MovieChat Forums > Cobra Kai (2018) Discussion > Johnny's Side of the Story

Johnny's Side of the Story


When Johnny was telling Miguel his version about what happened between him, Daniel and Ali I figured one of three scenarios was true.

1) Johnny was lying about some things, and leaving out other important details.
2) Over the years there was some revisionist history within Johnny's head about the events that lead to his defeat at the All Valley Tournament. Johnny was able to convince himself over the years that this is what happened, and now he believes it.
3) This is how he always felt like it went down, even when it was happening, no matter how much evidence there was to the contrary.

Of course the whole thing was just a nod to the internet theories that Daniel was the actual bully, and the ridiculousness of that.

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The thing is, Johnny truly did see himself as the wronged party.

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It's not that ridiculous. I watched the movie today, paying attention to who initiates the fights, and how Johnny truly acts, behaves, and what are his motivations, and it is a shocking truth; Daniel is the instigator in all those encounters!

He butts in a thing that has nothing to do with him - a lovers' quarrel, if you will. He defies the order of a boyfriend (or slightly ex) of the owner of the 'radio', by not only touching it, but taking it and coming uncomfortably close with it, while knowing both parties are irritated already.

He meddles with something that has nothing to do with him. When he's rightfully warned (with the push), Daniel wrongfully escalates the situation and starts attacking. Johnny only DEFENDS himself, just by letting Daniel charge into the sand. Daniel indeed suckerpunches Johnny, before Johnny does anything actually violent against Daniel.

Before this happens, Daniel has tried to punch Johnny several times, and successfully at least once. How much should he have been given leeway before an already angry boyfriend of a girl is allowed to fight back?

Daniel was a crazy, childish hothead and instigator and aggressor. Then he wonders why he got attacked. Gee, whizz.

It's EXACTLY like Johnny says.. "You couldn't leave well-enough alone, could you?" (I am paraphrasing)

_IF_ Daniel hadn't attacked with the shower (why would he even do that anyway?), he would've been completely safe, and Johnny wouldn't have gone after him. He could also have accepted the football tackle more gracefully instead of attacking like an angry pitbull.

What's ridiculous about saying that Daniel is the aggressor - when factually, that's exactly what he was? (Maybe calling him a 'bully' is a bit misleading, though)

It was not a nod to any internet theories, it was the MORE TRUTHFUL retelling of the story, than anything the movies ever did.

It also shows us that Cobra Kai members were human beings, too, and some got badly hurt because of Miyagi.

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"He butts in a thing that has nothing to do with him - a lovers' quarrel, if you will."

Johnny was engaging in criminal behavior, i.e., harassment, theft, and vandalism. Any citizen has a right to "butt in" on criminal behavior.

"He defies the order of a boyfriend (or slightly ex) of the owner of the 'radio', by not only touching it, but taking it and coming uncomfortably close with it, while knowing both parties are irritated already."

LOL at that. Johnny had no authority to give orders in the first place, which makes his "order" irrelevant.

"He meddles with something that has nothing to do with him. When he's rightfully warned (with the push)"

"Rightfully warned"? Is that a joke? That was assault and battery, i.e., more criminal behavior on Johnny's part; violent criminal behavior no less.

"Daniel wrongfully escalates the situation and starts attacking."

Another joke? Daniel was the victim of a crime (assault and battery), and when you've been assaulted, you're legally and morally justified in defending yourself.

"Daniel indeed suckerpunches Johnny"

There's no such thing as a "sucker punch" when you are fighting in self-defense, obviously.

"Before this happens, Daniel has tried to punch Johnny several times, and successfully at least once. How much should he have been given leeway before an already angry boyfriend of a girl is allowed to fight back?

Daniel was a crazy, childish hothead and instigator and aggressor. Then he wonders why he got attacked. Gee, whizz."

You're an idiot. See above.

"_IF_ Daniel hadn't attacked with the shower (why would he even do that anyway?), he would've been completely safe, and Johnny wouldn't have gone after him."

Daniel was in the wrong there, but spraying someone with water from a hose isn't exactly an "attack," it's a prank.

"He could also have accepted the football tackle more gracefully instead of attacking like an angry"

It wasn't a tackle, it was intentional illegal contact (specifically, it was a trip):

"The illegal contact in Law 12 includes [improper] charges, jumps, kicks or attempts to kick, pushes, strikes or attempts to strike (including head-butt), [improper] tackles or challenges, and trips or attempts to trip [an opponent]."

Intentionally tripping someone is also assault and battery.

"What's ridiculous about saying that Daniel is the aggressor - when factually, that's exactly what he was?

It was not a nod to any internet theories, it was the MORE TRUTHFUL retelling of the story, than anything the movies ever did. "

Again, you're an idiot (see above).

"It also shows us that Cobra Kai members were human beings, too, and some got badly hurt because of Miyagi."

Once again, they were engaging in criminal activity (assault and battery again, a particularly severe case of it in this instance) and Mr. Miyagi acted in Daniel's defense and then in self-defense (the use of force is legally justified in the defense of oneself or of others). Originally, the only thing Mr. Miyagi did was push Daniel out of the way of Johnny's kick, then he just stood there. But instead of walking away unharmed at that point like they were free to do, they decided to attack a little old man, and Mr. Miyagi rightly acted in self-defense. Every strike/throw that Miyagi dealt was a counter to an attack that they dealt first. Anyone who gets injured by someone who was acting in self-defense has only himself to blame.

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It takes place in the same episode in which Daniel's mom visits. In fact, I think it's the scene immediately before/after Johnny tells his side of things that Daniel gets called out on saying he got pushed down a cliff when it was really a hill. So I think they were showing that, over the years, both characters have exaggerated or twisted the things that happened to them

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I believe you to be correct

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The funny thing is Johnny story pretty much copies this YouTube video, "Daniel Was The Real Bully":-
https://youtu.be/C_Gz_iTuRMM

Which was made 5 years ago pre-dating the show! I guess it's even possible it was the inspiration for making the series with the angle it has...

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It was indeed the inspriation for the series having this angle as well as the How I met your mother scenes.

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I think I stand corrected here - I've never watched How I Met Your Mother but having just read up on their Karate Kid angle now, it seems that probably pre-dates and itself inspired the YouTube clip I mentioned...

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People often see themselves as being in the right even when they bully others.

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