Divided into three parts, "Cobra Kai" season 6 brings the best "Karate Kid" project to date to a conclusion -- though not necessarily the end, given the creators' stated desire to set up a spin-off centered on beloved "Karate Kid" sensei Mr. Miyagi (the late Pat Morita, with Brian Takahashi playing the character's younger iteration in "Cobra Kai"). The show is known for honoring its past in general and the actors from the original "Karate Kid" movie trilogy in particular, and the final season is no exception. The first episode of "Cobra Kai" season 6 part 2, titled "Benvinguts a Barcelona," features a touching tribute for Chad McQueen, who plays Johnny Lawrence's (William Zabka) fellow Cobra Kai student Dutch in "The Karate Kid" (1984) and its 1986 sequel, "The Karate Kid II."

McQueen died on September 11, 2024 at age 63, while "Benvinguts a Barcelona" was released just two months later on November 15. That means that the show paid tribute to the actor the first chance it got with a credits card showing an image of McQueen's character with the actor's name, years of birth and death, and the time-honored slogan: "Cobra Kai never dies."