Cobra Kai season 6 episode 13 recap: Kreese tries to right wrongs

There are only a few more episodes left of Cobra Kai season 6, but the good news is there's still plenty more karate-filled action to come in the Netflix series, as we see in Cobra Kai season 6 episode 13, "Skeletons."

This episode officially returns us to the big Sekai Taikai tournament — this time, taking place right there in the Valley — and the hyped-up final showdown between Robby Keene (Tanner Buchanan) and Axel Kovačević (Patrick Luwis).

But all of that bone-breaking action is interspersed with some of the season's most intensely emotional scenes, as John Kreese (Martin Kove) returns to the Valley to make amends with several of his former Cobra Kai pupils. Is Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) ready to really confront his past?

Here's everything that went down in Cobra Kai season 6 episode 13.

Kreese makes amends

Tory Nichols (Peyton List) is at home watching Sekai Taikai coverage when a knock at her door brings an apologetic Kreese: "I failed you as a sensei back in Barcelona. I treated you like you were some kind of soldier in my own private war. I regret letting you down." Kreese tells her that Cobra Kai will no longer be fighting in the tournament; he only signed off on the championship so that she could fight in it. He says he's always been proud of her and bids his final, tearful farewell. But he still has one last thing he has to do before it's ultimately time for him to step aside.

That one last thing is making good with Johnny, who he confronts in the parking lot (doesn't he know they don't have the best of luck in that particular setting?) outside the Sekai Taikai. "I'm sorry that I ruined Cobra Kai. I was so proud of you for bringing it back," Kreese tells him, before apologizing for his cruelty back in 1984 after Johnny's loss in the All-Valley. But Johnny isn't quick with his forgiveness, saying he needs to go coach Robby inside.

However, after a stirring conversation with Daniel (Ralph Macchio), Johnny finds the strength to face Kreese and unleashes all of the hurt and abandonment he's been feeling these last three decades: "You threw me away like trash right when I needed you most! You have no idea what those years were like, I trusted no one, least of all myself! All because of you." Both in tears, Kreese embraces him and tells him he wishes there was a way to make it up to him. "Maybe there is," Johnny proclaims.

Robby battles Axel at the Sekai Taikai

Our first rematch is between Robby and Axel, the star of the Iron Dragons team led by Sensei Wolf (Lewis Tan) and funded by Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith). With his health prognosis not looking promising, Silver especially wants a win here, which prompts some harsh coaching from Wolf: "Make him fear for his life," he instructs Axel.

And Axel does, with fresh moves that, unfortunately for Robby, were not part of Hawk and Demitri's FIGHT training program in the last episode. "He's a machine, it's like he reprogrammed himself," Robby worries to his senseis. But a good pep-talk from Daniel about all of his resilience gets him confidently back on the mat.

It's neck and neck, until Robby gets seriously injured on the mat. After what happened with Axel's last challenger — the now deceased Kwon (Brandon H. Lee) — everyone is understandably concerned. Miguel (Xolo Maridueña) and the rest of Miyagi-Do questions whether Axel did it on purpose under the direction of Sensei Wolf.

Back in the locker room, medics tell Robby that his broken knee is too damaged to continue. He asks for a minute alone — "I could have won. It sucks the world will never know that," he tells his dad. But instead of focusing on the things he lost, he says he's going to focus on everything he's gained: his friendships, his romance with Tory, his relationship with Johnny.

With Robby now out, Axel will automatically be named the boys' champion if Cobra Kai does not offer up another competitor to challenge him for the title.

Daniel fights his demons — literally

After what happened with Robby, Samantha (Mary Mouser) is uneasy about continuing the tournament with the girls' championship the following day. "I wish I had the answers for you, kiddo, but I'm still searching for some of them myself," Daniel tells her.

And indeed, that night, he dreams of Mr. Miyagi's teachings and fights a gang of skeleton-costumed assailants alongside his old sensei (a CGI-ed Pat Morita). He confronts Miyagi for all of the secrets he's seemingly been keeping from Daniel-san all these years. The answer in inside, Miyagi tells him: "No need to fight anymore."

The next morning at the breakfast table, Sam tells her dad she doesn't want to fight. Daniel assures her that he's not disappointed by her decision. "You're not giving up. You figured out something that I forget too often, the greatest victory karate can bring to you is not having to fight at all," he tells her.

There's a new Cobra Kai in town

Daniel might be okay with Samantha's decision, but Johnny is pretty pissed that their two finalists are now out of the tournament, crushing his dreams of winning the Sekai Taikai.

However, his mourning period is graciously cut short — as part of Kreese's atonement, he has given the reins of the Cobra Kai dojo back to Johnny, with Miguel switching teams to become the new male challenger against Axel. With Daniel and Chozen's (Yuji Okumoto) support and ACDC cranking over the speakers, the men slow-mo enter the arena in their new gi, to the shock of Sensei Wolf, Terry Silver and the rest of the attendees. Anybody else have chills?!

All episodes of Cobra Kai season 6 are now available to stream on Netflix.