no sympathy, no real attempt to reach out, and I always wondered why? Considering he knows EXACTLY how Cobra Kai can get into your head, he doesn't extend any concern to any of the teens and I don't know whether it's just his KK3 trauma in general or whether it's because he feels the kids should know better automatically or some other reason, and I'm interested to know what your take on it is.

Firstly, thank you so much!

I'm so glad you enjoyed my fics!

Cobra Kai is such a fun sandpit to play in.

Now, onto Daniel.

I'm not sure I would rate Daniel not reaching out to Cobra Kai kids as character flaw exactly, especially considering he has no relationship or connection with any of them aside from Aisha (and later Robby).

Like, it would be kinda inappropriate for Daniel to start up an awkward conversation with hawk or bert or any kid he doesn't know to tell them of the evils of Cobra Kai. Who is Daniel to them? some random toyota salesman they see on billboards.

Also it would have been tricky even with the one kid he does know - Aisha. Lowkey, judging from Aisha's mom's attitude to Daniel at the Country Club in season 2 - that relationship is frosty. Aisha herself is actually not at all negative to Daniel until he starts insulting cobra kai in youtube videos - so there is a window in which he could have reached out to her, but during that time she and Sam are at odds, so you know, it would have been tricky.

in the beginning, Daniel prefers to 'save' the cobra kai kids by fighting Johnny and/or Kreese, and using subterfuge to try and get the dojo closed down. I think there is three things in general that affect Daniel's choices here.

The Ghost of Miyagi - no bad student, only bad teacher. Daniel is more comfortable tackling what he sees as the source of the problem - the teacher. So his efforst are directed at the adults and the dojo as a business.

Also, Mr Miyagi never once reached out to any of the Cobra Kai kids or tried to influence them in any way. He stopped them from hurting Daniel by kicking the shit out of them and he stopped Kreese from murdering one of them and then peaced-out. That was the end of his involvement with Johnny and co. He did not take any kind of duty-of-care upon himself or see it as his place to 'save' them, even though he clearly recognised the toxicity of their environment and that they weren't inherently bad kids and you know, that whole attempted murder/blatant child abuse thing he knew was going on. Mr Miyagi was a pacifist who espoused non-intervention. Daniel is following the example of his beloved mentor.

(PLS - I know fandom likes to put Mr Miyagi on this impossible pedastal - but he really was just some guy. He was a wonderful man. he was wise and kind. but he wasn't perfect or all knowing. He had such a wonderful connection to daniel, but he didn't see it as 'his mission' to rid the valley of CK. He only gave a shit when they were messing with Daniel.)

Personal precedent -

you speak of Daniel's experience with how Cobra Kai can get into a kids head, but I actually think it makes him almost less likely to reach out to the kids; because he will focus in on Cobra Kai as The Problem.

Remember Daniel learned CK as a solo student, so he doesn't get the camaderie/friendships that can keep kids in Cobra Kai. They wont see it as A Problem when it is solving the other bigger problems in the their lives. Kenny is being horribly bullied. Tory's life is just horrible in general. Robby is getting back at his Dad.

(Johnny, you numbnuts. Robby's rebellions are so specifically you-related. He's learning karate from people you despise - not taking up an ill-advised flirtation with vaping -

Sidenote PSA: don't vape kids.)

For kids like Robby, Kenny and Tory, there is an upside to Cobra Kai. As Robby said, it's helping him get what he wants.

(Was it, Robby? Was it really? Cause, and this is just me, but I kinda get the feeling that you wanted something else rather than aggressive indoctrination, you know?)

But, anyway, these kids will be much less receptive to the whole 'Cobra Kai is evil' thing that Daniel has going on, because they see Cobra Kai as helpful.

(But you, know, they're kids with limited world experience, who've experienced injustice, have anger issues and are lashing out to get back/assert control over their lives etc).

Daniel doesn't see the wider problems most of these kids are dealing with. He doesn't 'get' what drives them to Cobra Kai in the first place. There had to be a whole subterfuge hoopla with attempted murder and rape threats in KK3 before Daniel even considered going to CK, so the idea that someone would just walk through the door willingly isn't going to jive for Daniel.

Also Daniel had Mr Miyagi and his Mom. He such a loving and supportive parental figures to guide him, so he will take that into how he views the situation. He probably unconciously assumes most of the kids in CK will have an adult to guide them.

So in Daniel's mind all he has to do is get rid of CK and their problems will be solved.

Cobra Kai was the biggest problem for young Daniel and once it was gone from his life - he was fine. completely fine. he doesn't need therapy. he does breathing excerises. He did cobra kai and it was bad, but then he has Mr Miyagi and everything was fine again.

Daniel's black and white thinking -

Daniel has really black and white thinking. He's pretty uncompromising when it comes to anything Miyagi or Cobra Kai related. This is a mindset he is only just beginning to grow from at the end of season 4, and even then I would argue that he still sees Cobra Kai as Eviiiil but has come around to begrudgingly seeing some benefit in Johnny's EF style.

Side-note: That said, I think it is important to point out that while Daniel can be hypocritical, Daniel isn't wrong about CK. Cobra Kai indoctrinates kids into an unhealthy, authoritarian and violent world view. Some of the teachings like the emphasis on strength and power, using violence to get your way, the whole might-is-right thing, the disdain for showing any kind of vulnerability are low-key entries to fascism. Cobra Kai indoctrinates kids into a way of life and then It ruins those lives.

Daniel might believe in no bad student in theory, but he also sees anyone associated with CK as bad. Just look at the drastic change in his attitude to Robby as soon as he is in CK. And Robby is a kid he actually knows very well. Look at how he treats Hawk when Hawk is sincerely trying to make amends in early season 4. Look at how rude his to Carmen's face about Miguel at the start of their double date based solely on the AVT.

(oh Carmen you are a more patient and gracious woman than I would be.)

When kids are 'worthy' of his help - they get it in spades. So the kids who defect from CK in season 2 get lavished with positivity and welcoming when they first join. But when kids are 'unworthy' they get completely written off.

Why are you even helping this girl? Daniel asks Amanda. He truly cannot see any benefit in helping Tory. Daniel's black and white thinking = After everything she's done, she doesn't deserve their help.

Oh but Tory needs it. She needs an adult who is not a total snake so badly. And that's a seperate point, but it is one I think is interesting and I hope the show expands on it.

Amanda is intervening directly, something which is against the Myagi teachings. But she is also doing so without violence and through showing genuine care and wanting a better outcome for both girls.

Ultimately, I think Amanda will be more successful in ending the girl's rivalry that Daniel. But treating Tory as a person and showing her understanding, she is laying the first bricks on the road to peace. Daniel's method - to badger Sam about taking the high-road while getting deeper and deeper into a karate war and training her to beat up this girl at a tournament was always going to get mixed results at best).

But yeah, the shorter version is that I don't think Daniel sees the current crop of Cobra Kai students as 'worthy' of his help.

And they wont be until the renounce Cobra Kai and come back to the light.

Even Robby gets this treatment, and he's the kid Daniel is most invested in besides Sam. (Sorry anthony).

This puts the onus of reaching out on the kid, not daniel.

Sam is very much echoing Daniel when she says to Robby:

you made your choice.

Finally, I wrote a different meta about Daniel's story isn't really about his relationship with kids. It's about his need to fight 'the snake'. He has his whole attention focused on the monster terrorising children that he completely loses sight of the children in his care. Even his own daughter (the relationship he is arguably the most invested in) doesn't feel seen by him.

There is always going to be less focus on interpersonal relationships with Daniel's arc. He's preoccupied with the monster he hates rather than the people he loves.

TL:DR

I think it is a mixture of the influence of Miyagi, Daniel's personal experiences and his black and white thinking that prevent him from actively reaching out to the students in Cobra Kai. Daniel thinks it is sufficient to 'save' the kids by getting rid of Cobra Kai without any knowledge of the complexities of their lives and the how the challenges they face can push them into embracing Cobra Kai.

But I give him a pass for that because he has not personal connection to any of these kids (aside from Robby and Aisha).

I think the way Daniel's black and white thinking affect how he treats/uses children directly under his duty of care is a much more valid thing to criticize him for. I actually don't have a problem with him not directly reaching out to any CK students (aside from Robby, but you know, those attempts did not go well).

Thanks for the ask!

#Emletish Answers #Daniel Larusso #Mr Miyagi #Daniel Larusso and his raw and unprocessed grief #Daniel Larusso's black and white thinking patterns #I gotta a lot of affection for Daniel as a character #I'm kinda excited to see his unhinged arc #but he's on a monster fighting arc and so he has less focus on the children in his care #which is its own kind of tragedy #but I wont criticize him for not interferring with children he doesn't know #cause that's socially inappropriate #Robby Keene #eli hawk moskowitz #Tory nichols #Amanda Larusso #Aisha Robinson #Cobra Kai meta

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