COBRA KAI SEASON 4 SCREENPLAY

by EightiesPower

The next chapter in the Cobra Kai saga, meant to faithfully continue the creative vision set up in the show. Impatient to see if Johnny and Daniel will manage to set aside their differences to jointly stave off the threat posed by Kreese... and his old war buddy? How about giving this screenplay a go, then? Minimal description, 90% dialogue, a quick and entertaining read!

13. Episode 10 - The Finale

EPISODE X - THE FINALE

FADE IN

A MONTAGE - DAY

CUT TO the edge of the Miyagi-Do pond, as DANIEL's foot is placed beside it. Cut to a reverse shot of Daniel with one hand on his hip, a frown on his face and a pipe of a pond vacuum in his other hand. After regarding the murky pond for a second, he turns the vacuum on and, with a sigh, plunges the end of the pipe into the water...

CUT TO MIGUEL, in his gi, punching and kicking the air while standing on the one side of the pond's water platform, while on the opposite side, SAM has her chin and elbow propped up against the platform's edge, with the rest of her bikini-clad body submerged in the water. We see her gi laid out on a rock beside the shore. Miguel throws a few spinning high kicks, huffs, wipes the sweat off his forehead, then turns towards Sam, who observes him with a dreamy look.

MIGUEL

Alright, Sam, time to swap places.

SAM

Umm, I think I haven't quite cooled off just yet, but feel free to join me if you want.

MIGUEL

Join you for underwater karate? Now that would be something else...

SAM

There is underwater ballet, why not underwater karate? Shake things up a little for the All-Valley?

MIGUEL

Oh, I'm sure the girls' league would make a real... splash.

SAM

You mean like you're about to?

Miguel's eyes go wide with alarm as Sam pushes herself off the platform, then does a 360 degree backflip in the water and kicks the platform up with both legs, sending him tumbling into the pond.

CUT TO a close-up of a red flag being held up, and then rapidly swung down, revealing its holder to be TONY standing outside his apartment, as from his sides ROBBY and TORY advance on each other in their combat stances. Tony jumps back hurriedly as Tory throws the first hook kick, which Robby deflects with his elbow, for Tory to then spin in place and kick with her other leg, Robby dodging by stepping back, Tory now running up and launching into the air, throwing a front kick, which Robby sidesteps, to then tackle her from the back as she comes down, and shove her to the ground headlong while sweeping her up. Tory sticks out her elbow on her way down, and as Robby falls after her, his chest smashes into it, prompting him to roll off of her and to the side. At this point, Tory turns on the ground and pins his neck down, then turns again to get on top of him, only for Robby to get his left hand and thigh under her and, with a heave of his body, give her a push as she rolls onto his body, sending her tumbling to his other side, then in turn flinging himself on top of her. As he does so, she draws her thighs apart and then slams them to the sides of his waist, and with a spin of her lower body yanks him onto the ground next to her while his open palm pushes down into her shoulder, keeping her from gaining the upper ground. The two fighters appear to be held in a deadlock, with Tory's right hand stuck under Robby's side, her left hand seized by his right, and his waist immobilized by the grip of her legs.

ROBBY

(smirking) We gonna keep rollin' like this until we run out of the floor?

TORY

Only until someone comes out on top...

ROBBY

Well, hold your horses there. Your lil' bro's watching.

TORY

Sounds like you're getting ideas...

ROBBY

I just remember the last time you came out on top...

Tory's lips part, but instead of her answer, a high-pitched battle cry erupts from behind them, as, with the flag held out in front of him, Tony rushes them and pokes Robby in the armpit with the pointy tip. As Robby yelps in pain, Tory frees her arm, wraps it around his neck, and brings him down and under herself.

TORY

Thanks bro! (to Robby) Didn't see that Cobra Kai cheap shot coming, did you?

ROBBY

Son of a... You guys start with 'em young, don't you?

TORY

Never too soon to begin training...

Cut to the inside of Tory's apartment, where, standing at the window and watching them, we see...

KREESE

(holding a teacup in his hand) Won't you look at that?! It appears your son may well be prime Cobra Kai, material, Mrs Nichols.

MARY

(sitting in an armchair behind him with a cup of her own) It is enough... that you took one of my children.

KREESE

Well, forgive me, Mrs Nichols, but to the best of my recollection she came to the dojo of her own accord. And would you disagree with my claim that her training has made her stronger as a person?

MARY

Tory was always... the strong one... But I worry... if she makes good use of her strength now...

KREESE

From what I can see she's now using it to force her boyfriend into submission. Isn't that what a strong independent woman is supposed to be doing in this day and age?

MARY

(smiles in spite of herself) She learned... not to trust men to... (evidently struggling to recall the word)

KREESE

Protect her? (sullen look) That may well have been the right lesson to learn...

CUT TO HAWK unloading on a punching bag inside a gym, making it swing wildly with non-stop volleys of alternating strikes with his fist and his cast, an angry scowl on his face the entire time. As the bag tilts back over 45 degrees, he switches to spinning kick, first standing then jumping, twirling like a dervish, then finally throwing himself to the ground, and side-kicking the bag with both legs (raised V-like from the ground) in quick succession while spinning his torso on the ground, in a movement similar to the windmill breakdancing move. This double kick makes the bar from which the bag is suspended rock with a metallic clang. Hawk jumps back on his feet, headbutting the bag as it comes swinging back towards him, then he inspects his cast, now covered with thin cracks, nods with evident satisfaction, wipes his forehead, and walks off, throwing a back kick at the bag as a parting gift. We pan away from Hawk to a corner of the room until we see, cowering behind the lat pulldown machine, BRUCKS, watching Hawk with abject terror, bug-eyed and hyperventilating. Once Hawk moves sufficiently far away, Brucks breaths a sigh of relief, then carefully makes his way to the barbell bench, only for his brows to jolt up as he sees DEMETRI, reclining on it and engaged in bench-pressing, panting and red-faced...

CUT TO an even more red-faced visage of MANUEL, his eyes darting wildly in all directions, as he cries out, throwing his fist towards a wooden dummy rushing towards him. The dummy hits him in the belly with its jutting out leg first, sprawling him on the ground, but as it then swings above him, Manuel shoots out his hands and grabs onto the dummy, getting pulled back up by its upward momentum in the process. As the dummy goes down again, Manuel steps out of its path, to then slam his shoulder into its side, grapple it, and with an angry (and obscene) bellow yank at it, rip it out of the ceiling, and swing it mightily at another oncoming dummy, bursting the rubber ducky-stuffed bulge with the blow's impact.

Watching him from the outside of the Quicksilver Mangler stands TERRY SILVER, a gleeful smirk on his face as he begins clapping while Manuel regards the spilled duckies with an incredulous frown. We can now see that the scene takes place in some sort of dimly-lit abandoned warehouse.

SILVER

Good work, Manny boy! Thinkin' on your feet... and off them! Turn an enemy into a weapon! I like that!

MANUEL

(fuming) HOW THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT GONNA TEACH ME KUNG FU?!

SILVER

(indulging smile) Manny, Manny, to master a martial art you must first master your response to pain. Pain is inevitable, once you've learned to take it, only then do you have any business tryin' to give it. That's what this whole thing is for. You step inside it, you enter a microcosm of pain, with no choice but to adapt to it. And once you've adapted, then you can adopt it, make it yours, make it work for you.

MANUEL

(shaking his head) You're as fuckin' nuts as the rest of this town, Silver. (points his finger at him) But you may be the kind of nuts I fuckin' need right now.

SILVER

(shark grin) You wanna go down the seven circles of hell, you better have a Virgil at your side. (points at himself while mock-bowing) Well, this one is at your service... and he has such sights to show you...

CUT TO MIGUEL standing poised, as he watches DANIEL doing one-handed handstand on a rock in Miyagi-Do's garden. Daniel puffs, then attempts to kick his legs out, but the moment they sway from a fully vertical position, he loses balance, and rolls off the rock, falling into Miguel's arms, bringing them both down onto the ground. Miguel gasps as his back hits the earth.

DANIEL

(after a groan) Sorry, Miguel, really should've put a mat here first. So, anyway, that was Mr Miyagi's hardest move to pull off. Hope you managed to get the picture.

MIGUEL

(frowning, as he rubs his back) Don't worry about it, Sensei. And yes, I think I can see what you were going for. Completely forgot that Rob... that I saw it at the tournament.

DANIEL

(nods with a bit sullen expression) Well, I'm happy to have refreshed your memory then.

SAM

(watching them from the entrance to the Miyagi-Do dojo, with her arms crossed) Do I have to refresh your memory, dad?

DANIEL

No, Sam, I'm coming. (to Miguel, as he gathers himself up) I fear pulling double duty as a sensei is going to be the end of me.

MIGUEL

Well, you're not going to have to keep it up for long, Sensei.

DANIEL

Yeah, though I can't exactly say I'm looking forward to the day it's over either.

He walks off and follows Sam inside the dojo. We linger on Miguel for a moment as he regards the rock contemplatively. Cut to the inside, where Sam goes to a corner and leans down while Daniel enters. As his eyes turn towards her, she straightens up and holds a set of protectors out to him. Daniel's brow furrows at the sight. He points at himself questioningly. Sam nods, her head slightly cocked, her brows going up...

CUT TO TORY and ROBBY, as they head down a darkened street, most of the street lights out of order, towards an area walled off by an eight feet high corrugated metal sheet fence, topped with looping barbed wire. They stop in front of the fence, holding bags with spare clothes in their hands. On the other side of the fence, an outline of a ferris wheel looms.

TORY

(confused frown) That fence wasn't here before.

ROBBY

It looks like a prison wall.

TORY

Yeah, don't think scaling it would be worth it.

ROBBY

Right, there's probably a construction site on the other side.

TORY

Your bet's on a shopping mall or a parking lot?

ROBBY

(shrugs) Shopping mall, in this part of town? Besides, the wheel is still up.

TORY

Maybe they're gonna leave it as a shopper's attraction?

ROBBY

That rusted scarecrow? Would probably scare off more people than it'd attract. They're probably just waiting for someone to offer them a good deal for all that scrap.

TORY

(obviously unconvinced) Maybe. They must've figured it's worth a pretty penny judging by this wall.

ROBBY

That or they've moved something more valuable inside. (motions to a lidless manhole by the sidewalk) Guess we could check if there's another way in down there.

TORY

(snorts) Sure. Go ahead.

ROBBY

Ladies first. (on Tory's dubious look) Hey, why so squeamish? We've got spares!

TORY

Spares or not, anyone who sets foot down there is denied entry into my house. Forever.

ROBBY

Well, that's awfully bigoted against plumbers. Guess if Mario comes knockin', we'll have to tell him the princess is in another castle... or in another dojo.

Tory laughs, Robby quickly joining in, as we pan slowly towards the manhole, leading to an impenetrable darkness below, from whence the faintest scratching sound can be discerned, until we...

CUT TO a doctor's office, with Miguel, seated on a cot, intently studying an x-ray image of his spine, with a DOCTOR pointing out various sections of it with his felt-tip pen. The doctor then gives him a reassuring pat on the shoulder and Miguel smiles gratefully. We cut to Miguel exiting the office, the doctor watching him go with his smile fading and eyes narrowing. He grabs the photo, pens a number of circles in the spots he previously indicated to Miguel, then walks over to and puts the photo inside a fax machine. Cut to a swanky hotel room occupied by Terry Silver, as his fax machine pings. Silver checks the message, a grin erupting on his face. He then reaches for his phone and picks a number.

SILVER

(to the phone) I just got something I want our friends at Cobra Kai to see...

CUT TO a door to another doctor's office, as it bursts open, with Hawk walking out in a huff, his cast still on. We pan inside the office, where the DOCTOR and and ANASTASIA first look at him go with disturbed expressions, then shift their gazes towards each other, Anastasia giving him an appreciative nod...

CUT TO a junkyard, where the EAGLE FANG STUDENTS, along with NATE and the (other) ASIAN STUDENT are lined up before Hawk, who stands facing them with hands on his hips, doing his best sensei impression.

HAWK

(yelling in a somewhat grating voice) ALRIGHT, EVERYONE, LISTEN UP! We've been here before, we played wreckin' crew, we had fun. Well, now the time for fun is over, now we're gonna do what we didn't have the balls to do then, we're gonna take the fight to the enemy...

NATE

(suspicious frown) W-what enemy?

HAWK

(mischievous smirk) You'll see. (turns around, shouts at the BLACK EAGLE FANG STUDENT standing towards the far side of the junkyard with one end of a rope in his hand) DUANTE, SET 'EM LOOSE!

The students' eyes go wide as Duante yanks at the rope, the opposite end of which is tied to a latch in a kennel door, then sprints away towards them. He is followed by frenzied barking, which makes the students stir fearfully in their ranks. Meanwhile, Hawk assumes a fighting stance, winding up his cast-topped arm, his scowling glare unflinchingly directed at the view in front of him.

BERT

(panicked) I THINK IT'S TIME TO RUN!

MITCH

I DON'T WANNA GET A RABIES SHOT!

EAGLE FANG STUDENT

YOU BETTER BE WORRYIN' ABOUT YA BABIES, NOT RABIES!

MITCH

MY BABIES? WHAT BABIES?!

EAGLE FANG STUDENT

THE ONES YOU'RE PLANNIN' TO HAVE!

HAWK

(casting a brief angry glance at them) SHUT UP AND HOLD! EAGLES DON'T FEAR A BUNCH OF MUTTS! (turning back with a dogged expression) C'mon, fleabags, it's payback time!

Cut to a side view as the first of the onrushing dogs leaps with a foam-lined snarl out of the frame. We hear the swoosh of the swinging cast, followed by a pained whine, and then a roar, but one not of the canine variety...

CUT TO Demetri, his hair now noticeably longer, sitting motionless in front of a mirror, in what we recognize to be Moon's room, with MOON bending over him and applying make-up to his face. As she leans back up, studies his reflection with a satisfied smile, he motions to a pile of broken up feng shui figurines overflowing out of a waste basket. Moon shakes her head, a shiver running down her spine as her attention is drawn to the sight.

DEMETRI

Didn't work?

MOON

Oh, I think they worked too well in fact. That could have been me...

Demetri's brows arc up as Moon resumes her work without further explanation...

CUT TO a desert, where the familiar pickup stands among a few miserable-looking cacti, sand-covered, with gray tarp strung out over its bed. We pan to the bed, as from under it we hear a groan, followed by a hiss of an opened beer can, gulping, and a loud belch, then another groan, a sweeping sound accompanied by clanking of aluminum. Afterwards we see a number of crushed Coors cans get swept out the pickup bed and flung onto the ground, where they scatter in all directions. Then, belaboredly, from under the tarp emerges JOHNNY, dirty, disheveled, unshaven, with parched looking skin and chapped lips. Shielding his eyes from the sun, he stumbles away from the pickup, stomping on the cans as he goes, then comes to a halt some distance away, where a row of uncrashed cans stands upright. He carefully prods each of them in turn, until he arrives at one that appears lighter than the others. We hear his pants unzip, after which a yellow stream hits first the edge of the can, the liquid spraying around, then its opening, and we listen as the can fills up again. After a moment it overflows, and the stream is frantically shifted to another can, until it finally tapers off.

JOHNNY

(zipping his pants back up, under his breath) Gotta wonder how Kevin Costner made his piss drinkable in that water movie...

He walks off, stretching his bones, out of frame.

JOHNNY

... because I'm sure as hell not going the Bear Grylls route...

Cut to him walking up to a scarecrow-like structure made out of wooden boards nailed together. Draped over it is the...

... bullet hole ridden and crumpled up cutout of Kreese.

JOHNNY

(cracking his neck joint) ... but we do gotta stay in shape, now don't we, Sensei?

He spreads out his legs, raises his fists, and proceeds to unload on his makeshift practice dummy.

Cut to a close-up of a desert gecko sunbathing on a rock, its big-eyed head lifted. We shift to its POV as Johnny gives it a look while shaking his aching fists.

JOHNNY

(to the gecko) Son of a bitch this is painful! To think delicate Danny could do it and then come back for more! Kid was hell of a fighter back in the day, gotta give him that...

With a sigh, he renews the beatdown, while the gecko looks on, impassively. Suddenly our POV draws back, revealing the image of Johnny in training to constitute merely one piece of a larger mosaic, composed of all the scenes we have seen previously in the montage, now running concurrently. Each scene is framed in a shape resembling a scale on a reptile's skin, and as we keep panning back, we see that the mosaic takes the form of a coiled-up cobra, which now lifts its head, its hide glittering, and turns its ruby-red, slit-pupiled glare to us, bares its venom fangs, flicks its forged tongue, and opens its hood, bearing the yellow and black motif of Cobra Kai. As the creature hisses menacingly, now surrounded by a black void, the show's title is slashed onto the screen. After a moment it disappears, leaving just the cobra, as the hiss is followed by the sound of a flute, which leads the snake to engage in a rhythmic swaying movement, from one side to another. Then gradually, out of the darkness, holding the flute to his mouth, clad in a black gi, bearing a malicious smile, emerges...

CUT TO

EXT. WEST VALLEY SPORTS ARENA

We cut to the view of Daniel's car coming to a stop at a parking lot adjoining the arena. Out of it steps SAM, followed by MIGUEL and finally DANIEL, the former two bearing sports bags, the latter bearing an anxious look.

MIGUEL

(looking at a massive All-Valley 2019 banner draped over the arena's wall) Well, here we are. The last time I've been here sure feels like ancient history now. So much has happened...

SAM

Yeah, last time I've been here was as an audience member. Does feel like a different life almost.

MIGUEL

I'm sorry your mom won't be here to see your debut.

SAM

Oh I'm sorry for her. She's going to be on pins and needles for the whole tournament, I'm sure. Still can't believe dad managed to convince her not to come.

DANIEL

Well, I made her realize that without being able to bring weapons inside, she'd just be another source of worry for me if things go south. I've got enough people to watch over as it is, especially with Johnny still nowhere to be found.

MIGUEL

(sighs) I just hope he's alright.

SAM

(embracing him) Have faith, your dad's shown he can take a lot on the chin and keep going. He wouldn't abandon us now, I'm sure he's out there somewhere. (as Miguel smiles to her mirthlessly) Anyway, I'm sorry your mom couldn't make it.

MIGUEL

Uh, she's probably better off without the excitement right now. I'll call her as soon as I'm done with this.

SAM

(brow arcing up) Don't you mean as soon as you've won, champ?

MIGUEL

(shrugs) Who knows? To be honest, winning doesn't exactly rank as my top concern for the day.

SAM

(jabs his chest with a feigned look of indignation) Hey, that doesn't sound like you're in a fighting spirit!

MIGUEL

(shrugs) What can I say? I just want everyone to go back home in peace afterwards. Who wins... as long as it happens fairly, I doubt it'll matter to me that much.

SAM

Well, I hope this doesn't mean you'll be going easy on people as not to upset anyone...

MIGUEL

(snorts) Don't worry, I'm not going to stray from Sensei's teachings this much. I'll be giving my all, whoever I end up facing against. (gives her a wink)

SAM

You better hope you don't get to face a certain someone... Seriously, though, I'd feel better if you'd let us teach you the pressure point move...

MIGUEL

Sam, please understand that I don't want to feel tempted to use it. Last time I went for Robby's weak spot without holding back. It was shameful of me, and I'd like to think I'm a different person now. But still, I believe I'd rather not risk having to fight myself not to do such thing again, to not use my knowledge of human body's off switches to get an advantage.

SAM

I mean, sure ok, but what if there's a situation outside of the tournament where that knowledge could come in useful?

DANIEL

(to Miguel) Well, I think that's an admirable attitude, Miguel. And besides, I don't want you to play heroes, alright? If anything suspicious happens, we get everyone together and head straight for the exit, got that?

SAM

Yeah, dad, we've all heard it about a million times already.

DANIEL

Just making sure you've internalized the message. Be glad I haven't woken you up in the middle of the night to make you repeat it.

SAM

Oh if you'd done that, I'd have repeated another one of your lessons, dad. The one that involved a kick to the face... (frowns) Or was that Johnny's lesson? Think I'm losing track...

DANIEL

(grins) Well, if it was in defense, then it was probably mine.

SAM

It would've definitely qualified as self-defense in that case...

They go quiet momentarily as they approach the other STUDENTS gathered in front of the stairs leading to the main entrance. The Miyagi-dos and the Eagle Fangs have formed two distinct groups, with Hawk and Demetri nowhere to be seen. Daniel consciously positions himself so as to address both groups at once.

DANIEL

Hello, everyone. Glad to see you have made it to this point safe and sound. I, uh... I wanted to apologize to you for trying to keep you away from coming here today. I was doing so with the best of intentions, I assure you, but... Mr Miyagi told me once, in this very building no less, that it is ok to lose to the enemy, but not ok to lose to fear. Well, my enemy used fear against me and I fell for it all the way. (looking directly at the Eagle Fang team) Luckily, your Sensei came round to set me straight, slap that fear right out of me (chuckles). So now I want to urge you in turn not to make the mistake I've made, not lose yourself to fear, however powerful an enemy it may appear as. Fear is the main ingredient in Terry Silver's cookbook. He will almost certainly employ it in one way or another, and I'm no less certain that as long as we resist his attempts to sow fear among us, we will leave him powerless to do us harm. Go bravely into that ring, remember our teachings, fight with honor and courage, show respect to your opponent, and show that we will not be intimidated. Can you do that for me?

STUDENTS

(in unison) Yes, Sensei!

DANIEL

(smiles) Great. Then it's time to enter the fray... Oh, one more thing...

He sets his eyes on a banner advertising the Agent O-Ranger drink overhanging the entrance, with its stylized depiction of a human figure breathing fire.

DANIEL

(pointing at the banner) You guys steer clear of this stuff, alright?

The Students nod as they follow Daniel inside.

CUT TO

INT. WEST VALLEY SPORTS ARENA

We see Daniel as he in turn sees the Students proceed to the changing rooms after checking in. He then moves off, heads upstairs to the upper level, his eyes scanning the premises nervously as he goes. He regards a burly MAN in security guard outfit suspiciously, the latter answering him with a mean gaze. He moves past multiple vending machines apparently stocked exclusively with Agent O-Ranger before reaching the upper level. The sight of rows of seats largely filled up with people seems to put him at rest somewhat.

He walks between the seats towards the railing, rests his hands on it, and his eyes sweep over the ring. The blue mats are now embossed with garishly golden fists, with additional golden fist statues positioned at each corner. Above the ring a massive, four-sided jumbotron hangs suspended, itself like a giant glass fist frozen just before colliding into the ground. Mute Agent O-Ranger ads run on each of the screens, depicting a ballcap-wearing teen guzzling a can of the drink, only for orange flames to explode out of his mouth, then eyes and nostrils, and finally also out of his veins, forming wings of fire at his sides, which then carry him away.

As Daniel watches the ad with a disbelieving frown, we switch to a reverse shot as a figure approaches Daniel from behind...

KREESE

Far cry from our days, isn't it?

DANIEL

(turning towards him with a jolt) Kreese!... Uh, yeah, it sure is.

KREESE

Greetings, partner. A little jumpy, aren't we?

DANIEL

(shrugs) Yeah, well, excuse me if I'm a bit on edge, but all this opulence just reminds me we are still waiting for your friend to make his entrance.

KREESE

Rest assured he and I are no longer on friendly terms. I am as wary of his next move as you are.

DANIEL

So you guys really had a falling out over the drubbing that he gave me? Thought you'd get a blast out of it?

KREESE

(a bit awkward) I... didn't really anticipate my reaction to seeing that unfold. It was then that I realized that I was, after all, not indifferent to the question of honor in our rivalry. Terry on the other hand was entirely indifferent, and it quickly became apparent to me that there was no way to reconcile this difference of ours. (glances at his stump) As it turned out, it became apparent to Terry just as quickly.

DANIEL

Well, sorry I had a part in breaking up your friendship, however unintentional it may have been.

KREESE

(smirks) I suffered my losses, but now I have hope these losses will ultimately lead to my students ending up in a better place than they'd otherwise be.

DANIEL

(smiles warmly) I hope so, too... John. And I wish the same for you.

KREESE

(smile turning bitter) I feel the world's run out of places for me, ain't no country for old men. And what good's a one-armed sensei to anyone? I've seen my students through to the All Valley, but once it's over... there's nowhere left for me to go.

DANIEL

(visibly uneasy) Oh I'm sure that's not true, there must've been senseis who managed to work around this...

KREESE

(amused) Thank you, Daniel, no need to act like you wish for me to stick around. We've been at odds for so long, well, I'm happy to let you know you'll soon finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief after all these years.

DANIEL

I'll breathe a sigh of relief once Silver is gone from our lives. And if you help us make it happen, I will take no pleasure in seeing you go.

KREESE

I'll do my best to go out on a high note you can remember me by. But don't pretend you're going to miss me, Danny boy.

DANIEL

You know, time has a way of making a mockery out of our past notions. Once I never would've thought I would have anything fond to say about you. Now... (sighs) I feel like I'm yet again on the verge of being proven wrong.

KREESE

If it makes you feel better, you're not the only one feeling that way.

DANIEL

Yeah, well, it's too bad it took what it took to get us to this point.

KREESE

(looking pensive) Yes... though perhaps that was the only way for us to reach it?

DANIEL

(smirks) Perhaps. I suppose all of us were too much of stubborn bastards to get here in a less painful way.

KREESE

(allowing himself a small smile) Indeed... Plus I still think your "defense only" mantra is crap.

DANIEL

(chuckles, then takes on a playfully accusatory tone) None of this would be going on if you all adopted this rule. And if I'm not mistaken, you did keep your students from going on the offensive for this last stretch?

KREESE

Charging blindly into enemy's positions rarely pays off.

DANIEL

Well, some battles were won this way... but not without incurring a big death toll... (as Kreese's gaze lowers) Am I right to suppose this is no longer an acceptable trade-off for you?

KREESE

I... there was once a time I believed I had no reason to care about any of my students in particular, that I only needed to do what was in my power to make them into real fighters, and the survival of the fittest would do the rest of the work. But now, when I realized that lives are truly at stake, I could not act this way any longer. (lifts his eyes back up) I understood my purpose was not just to teach them, but to protect them as well. If I allowed all my students to be ground up into dust, then my work would end up being for naught.

DANIEL

(nods solemnly) I am happy you've come to that conclusion. Hope this will be reflected in your teaching style going forward.

KREESE

(snorts mirthlessly) This is looking further into the future than I'm ready to permit myself at the moment. Let us focus on the matter at hand.

DANIEL

Very well. So, anything to report?

KREESE

(shakes his head) I half expected to see some familiar faces among the new security staff. But so far, none have raised alarm bells.

DANIEL

Silver's probably too crafty to stack the place with people we could identify. We should still expect foul play on their part. They're the wild card here. I know the organizers and I can vouch for them not doing anything that would put the kids at risk.

KREESE

Not doing anything knowingly, you mean.

DANIEL

Well, as I've said, Silver's a crafty SOB, never know what scheme he's going to cook up.

KREESE

That is correct. Which is probably why we shouldn't just be standing idly chit-chatting here all this time. I believe we should be joining our students right about now, in fact.

DANIEL

Right. So, well, it's been nice talking to you, John. Good luck to your students, and to you.

KREESE

Likewise, Daniel. I will be coming down in a moment. (he pulls a cigar out of his shirt pocket, puts it in his mouth, then takes out a lighter)

DANIEL

(frowning) I'm pretty sure this isn't allowed here.

KREESE

(with one side of his mouth busy biting on the cigar) Don't worry, pretty sure I've got a VIP card here somewhere. (lights up the cigar, takes a drag, then blows out the smoke respectfully away from Daniel) By the way, any word from your co-sensei?

Daniel shakes his head sullenly. Then turns away from Kreese - smoking his cigar while leaning over the railway - and walks back towards the stairs. As he is about to start going down, his brows arc up upon seeing...

DANIEL

Robby!

Not by himself, either. He and TORY are walking hastily up the stairs, outfitted in their black gis, when Daniel's excalamation stops them cold in their tracks.

ROBBY/TORY

(Robby poker-faced, Tory smirking slightly) Hello, Mr LaRusso.

DANIEL

(to Tory) It seems that you haven't been too busy after all, Victoria.

TORY

(locking eyes with him) Didn't want to hurt your feelings there, Mr La... Daniel. The truth is the other dojo gave the better sales pitch back at the Valley Fest.

ROBBY

(looking at her squint-eyed) Oh, so it's just about the sales pitch, then? Nothing to do with me?

TORY

(frowning) Didn't you try to pull me out of Cobra Kai at one point?

DANIEL

(surprised) Is that true, Robby?

ROBBY

(a twinge embarrassed) I was worried about Silver, reckoned he might spell trouble. (glances at Tory) And my instincts weren't all that wrong, were they?

TORY

Still wasn't a reason to abandon our Sensei...

DANIEL

(soft-spoken) Robby... why didn't you come to us about Silver? A lot of evil could've been averted if we'd known about him sooner.

ROBBY

(now all-out embarrassed) I'm... sorry, Mr LaRusso. The truth is, by the time I fully saw through him, he, uh... duped me into doing something I didn't have the guts to come clean about.

DANIEL

(nods with a grave expression) I understand, Robby. Well, I'm going to take this as your confession, and I appreciate it, but Anoush has been charged with what you did, do you realize that?

ROBBY

Yes, Mr LaRusso. Dad told me about that. I had no idea it would lead to this, I swear. And after it happened I was worried about gettin' sent to juvie again, especially with all that's been goin' on lately (glances at Tory again). But if you guys manage to snag Silver, I promise I'll give my... testimony.

DANIEL

(holds his hand out tentatively, then lays it on Robby's shoulder) Alright, Robby, don't worry about it now. Now is the time to focus on the tournament. (grabs a fold of Robby's gi with his fingers) I know you're wearing their colors now, but if you can step out there and fight the way I taught you, know that I'll be proud of your every win.

ROBBY

(smirks) Well, I guess I'll have to try and maintain balance between all the teachings I've got.

TORY

(to Daniel) As a matter of fact, I may have to do the same myself, seeing as some of your lessons have been passed down to me by your former student (gives Roby a sideglance).

DANIEL

(brows arcing up) Is that so?

ROBBY

Kind of. I believe osmosis is the name for it (winks at Tory).

DANIEL

(puts hands on hips) So my lessons got staying power after all! Even in an environment as hostile as Cobra Kai! That makes me one happy sensei!

ROBBY

(squints) Yeah, you probably wouldn't be too thrilled by how I related these lessons. But I think I got the core message through.

TORY

Kick the other guy without falling off the log. That was the lesson, Sensei?

DANIEL

(frowns at Robby) There was no "other guy" in our lesson, Robby.

ROBBY

(shrugs, disarming smile) Had to take it up a notch to make it appealing to a CK hardliner like the one here, you understand.

DANIEL

(cocks his head) Well, to be quite frank, there would have been the other guy if I hadn't been worried about breaking something in my old man body.

ROBBY

See?! I took your lesson and brought it to its full potential!

TORY

(to Daniel) Maybe if you'd gone up there with him that day, Robby would've gotten his fill of kicking people off heights then and there?

ROBBY

(as he and Daniel both furrow their brows deeply) Alright, that was another cheap shot.

DANIEL

(to Tory) Sure sounds like you don't need your limbs to deal damage.

TORY

(smug look) I make use of all weapons at my disposal.

DANIEL

So I've noticed. Hope you're not planning on smuggling any into the ring.

TORY

Not a lot of space to hide things in the gi.

ROBBY

Who said anything about the gi? (grinning as Tory scowls at him in disbelief) I mean, you know you can have bathroom breaks between the rounds, right?

DANIEL

Whoa, I sure hope you guys don't get to fight each other. You wouldn't even need to get out of your spots, just throw verbal volleys across the ring.

ROBBY

You should've heard the volleys she's been exchanging with... your daughter.

DANIEL

Oh, I already got a taste of those. Almost got hit by stray bullets, too. (to Tory) I just hope if you two meet in the ring, you can both step off of it knowing you've left behind your differences there, for good.

ROBBY

Wouldn't want to be in the cleaners' shoes if that happens.

TORY

(to Robby) Weren't some of your lessons about cleaning? Maybe you could see if they're hiring, make some money while you're here, help out with the rent?

DANIEL

You live together?

TORY

Robby got tired of staying at Sensei's kennel.

ROBBY

Yeah, well, living there was a lot less tiring than staying at your place. (to Daniel) Not that I'm complaining, she's just forgot to mention all the help I've been giving her at home.

TORY

(tone turning serious) I probably wouldn't be here if he hadn't been around.

DANIEL

Hm.(to Robby) Well, if you've found a place you can call home, then I'm happy for you... Alright, best of luck to you both, I have to go see to my students. Your Sensei should be finishing up his smoke by now. I'm surprised he didn't set off any fire alarms.

TORY

Good luck to your students, Sensei.

ROBBY

And to you... Daniel.

DANIEL

(a warm smile) I'll see you two around. (stops himself just as he is about to walk down the stairs, points to a vending machine) You guys haven't been touching this stuff, I hope?

ROBBY

Nah. What Kreese told me about Agent Orange didn't exactly sound like it'd make for a good drink.

TORY

And I am partial to... different sort of beverages myself.

ROBBY

Oh I'm sure you'd make a killing smuggling those to the tournament.

TORY

I've only ever smuggled them out of a place.

ROBBY

Well, maybe you could get back some of that lost karma this way.

TORY

Lost karma? Me? I don't know what you're talking about.

DANIEL

(shaking his head with amusement)You guys've really hit it off, haven't you? Just remember you've still got a tournament to fight in.

He tips his head to them and heads off back to the lower level...

CUT TO

EXT. A STREET - MORNING

We cut to a view if Mr Miyagi's Chevrolet pickup, grimy and dusty, rattling leisurely along a street adjacent to the West Valley Arena's parking lot. Its languid stroll is interrupted by honking coming from behind, at which point a hand comes out through the pickup's side window and flips the other driver off. We switch to an inside view of the truck, where we see...

JOHNNY

(wearing sunglasses, a bucket hat, and a fake ginger beard) Damn it, why can't the asshole just relax and take in the view or something... Uh, who am I kiddin', normally I'd be the one doing the honkin'. Can't keep movin' at a snail's pace like that or I'm gonna start drawin' attention I don't need. But I can't keep tabs on things with my foot on the gas either. Gotta figure out a better gameplan...

He pulls over, casting a spiteful glance at the disgruntled DRIVER, as the latter passes him by.

JOHNNY

That's right, buddy. Run back to whatever treadmill you're late to. And I will stay here and think how to save the All Valley from a murderous psychopath... (bangs his fingers on the steering wheel) Ok, Johnny, think, what do we do? Can't keep track of all the ways into that goddamn arena at the same time. At least not from the street level. If only I had a satellite to zoom in on this place, like these dorks at Google...

He gives his surroundings a sweeping glance, then sticks his head out the window and takes a look behind the truck.

JOHNNY

Maybe if I could perch on some roof, I'd have a better view... Yeah, a high enough roof and a 50. Cal sniper rifle, and we'd be set. (sighs) Too bad I doubt I'd pass the background check even if had the money for one.

His musing is rudely cut short by an OLD LADY tapping vigorously on his other side window.

JOHNNY

(opening the door on her side, almost slamming her in the process) What do you want?!

OLD LADY

You cannot park here, mister! You're blocking the gate! (points to a gate behind her)

JOHNNY

(angry) Yeah, I can see that, lady! Would it kill you if I left my car here for five seconds?! What, you in a rush to catch the last seat at the bridge table?! Or have they just announced a clearance sale over at Walgreens?!

OLD LADY

(disgusted frown) Were you raised in a barn, young man? Oh, and your beard is askew, which reminds me I should probably call the police about this...

JOHNNY

(throwing his hands up) Don't bother! I'm outta here!

He puts the truck in gear and drives off, with the Lady's eyes following his departure as her head shakes in disbelief.

Cut to Johnny behind the wheel, now fuming, casting scattershot glances every which way as the pickup rolls along... until his eyes suddenly stop in their sockets and go wide.

JOHNNY

No fuckin' way!

He sees his old Dodge Challenger parked on the side of the road, its Cobra Kai regalia still prominently displayed. Without losing sight of the car, he finds a place for the truck to come to a halt, then exits, and, half-crouching to remain concealed by the other parked vehicles, makes his way towards the Dodge. As he comes next to it, he braces himself, draws a deep breath, then springs to the door, tears it open, raising his fist with his teeth clenched...

... only to be greeted with a shrill scream by...

STINGRAY

(covering his face with an open laptop) AAAH! DON'T HURT ME, I'M UNARMED!

JOHNNY

(confused squint) ...Chubs?!

STINGRAY

Hey, if you're breakin' into my car, you could at least be nice about it!

JOHNNY

Your car?! In what fuckin' universe?! How the hell did you even get it?!

STINGRAY

I don't see what business is that of... wait, do I know you?!

JOHNNY

Huh, didn't know stingrays have the memory of a goldfish!... (as it dawns upon him) Oh wait, that's right.

He tears off his fake beard, prompting a shocked look.

STINGRAY

SENSEI! OH MY GOD! IT'S YOU, IT'S REALLY YOU! IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE YOU!

JOHNNY

(sardonic grin) I'm sure you are, Chubs. Now who's the master of disguise, huh? Anyway, move your ass and make room.

He pushes himself inside, forcing Stingray to move his bulk over the gearbox to switch to the passenger seat.

JOHNNY

(looking over the dashboard, strewn with crumbs and snack wrappers) Long time no see. (to Stingray) Looks like you've been takin' proper care of her, that's good. But still, back to my question, how the hell did you get her? (glares at him suspiciously) Did you follow me to the beach that night?! Did Kreese send you after me?!

STINGRAY

(eyes wide, mouth slack, his hands waving frantically like screen wipers) Nonono, Sensei! Nothing like that, I swear! I, uh, was just lucky to run into her as some bum was driving her off to the junkyard. Must've stolen it from you, right, Sensei?! Well, I took her off his hands. You know, Cobra Kai style. (gives an unconvincing wink) I wanted to return her to you, but I didn't know where you live, and you didn't come to the dojo anymore...

JOHNNY

(snorts) Right, I'm sure no one at the dojo could tell you where I lived, what with my place being all of fifty yards away... Anyway, doesn't matter now, more important stuff to worry about. So what are you doin' here anyway, tryin' to sign up?

STINGRAY

No, Sensei, I'm bound by court order to keep away from kids. But I wanted to give our guys support at this fateful hour, so I figured I could at least stop by outside, and be with them in spirit. (as Johnny cocks his head at him with a disbelieving frown)... Alright, actually mom's been forcing me out of the house to look for a job, but it's hard to find one when you've got "assault on minor" on your record! You know?! And it's unfair, too! I was only keeping the peace! Who knows how many other kids would've ended up in the ICU if it weren't for me!

JOHNNY

(waves his hand dismissively) Yeah, whatever, life's a bitch, news at eleven, now stop bellyachin'. So what, you were plannin' to just sit here and imagine what's goin' on behind that wall? (points to the arena)

STINGRAY

Oh no, Sensei! (picks up the laptop) I was going to stream it on my PC! They've got a livestream this year! They've really gone pro with this, and it's free, too!

JOHNNY

(confused frown) A livestream? What's that?

STINGRAY

(mouth agape) Oh, uh... it's a live broadcast on the Internet. We can watch it live from here, if you want...

JOHNNY

(surprised look) We can? Alright then, put it on.

STINGRAY

Sure thing... (his brow furrows) but why aren't you in there with them, if I may ask, Sensei?

JOHNNY

(annoyed expression) Long story, alright?! Enough to say I can't go in there, and in fact need to stay out of sight as much as possible. But then I also have to keep watch over the premises for anything funky goin' on. Did you notice anything of the sort?

STINGRAY

(shaking his head frantically) No, I didn't, Sensei.

JOHNNY

Well, you've been glued to the screen so that figures. (looks out of the window) I guess this is as good vantage point as I'm gonna get on street level. So how about that livestream? (shakes his head) They really needed a new name for that?

STINGRAY

(hunched over the laptop) I'll have it set up in a sec, Sensei. And the name, well, it's because it's streamed into your computer, you know.

JOHNNY

And how is that different from a TV broadcast bein' "streamed" to your TV screen, exactly?

STINGRAY

Uuuh, well...

JOHNNY

Thought so. Anyway, got any beer?

STINGRAY

Oh no, Sensei, I'd never drive your car while drunk!

JOHNNY

Yeah, well, that's not gonna be a problem for you any more, so once you get it up and runnin', you're gonna take a 'lil trip to the convenience store if you don't want to get your butt kicked outta here. (under his breath) Like hell I'm watchin' this with a dry throat.

STINGRAY

Uhh... yes, of course, Sensei! The stream should be coming right up! Here it is! It's starting right now!

JOHNNY

Alright, let's have a look. Move the screen so I can see it.

The two huddle around the computer screen, which now shows...

CUT TO

INT. WEST VALLEY SPORTS ARENA

DARYL

(standing with a microphone in hand at the center of the ring in the harsh glare of the stage lights, and surrounded by a packed audience) Welcome, everyone, to the fifty first annual All Valley under-18 Karate Championship! (stops for applause, then points to the ground) You didn't think those mats could get any fancier, did you?! (grins ear to ear) Who could've thought blue could get this blue, and that gold - you just want to pocket it and take it home, don't you?! (gives a hearty laugh) Unfortunately, only one person in this room gets to take gold home today, but still, let me take a moment to thank our generous sponsors for making today's event so illustrious. Our heartfelt thanks to the LaRusso Auto Group (bows to Daniel, who is standing with his arms crossed and a sour expression next to the massive (and now digital) screen displaying competitors' match-ups), and the Shell-Shock Corp. along with all the other charitable persons and companies who have helped make this edition the splendid reality that it will undoubtedly prove to be. I also wish to thank everyone that fought to make this edition possible in the first place, which was far from certainty but a few months ago. Fortunately, multiple individuals fought to save our venerable competition from the fate that has befallen so many in this sometimes grim era of cancel culture, and let me tell you, they fought no less fiercely than they will fight today in this very ring. So give it up for the defenders of the All-Valley!

A storm of applause resounds. We cut to the audience, among whom, slapping his cast unenthusiastically, we can see...

HAWK

(under his breath, with a scornful look) Will this testosterone vacuum finally shut the fuck up? Like anyone cares about his shilling...

He is surrounded by unfamiliar faces. We pan to his side to see, seated some distance away in the same row, MOON watching him with a troubled expression.

YASMINE

(sitting next to her) Forget about him, darling. He's not worth getting wrinkles over.

MOON

(still glancing his way) I just don't understand what's got into him. I could swear he was becoming more zen with each passing day.

YASMINE

Shows you what fickle creatures men are. Expecting any reasonable behavior out of them is the surest path to disappointment. Just come to terms with what they are and don't get attached, is my advice.

MOON

(smirks) Well, from your being here I presume you're not entirely detached yourself?

YASMINE

(exaggerated sigh) Oh, don't remind me I have no logical reason to be here. I guess I've been driven by morbid curiosity if nothing else.

MOON

I'm sure it's not just curiosity. Admit it, you still care.

YASMINE

(feigned outrage) Absolutely not! I'm not going to forgive him for just springing that up on me, out of nowhere! Like he didn't realize what position it put me in!

MOON

I'm sure Demetri did care, but just didn't know a better way to break it to you.

YASMINE

Like he could at least try to gauge my opinion on the whole thing first before going ahead with his big coming out! It was like getting a bucket of icewater dumped on you when you don't even expect it!

MOON

Hmm, yes, I suppose it must've been traumatic. Still, I hope you'll find it in you to forgive and give this relationship a chance. Now listen, I have to admit something to you.

YASMINE

(looks at her with apprehension) It's not that kind of admission, I hope?

MOON

(giggles) No, nothing like that, don't worry. It's just that I met Piper right before coming here, and let me tell you,it was like getting a visit from stoners' Santa.

YASMINE

Oh, she's back from Burbank?

MOON

Just for a couple of days, but she sure came loaded with all kinds of good stuff she brought from her lab. She talked to me about the properties that some of these chems have, and it sounded totally wild. You want to come over for some experiments?

YASMINE

Uuh, well that sounds fun. But are you sure you know how to use them?

MOON

Piper wouldn't give me anything she wouldn't be confident I could handle. (chuckles) I just hope security doesn't get a whiff of what I've got in my backpack.

YASMINE

You've got it here?

MOON

(nods with a guilty look) Didn't have time to unload it at home. I gave the guard at the entrance a puppy stare, and he "forgot" to check my bag.

YASMINE

Huh. Should've done that myself, they sure gave my bag a shakedown, wouldn't even let me keep my water bottle. Bunch of anal retentives. At least I haven't seen any patrol dogs around here, so you should be safe.

MOON

Oh, I've got some water. The only drink I've seen sold here is that Agent Oranger thing, and that looks like it'd turn your insides into slush.

YASMINE

Yeah, wouldn't use that to clean my toilet bowl. But you're saying your "chems" are that much healthier?

MOON

(indignant) Oh, of course! It's not some sugar-laced poison I'm talking about here! Those things have therapeutic applications!... Now, there are rare side effects, as with almost anything, but even if those were to happen, two of the chems I've got here can be used as a rapid detoxicant... (conspiratorial tone) if you follow the right procedure.

YASMINE

(with raised eyebrows) So it's not just "spiritual purgatives" you're dealing in after all?!

MOON

(bites her lip with a smirk) Uhm, well, sometimes you need to first attend to the body before you attend to the spirit.

YASMINE

And you've got all the bases covered, you say?

MOON

A healer worth her salt can't only focus on one of the two.

Yasmine nods slowly, her brows still arced up, the sides of her mouth curled down, while Moon continues to smile enigmatically. We cut back to...

DARYL

Alright, ladies and gentlemen, allow me now to introduce you to the stars set to headline today's event. Coming up first, the dojo that walked away with the main prize last year. Let's hear it for COBRA KAI!

The black-clad roster of Cobra Kai lines itself up in front of the screen, bellowing their war cry on the way, led by ROBBY, with TORY, KYLER, RICKENBERGER, and a number of unnamed STUDENTS following. KREESE, now with a metal hook affixed to his stump, positions himself behind them. They are greeted with equal amounts of applause and disparaging whistling as they stare down the audience with cold, unflinching gazes.

DARYL

(eyeing the roster with a slight frown) Hard not to notice the rather substantial changes to the line-up since the last time we saw you. Well, I wish you guys manage to live up to the expectations that come with your name now. Al-righty, coming up next, another name with highly esteemed history behind it. Ladies and gentlemen, let me reintroduce you to the one and only MIYAGI-DO!

The Miyagi-do roster enters the spotlight, led by SAM, with CHRIS, NATE, and the others in tow. DANIEL comes up behind them, his look troubled.

DANIEL

(hushed tone) Where is Demetri?

SAM

(alarmed) I haven't seen him here anywhere!

NATE

You think he got cold feet?

CHRIS

(frowning) Can't say that would surprise me...

DANIEL

(shaking his head) No, I refuse to believe that...

Cut to the audience, where Hawk is glaring at the Miyagi-Dos with evident confusion. From him, we shift to...

YASMINE

(sighs) Aaand it looks like the one paltry reason for me to attend this barbaric show decided not to show up...

MOON

(furrowed brow) No, this can't be that, Yas. I know Demetri was planning to compete...

YASMINE

(shrugs) How can you be so sure? Maybe he changed his mind, but didn't know how to break it to us? Wouldn't be the biggest thing he's changed his mind about...

Moon responds by just shaking her head in disbelief. She continues to scan the scene. We switch to her POV, from which, just as the audience's applause begins to die down, we see DEMETRI racing between the rows of seats to join his teammates, giving the Cobras a wide berth as he half-plunges into the Miyagi-Do lineup.

DEMETRI

(panting) Sorry for the late arrival. I had a... make-up malfunction.

As he wipes the hair off his forehead, we see that he is wearing eyeliner, a light eyeshadow, and rouge on his cheeks. The Miyagi-Dos regard him with varying levels of puzzlement.

SAM

Wow, that's so brave of you, Demetri! Or should I call you something else?

With a grateful smile, he motions to the screen. Sam and others turn around to see him listed as...

HAWK

(incredulous squint) Demeter?! Son of a bitch actually went with it?! He better thank me in his victory speech... (bursts out in laughter)

We switch to...

MOON

(beaming) Well, there she goes!

YASMINE

(facepalms) Oh my God, everyone here knows I've been going out with him, I'm gonna burst into flames any second now, like the guy on that ad.

MOON

Oh come on, Yas! You could at least admit it takes courage to do what Demeter just did!

YASMINE

To do what? Set me up for public self-immolation? Yeah, I guess Demeter can take credit for that...

MOON

(impatient) Yasmine... has it ever occurred to you that you can be a touch self-absorbed sometimes?

Yasmine looks at her uncomprehendingly.

Cut to the inside of Dodge Challenger, where JOHNNY is staring dumbfounded at the laptop screen.

JOHNNY

For Christ's sake, what has this kid done to himself?!

STINGRAY

Looks like he's gone transgender.

JOHNNY

Sweet Lord, I heard him talk about it, but I thought he was just screwin' with me.

STINGRAY

I mean, it is Miyagi-do, those guys are pussies, right?

JOHNNY

Yeah, they're kinda my pussies now, too...

Stingray looks at him with a bewildered frown.

JOHNNY

Ok, that came out wrong...

Cut back to...

DARYL

Al-right, looks like the Miyagi team is all back together! Now allow me to introduce you to a dojo making its debut this year, although some of its members should be familiar to you. Ladies and gentlemen, make some noise for... (awkward) uh, Eagle Fang dojo?

The audience appears as confused by the announcement as the host, but once MIGUEL makes his entrance onto the stage, followed by MITCH, BERT and the rest of the red-clad team, the spectators roar with applause. The Eagle Fangs proceed to the opposite corner of the ring to that of the Miyagi-Do line-up, Miguel giving Sam, as well as Robby, cocky looks as he jogs to his spot.

DARYL

Indeed, the last year's champion now dons the insignia of... the Eagle Fang dojo, undoubtedly hoping to endow it with the same distinction he previously won for the Cobra Kai. The reigning dojo versus the reigning fighter, is that confrontation on the cards for today? Nothing's off the table, ladies and gentlemen... Unfortunately, the Eagle Fang Sensei could not join us today due to... (casts a glance at Daniel, who gives him a nod) medical issues. Luckily, Sensei LaRusso of the Miyagi-Do dojo has graciously agreed to take on the mantle of the Eagle Fang sensei as well for this occasion. Can anyone say conflicting loyalties? (forces a laugh)

Cut to a close-up of...

KYLER

(snorts) Pathetic...

We see Tory give him a cold side glare.

Cut to...

STINGRAY

(eyeing Johnny questioningly) Medical issues? Are you ill or something, Sensei?

JOHNNY

(as he pops a can of Coors open and takes a swig) Yeah, a sudden allergy to law enforcement. I'm a wanted man, Chubs, that's what this whole ruse's been about. (points to the fake beard now lying on the dashboard) But I'm hopin' I get to clear my name today.

STINGRAY

(incredulous) But how?

JOHNNY

Well, it all relies on the assumption that the guy who framed me is gonna show up today, and there's a good chance that'll happen, coz we know he's gonna target the tournament one way or another.

STINGRAY

Why would anyone want to target the tournament?

JOHNNY

(takes another swig) You see, once you go high enough on the batshit scale, you're gonna find fellas with all kinds of ass-backwards ideas on their minds. And this guy, well he's off the fuckin' charts, my friend...

Cut back to the arena, where Daryl has just introduced the fourth, blue-wearing dojo, whose roster strolls to the final unoccupied corner of the stage, to a muted response from the seats.

SAM

(noticing the lack of certain someone in the line-up) Hm, well I guess the audience reactions won't feel the same without Xander's mom going through her cheerleader routine.

DEMETER

Maybe Hawk's going to fill that void?

SAM

Oof, scary to even think what his cheerleading would look like. I wonder what's going through his mind right now.

She casts an apprehensive glance towards Hawk, whose dogged unblinking glare, coupled with tense banging of his fingers on the - skull-emblazoned, snakeskin-wrapped - cast makes for a rather ominous sight...

Cut to

DARYL

Very well, that marks the last of the dojos to enter the fight for the All-Valley under Eighteen Championship... the last one that we could fit here, anyway (forces a chuckle). Which means that the tournament can now officially begin! But before we get to the meat of the matter, let us first turn to the almighty algorithm, as it chooses our fighters' destiny!

He turns and points to the screen, now displaying the names of all the contestants, grouped in columns according to their dojo affiliation. Suddenly, the names become untethered from their spots and begin to circulate around the screen as if caught in a whirlpool. The whirlpool then proceeds to spit out name after name, each of which now lands in a single column at the left edge of the screen, until the entire tournament roster is divided into pairs.

DARYL

The algorithm has chosen! Let the fight begin!

The image of the screen gradually fades out, and a montage of the initial fights is superimposed onto it. (suggested soundtrack: Judas Priest - "Blood Red Skies", starting with the main riff at 1:40) It begins with a sideview of BERT, standing poised, his expression menacing, then breaking into a run, leaping off the floor, his right elbow protruding to the side, in a mimicry of Hawk's finishing blow from the previous tournament... except without Hawk's speed or surprise factor, the opponent easily sidesteps the lunge, seizes the elbow, and pushes Bert down.

JOHNNY

(shaking his head, as we make a quick cut to the Dodge) Kid just can't catch any luck. But he doesn't give up, that's what matters.

What follows are short snippets of the blue shirts and unnamed dojo students getting eliminated - RICKENBERGER rushing a smaller opponent, taking his hook kick to the shoulder, thrusting the other shoulder into his torso, grabbing and hoisting up the kicking leg as the boy goes down, then smashing his knee into the other's kneepit; SAM throwing her upper body to the ground to slide under the oncoming hook punch, then closing her thighs on the opponent's forward placed calf, and twisting her body on a horizontal axis to bring him down. Cut to...

JOHNNY

(nodding with satisfaction) Girl's got thighs to kill and she knows it.

Cut to CHRIS closing in on the opponent with a swaggering gait, swatting away his front kick, and immediately countering with a roundhouse kick to knock him to the floor; ROBBY studiously approaching the other combatant, then suddenly rushing him, then jumping away at the last moment, avoiding a hurried, sloppy jab, then grabbing the striking hand, yanking at it while twisting his body, and sweep-kicking the opponent to make him topple face down; KYLER moving around in a confusing rhythm, jumping from one leg to another, evidently playing with his opponent whom we now see to be NATE, an angry scowl on his face.

NATE

C'MON, GET ON WITH IT, DORK!

KYLER

(feigned look of hurt) Touche...

He breaks into a run, attempts to bodyslam Nate, who manages to dodge the assault and land a jab to Kyler's flank.

NATE

Think I'm as dumb as you are, Kyler?!

KYLER

Dumb and more dead than I'll ever be!

He closes in again, this time throwing a barrage of punches Nate's way, the latter evading them, but forced to backpedal until he reaches the edge of the ring, the REFEREE leading him back in while keeping Kyler away, but the moment the referee moves away, Kyler blitzes towards Nate, taking his knee to the sternum, wraps his arm around the knee, the other arm around Nate's chest, lifts him up, turns his own torso sideways, and then drops, slamming Nate to the ground...

Next up, TORY comes up against a blueshirt, the latter jumping high up into the air with little rhyme or reason, and alternating it with whirling spin kicks, seemingly targeting the air as much as her. She regards his performance with a dubious frown, then does a crouching sweep as the opponent comes into range. The blueshirt jumps over the sweep, somersaults in the air... and takes a crouching high kick to his downward facing head as he falls back down, sending him spinning in the opposite direction as he comes tumbling to the floor. Cut to...

JOHNNY

(snorts beer foam out of his nose) Damn, I wish one of ours did this.

We switch to DEMETER, facing MITCH on the ring. The two study each other with uncertain looks, then Mitch goes in for a crescent kick, which Demeter dodges, karate-chopping the side of his knee as it is brought down. Mitch totters as his kicking leg strays off its landing course, and Demeter ducks to deliver another chop to the side of his other knee, making him topple on his back. She then gets up and extends a hand to him.

MITCH

(grabbing the hand, a pained frown) When did you get this fast, dude?

Demeter raises her index finger and starts waving it with an admonishing expression.

MITCH

(abashed) Oh, I'm sorry, I meant... dudette?

Demeter grins and slaps Mitch on the shoulder as he is lifted to his feet...

Cut to...

JOHNNY

You know, gotta admit I was hopin' he, she, whatever, wouldn't take out one of mine...

Cut back to Mitch shambling off the ring and plopping hard next to Bert, taking an exaggeratedly hard breath as he does so.

MITCH

Man, I'm parched...

As if on cue, he notices a sixpack of Agent O-Ranger cans sitting to his side under the bench. He stares at it for a second, then takes a furtive look around, and, having assured himself no one is paying particular attention to him, reaches down, tears a can from the pack, slowly pops it open and gulps down a mouthful, giving a relieved "aaaah..." as he swallows. He then nudges Bert and indicates the can.

MITCH

Hey, this ain't so bad, wanna try?

Bert frowns as he sees the can's label, but the craving in his eyes is palpable...

Cut to MIGUEL advancing confidently, his chin tucked in, to meet his opponent's volley of punches, blocking them with his forearms and interjecting his own cross punches in between, one of which hits the opponent's chin, making him stumble backwards, only to launch into a spinning kick, at which point Miguel performs a split, throwing his legs to the sides, his upper body dropping to the floor and avoiding the kick in the process. He then strikes a right uppercut to the boy's stomach, and, as the blow makes the latter jackknife, thrusts his left elbow up, so that the opponent's face crashes into it as it rushes downwards, leading to the head snapping back and pulling the rest of the body back along with it as it is pitched to the ground.

JOHNNY

(smirking) Champ must've binged a bunch of JCVD's flicks. But it's servin' him well so far...

With that, we advance to the quarterfinals. First up, we have Demeter going against Tory. As the flag is brought down, the latter just stares at the former mockingly.

TORY

What's that, you thought there were gender categories here? Well, your fate would be the same regardless.

DEMETER

(her expression stern but unwavering) You've been going after my friends, you better worry about your fate, bitch queen.

TORY

(snorts) I didn't worry about you when you were a 'man', I'm not going to start now.

DEMETER

And herein lies your mistake.

With her arms bent and chin tucked in, Demeter takes a step forward, with Tory taking it as a cue to rush up to her and launch into a series of kicks. Demeter leaps away from a spin kick, sidesteps a back kick, then closes in as Tory leaps up and spins in the air to face her, launching into a jumping axe kick. Demeter blocks the kick as it swings up with her right forearm, at the same time ramming her left shoulder into Tory's chest, pushing her into the ground in the process. Tory clutches her chest as she gathers herself up, Demeter being led away having been assigned the first point, massaging her forearm before turning back towards her opponent. Tory advances, hunched over, throws a low kick at Demeter's calf, at the same time ducking under her cross punch, then, as Demeter stoops a little from the blow's impact, she jumps up with her knee raised and pointed at Demeter's chin. The latter's upper body darts back, Tory's knee merely scraping against her nose, and Demeter then slides under her while twisting her chest, grabs onto Tory's calf and throws Tory over her shoulder onto the floor. Tory lands with a thud as Demeter is awarded her second point. She gets up, a look of desperation on her face, glowers at Demeter - who regards her with evidently mounting self-confidence - then blows air through her nose as she is about to be taken over by blind rage...

... but then she stops herself before rushing again, and casts a glance to her side, towards Robby, who has been signaling to her for a while now. As they establish eye contact, Robby holds up his open hand, palm to her, as if telling her to stop... or at least slow down. She shifts her gaze to Kreese, who has been taking notice of Robby with a corner of his eye, and who now gives an approving nod. She then turns back towards her opponent, now with a new steely look of resolve.

TORY

(under her breath) How about we see some of your offense now, Demeter?

Instead of running, she now calmly walks over towards the center of the ring, her arms raised, and starts circling Demeter, who is evidently thrown aback by the abrupt shift in Tory's attitude. Tory comes up to her, then withdraws, throws a kick and aborts it, first halfway through, then slightly later. Finally, as Tory makes her umpteenth advance, Demeter's poise breaks and she strikes with a hook punch, which Tory instantly bounces to the side away from, and slides into Demeter's foot, kicking it from under her and simultaneously elbowing her in the flank, making her jackknife and drop to her knee. Tory springs to her feet and is led away by her arm, the referee awarding her a point. Demeter lifts herself up, hand clasped on her flank, groaning through gritted teeth. Then she turns towards Tory, a deep frown of pain etched into her expression.

TORY

(under her breath) Of course, a little punishment and the wimp begins to unravel.

Tory closes in, again, in a cautious hit-and-run manner, this time ostensibly targeting Demeter's hurt flank, which the latter almost subconsciously focuses on defending. Tory dashes to the side, throws a right haymaker in that direction; Demeter's forearm comes up to intercept it, but then Tory's fist darts away at the last millisecond as her upper body spins, and her left fist slams into Demeter's chest, followed instantly by her forehead headbutting Demeter's, as the punch doubles the latter over. Demeter staggers backwards, her wobbly legs tottering, as Tory is stopped from delivering a takedown kick by the referee, who shoves her back while announcing her second point.

Demeter rubs her aching forehead, casts a glance at his teammates, who cheer her on reassuringly, but as her gaze sweeps back to her opponent, something else almost subliminally registers in her psyche, with an impact no less devastating than Tory's headbutt.

It is Hawk's unrelenting, pitiless and thoroughly malign glare, as if the very fact of this match occurring represented a personal offense to him that he was planning to seek vengeance for by any means possible. The sight sends shivers down Demeter's spine. Tory, noticing her discomposed state, rapidly moves in, throws a roundhouse kick, which Demeter thoughtlessly blocks by grabbing onto the onrushing thigh, to which Tory in turn instantly reacts by jumping onto her, wrapping her other leg over Demeter's neck, and, with a shove if her upper body, bringing her down alongside herself. Demeter somersaults and drops on her back, with Tory holding her in an arm bar and hitting the back of her head with the sole of her foot before the two are separated by the referee. Tory stands up, the referee lifting her arm in confirmation of her victory... which seems to elicit reaction mostly just from her CK teammates.

TORY

(to Demeter, who slowly turns onto her stomach and draws her knees up, derisively) Nice work, Demeter. You're now the worst of both worlds.

Demeter gets onto her feet and walks off with her eyes fixed on the ground...

Cut to...

JOHNNY

(troubled look) Damn. I actually thought Big Mouth was gonna pull it off there for a second. He's a snotty little shit, but I still kinda rooted for him.

STINGRAY

I believe it's a she, Sensei. You shouldn't misgender people.

JOHNNY

(snorts) Oh yeah?! Or whatcha gonna do? Snitch on me to the pronoun police? They'd have to wait in line... He, she, like who the hell even cares? (chuckles) Big Mouth works either way...

Cut to...

MOON

(nudging Yasmine as Demeter pushes her way past Daniel, who holds his hand out to her, and towards the locker room) C'mon, Yas! Go and console her!

YASMINE

(eyes wide with terror) What?! And what do I even say to her?! "You didn't do too badly for a woman, though a woman still beat you"?

MOON

(exasperated look) Tell her you're proud she was brave enough to represent her own true self like that, no matter if she won or not. C'mon, you'll figure it out, now go!

Yasmine reluctantly rises from her seat, takes a few steps away, then darts back to Moon.

YASMINE

(hushed urgent tone) What if he tries to kill himself?!

MOON

(eyeroll) I don't know, scream for help?! Isn't that what you'd be doing anyway?

YASMINE

(nods with a look of realization) Yeah, you're right. Ok, I'm going, (suddenly grabs her hand) but come with me, pleeease?!

MOON

(pushing Yasmine away) No! You're her girlfriend, make it look like it was your idea! Now hurry!

With a despondent look, Yasmine starts to make her way between the rows towards the stairs.

Cut to Miguel versus Rickenberger. The latter with his back bent and hands placed to the sides, the former with his arms bent and legs spread to the sides. The flag is lowered and both immediately spring into motion, Miguel hopping more to flank him, Rickenberger back and forth, leaping away exaggerated distances whenever Miguel winds up for a strike. Miguel maneuvers to corner his opponent, whose movements take on a frenzied, almost panicked quality, but then, just as Rickenberger is about to be herded into the ring's edge, the evasion suddenly turns into assault as he makes a mad dash for Miguel's waist. The latter counters with a jumping roundhouse kick, which connects with Rickenberger's shoulder, sending him staggering to the side, but recovering quicker than expected and resuming his charge, to be finally stopped by a crouching sweep that topples him over face first.

Rickenberger leaps back up before the referee gets to him, shakes his head animatedly as a point is declared, then recommences almost sprinting around the ring, as if trying to disorient his opponent. Eventually, though, he misjudges the distance between them, ending up running right into Miguel's right hook, which leads him to stumble and fall, Miguel running after him, dropping to his knees to hammer down a finishing blow. Rickenberger rolls away from the blow, and as the fist strikes the ground, Miguel's back arched, he rolls back towards him, lifts up his lower body, and throws a kick to Miguel's spine. Accompanied by a gasp, Miguel's knees go out from under him, and he rolls onto his back, Rickenberger being led away, having scored a point.

Cut to...

JOHNNY

SON OF A...! It's like he knew where to strike him! Hang in there, champ!

Cut back to Miguel, as he gets back up, hand on his back and squinting in pain. Rickenberger hops in place, self-satisfied smirk on his face. Then he resumes the dance, Miguel now moving more defensively, conserving his energy. At this, Rickenberger sprints away, then makes a u-turn and barrels down onto Miguel. The latter responds with a jumping spinning hook kick. His leg smashes into the side of Rickenberger's head as the latter leaps at him. The blow makes Rickenberger's body spin ninety degrees horizontally in the air, but its momentum still leads it to crash into Miguel, dragging him back and to the floor, his back landing hard. Miguel slams his opponent with an elbow as the latter inertly rolls off of him, then lets out a cry of suffering, as he writhes in place before being able to stand on his feet. Rickenberger, looking slightly dazed, stands up concurrently with Miguel, with the latter being awarded a point.

Miguel returns to his fighting stance, beads of sweat squeezing out of his furrowed brow. Rickenberger closes in, throws an uppercut aimed at Miguel's sternum. The latter twists his torso to the left as he swats it away with his forearm, at which point Rickenberger spins with an aim of delivering a spinning hook kick to Miguel's now right-facing back. The latter throws his body down onto his hands and pushes Rickenberger away with a crouching side kick to the chest as the leg sweeps over him. Rickenberger staggers back, then throws a back kick without turning around. Miguel leans away from the kick, then wraps his arms around the leg and yanks it towards him, at the same time crouch-kicking his opponent's standing leg. Rickenberger drops on his crotch, twists his torso then throws first a right back elbow to Miguel's face, which the latter blocks with his forearm, then a left punch going for his spine, which connects just as Miguel's foot shoots up and slams into Rickenberger's face, knocking him down. And out.

With a moan, Miguel lets go of Rickenberger's leg, then attempts to stand up, his own legs buckling under him at first before he is given a hand by the referee and finally stands erect, his hand lifted high...

We cut to Eagle Fang and much of Miyagi-Do applauding in jubilation, Sam and Daniel featuring here most prominently, though we can see a shade of worry in their visage.

Cut to...

JOHNNY

GOT HIM! That's the spirit, Champ! You're gonna pull through!

STINGRAY

Seems like you should really be there for them, Sensei.

JOHNNY

You don't say, smartass?! You think this is the way I wanted this to go down? Hell no! It's just that I don't think it'd do wonders for my crew's morale if I got whisked away by the cops right in front of them. What do you say?

STINGRAY

(awkwardly) Yeah, probably.

JOHNNY

(snarkily) Glad we're on the same page.

Cut to Miguel walking with an uneven gait and hunched back to his dojo's bench. Mitch gives him a pat on the shoulder as he flops down, eliciting a suppressed frown.

MITCH

Kick-ass, man! dude played dirty and you still rekt him!

MIGUEL

(sighs) He gave me more trouble than I expected. (frowns) Almost like... he knew where to push my buttons...

MITCH

Hey, I'm sure you'll come round by the time you have to step in there again. You're the toughest motha around here by a long shot!

MIGUEL

(smirks mirthlessly) Well, if that's true, then that's only because my mom isn't here now...

MITCH

Shame about that, I really enjoyed her catering...

MIGUEL

(as he elbows Mitch playfully) You watch out or you'll be looking for medics to cater to you before you know it...

MITCH

Just messin' with you, man!... By the way, have you seen any medics around here?

MIGUEL

(frowns, looks around) They were here at the start... can't see any now that you've mentioned it...

Next up, Robby is matched against Chris. As they bow and assume fighting stances, the latter shouts out.

CHRIS

We used to be on the same side, what happened?!

ROBBY

(smirks) Last time I wore white here, I lost.

CHRIS

You sayin' white ain't right?!

ROBBY

(cocks his head) In this case, yeah.

CHRIS

Then I'm 'fraid you're done, buddy!

Chris closes in, opening up a can of hooks and uppercuts, which Robby deftly dodges and swats away with an expression showing unbroken focus. One missed punch pulls Chris closer to Robby, at which point the latter smashes his heel into his ankle, and, as Chris flinches from the pain, throws a haymaker to the side of his head, sending him reeling away.

CHRIS

(rubbing his head as a point for Keene is declared) C'MON, MAN! NOT THE EAR!

ROBBY

(disarming smile) Sorry, I heard a man who can't hear, can't fight. (frowns in contemplation) Or was it about seeing?

CHRIS

You ain't gonna see this coming!

He rushes Robby and leaps up for a jumping sidekick. Robby reacts by jumping back, leaving Chris to land less than gracefully and be led by his forward momentum straight into the path of Robby's crouching sweep, which trips him up onto his face, for Robby to then top it off with a crouching axe kick to Chris' back.

CHRIS

(gathering himself up belaboredly, now two points behind) Alright, Mr Cobra, how about you strike first this time?!

ROBBY

Hey, why hold back now? You were on such a roll walking right into my strikes...

With a shrug, Robby advances as Chris brings his arms up. He does one aborted front kick, then an aborted hook kick to Chris' side, then repeats the same motion, Chris now reacting quicker by shooting his hand out to intercept the kick. In a lighting-fast movement, Robby withdraws the leg, sidekicks with his other leg - Chris grabbing onto his ankle as the foot reaches his torso - and then launches himself off the ground, his chest and pelvis spinning along the horizontal axis, and his free leg delivering a vertical jumping crescent kick straight to Chris' jaw, knocking him out cold as they both fall to the floor. Robby gets back on his feet instantly and leans over dazed Chris as the referee also runs to check up on him.

ROBBY

You ok?

Chris nods feebly, tentatively reaching up to his jaw.

ROBBY

Well, I handed that first kick to you, you can't complain.

CHRIS

(mumblingly, hand clutching his mouth) I can't complain coz you took out my jaw, man!

Robby shrugs with an apologetic expression as the referee grabs his wrist and lifts it up. This is met with rather muted applause.

Cut to...

HAWK

(casting a piercing glare at Robby, muttering to himself) I can see your parlor tricks, pretty boy, and I won't fall for 'em.

Cut to...

JOHNNY

(nodding slowly with a bittersweet smile) So to the semis you go, and with my blessing, Robby.

STINGRAY

(questioning look) Why would you give your blessing to another dojo's kid, Sensei?

JOHNNY

Because he's my kid, Chubs.

STINGRAY

Wait, what?!

JOHNNY

(waves his hand) Just take my word for it and move on.

STINGRAY

(shaking his head) I feel like I'm gonna need a lot more booze before this is over...

Cut to Sam squaring off against Kyler, a cocky smirk on his face as he bounces up and down in place.

KYLER

So you finally figured you want a piece of me again, huh babe?

SAM

(contemptuous scowl) I figured I want you in pieces, Kyler... (smirks) But then I've heard you don't exactly have all of them intact any longer anyway.

Kyler's features twist in anger and he rushes Sam, who immediately spins to the side,ducks down, and backsweeps him as he attempts to turn towards her. Kyler falls on his back and rolls away, avoiding Sam's follow-up crouching kick, then throws his legs up, holding onto the ground with his hands, and, with a push of the same hands, launches himself horizontally, feet first, at Sam, who is knocked back onto the ground by the blow.

Cut to a reaction shot of grimacing Daniel, then back to the ring, where Kyler is awarded the first point. Sam gathers herself up, standing up to her now even more bouncy and even more obnoxious-looking opponent.

KYLER

Oh I'm sorry, you didn't get the part of me you were hopin' for?

SAM

The part I want is your mug, and I'm getting it this time.

KYLER

You want to start with a kiss, I understand.

SAM

I want you to kiss your ass goodbye.

This time she advances, briefly stopping to dodge his side kick, then diving under his fist as it is thrust out, slamming her elbow into his ribcage, then launching the top of her forehead into the tip of his nose, smashing it in, and ending with a knee to his stomach, sending him stumbling away, bent over and clutching his nose.

SAM

(as Kyler regards the blood droplets on his hand with mounting fury) Got your face and a bit extra. But I'm not done.

KYLER

(as a point is awarded to LaRusso) You're done for, you bitch!

He dashes towards her again, this time slowing down as he gets into the range and initiates a spinning kick. Sam ducks under it, then jumps back from a sweep, and leaps at Kyler as he briefly exposes his back to her. But Kyler manages to spin the rest of the way before Sam closes the distance, and catches her with an elbow to the side of her waist, sending her reeling, then following up with a roundhouse kick to her back, which drops her to the floor face first. Only the referee's intervention stops him from further attacking her on the floor, as boos resound from the audience.

Cut to reaction shots of Daniel and Miguel, both with dismayed looks, Miguel's also showing increased anger. Then back to Sam, as she struggles to get back to her feet and turn towards Kyler, who now seems to be outright consumed with the urge to take her down. She steels herself, raises her fists, stares him down. He breaks into a run, winds up his fist, and shoots it out. Sam swats the fist away with both her forearms using the drum technique while at the same time throwing herself to the ground onto her back, perpendicular to Kyler's momentum - her calves sweeping him up - and, as he collapses, lifting her lower body up, twisting it, and dropping her knee onto his lower spine, eliciting a pained moan.

SAM

(rolling off him, as cheers erupt) Liked that piece of me? Or was it too hard for you?

Kyler answers her with an angry snarl as he scrambles to get up, with the referee leading her away while declaring the win of her second point. Cut to...

JOHNNY

(teeth clenched) Yes! You've got it girl! One more!

Cut to Kyler as he utters a roar, then advances, red in the face, his arms spread wide. Sam keeps her fists close as the opponent circles her, makes a few feinted lunges, then throws some quick jabs trying to break her poise. Finally, he goes for a grapple, bending down, his arms swinging for her thighs in a scooping motion. He grabs hold, Sam's fist glancing off his shoulder, lifts her legs up and throws Sam onto her back. As he then falls onto her, his fist raised and targeting her head, Sam draws her legs up and shoots her feet out, jamming them into Kyler's torso. She blocks the incoming punch with her elbow, letting out a cry as the blow connects. Kyler draws his fist back for another strike, his other hand grabbing her ankle and attempting to pry it away from his chest, his calves straining as they press onto the floor, driving his upper body down on her. At this point Sam disengages her other foot and thrusts it at Kyler's standing foot, knocking it from under him and toppling him onto the ground in front of her, his collarbone pinning her foot as she tries to retract it. Kyler, his hand still on her other ankle, starts crawling up her body, but as he is about to mount her, Sam manages to twist her pelvis sideways and shove her hip into his face. As Kyler's head snaps back, Sam frees her feet, draws them up and shoots them out, dealing Kyler a double blow that makes him roll backwards, and sprawl on the ground. With Kyler lying dazed, Sam is helped to her feet by the referee and has her hand raised, declaring her the winner, to rancorous applause.

Cut to Daniel breathing a sigh of relief, then to Miguel doing a fist pump in celebration, then to Johnny screaming at the screen.

JOHNNY

WHIPPED THAT HIP! YEAH! THE D-BAG'S GETTIN' A BODY BAG!

STINGRAY

You cheering on that Miyagi-Do too?

JOHNNY

Oh yeah, she's been one of my better students lately.

Stingray just looks at him slack-jawed.

Cut to...

HAWK

(allowing himself a slight smirk) I'd have taken him down faster...

Cut to...

SAM

(casting a smug gaze at Kyler) Guess it was my ass that you've kissed goodbye.

Kyler gathers himself up, now with a black eye, glaring at her silently with resentment...

Cut to the screen drawing new branches on the match-up tree.

DARYL

AND NOW, LADIES, AND GENTLEMEN, WE ENTER THE SEMI-FINALS! TWO MEN, TWO WOMEN, A PERFECT GENDER SPLIT, TRULY SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE! LET'S SEE IF THAT CARRIES OVER TO THE FINAL ROUND... BUT FIRST, A QUICK COMMERCIAL BREAK...

The jumbotron lights up with same Agent O-Ranger ad we have seen before, except now with sound.

MITCH

(to Miguel, under his breath, pointing to the cans under the bench) Hey, maybe you could have some of this before you go back there? I'm tellin' you, man, I had a try and I can barely stay in my seat now, like I drank liquid ADD or somethin'.

MIGUEL

(regarding the opened six-pack hesitantly) ... Nah, I think I'm good.

Cut to...

DARYL

(as the ad ends) Alright, everybody, LET THE FIGHTING RECOMMENCE!

Cut to Miguel facing Tory, the former still slightly stooped. Tory stares him down with a frown, outwardly projecting determination, yet betraying signs of anxiety... and not for herself, either. On the flag's cue, they advance and begin circling each other, neither seeming that eager to strike first. Finally, Tory's eyes narrow and she launches a sidekick - Miguel dodging to the right - then a spinning sweep, which turns into a crouching back kick as Miguel jumps over the sweeping leg and then lunges at her. He flies above the kick, his elbow slamming her between the shoulder blades as he lands, then rolls over her back, Tory now flattened on the ground. Miguel leaps to his feet, his back visibly causing him discomfort already based on his body language. Then, as the referee announces a point won, he turns back towards Tory, whose arms shoot out to the sides and push her off the floor.

Tory raises her fists, her gaze now scowling and vindictive. She runs up to Miguel, throwing out a few aborted uppercuts, then, as the latter responds with a right hook, she flings herself to the ground, spinning as she falls, and, the moment her outstretched hands touch the floor, she shoots both her legs back at Miguel's chest. Miguel seizes her ankles, but the blow shakes him up nonetheless. Tory's hands eject her upper body into the air, she spins again, now horizontally, wrenches one of her feet out of his grip, and smashes the heel into his collarbone, sending him staggering away with a groan.

She gathers herself up, as a point is assigned to her. Miguel faces her now with a more stern expression, while she adopts a focused and inexpressive composure. Miguel closes in, leaps up, performs a roundhouse kick in the air, which Tory narrowly leans away from, then as he lands, his torso spins with his protruding elbow aimed at her midsection. Tory throws her waist back to dodge the blow, bending over in the process, at which point, while still spinning, Miguel lifts his thigh and smacks her across the face with his knee.

Tory stumbles away, drops to the ground onto her side. As she belaboredly gathers herself up, hand held to her struck chin, Miguel, having been awarded with another point, regards her with a furrowed brow, evidently troubled and uncertain. He moves his shoulders around tentatively, grimaces as the pain sets in, shakes his head resignedly as he reassumes the fighting stance. We cut to a reaction shot of Robby observing him with a suspicious squint.

Cut back to Tory as she approaches Miguel cautiously, looking out for the slightest cue. Once she closes in enough, Miguel unleashes a volley of jabs, striking with the palms of his hands, which Tory is able to block with her forearms. Then she counters by throwing a low kick at his calf, briefly stopping his advance, leaps back, and launches into a spinning high kick. Miguel dodges by leaning back, smacks her leg away, then dives for a grapple, wraps his arms around her waist as Tory responds with a knee strike to his sternum. Having her in a clinch, Miguel, his teeth clenched, tries to lift Tory off the ground, only to have his bent back hammered with her elbow. With a gasp, Miguel's upper body darts down, his arms still wrapped around Tory, who now puts her leg behind his, and makes a push, swooping him up. Miguel goes down, Tory's other knee pinning him as she follows him to the floor.

Now is the time for Miguel to get back up with difficulty, perspiring loudly as he forces his back to move. Tory watches him with a frown, having scored a point. He finally stands on his feet, his frame looking rather rickety. Their eyes lock for a moment, and Miguel gives her a subtle nod, his face one of resigned finality.

Tory closes in, throws a left hook, then a right uppercut, Miguel blocking both, paying with strained expressions for each block. From that Tory moves into a crescent kick, and Miguel, instead of backing away, makes a conscious step forward, and takes the downward blow to his shoulder. The impact makes him collapse in front of her, the air wheezing between his teeth. Tory freezes as her foot hits the floor next to him, then ducks down as the referee darts in her direction.

TORY

(looking down on Miguel, with concern) You ok?

MIGUEL

(forcing a smirk) Yeah, I'll live. Thanks for not making this too painful.

TORY

(smiling in return) Was aiming for the neck to make this quick, but my foot kinda went off course.

Miguel chuckles as he accepts her hand, and is pulled up with a prolonged groan, as Tory in turn has her hand raised to confirm her victory. Cut to reaction shots of Daniel, shaking his head in disbelief; Sam, glowering at them while obviously stewing inside; Robby, frowning deeply and disgruntedly; and finally Hawk, his eyes almost bugging out in anger, his lips drawn taut, as his hand reaches for the backpack next to him and pulls out an all-too-familiar blister pack... Cut to Moon, who catches Hawk popping one white pill followed by a second one with a corner of her eye, her expression instantly turning alarmed...

Cut to...

JOHNNY

(slamming his fist against the dashboard) WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT, CHAMP?! HE JUST WALKED RIGHT INTO THIS KICK!

STINGRAY

(nodding) It kinda looked like he did it on purpose, yeah.

JOHNNY

(at loss) But... why?! I mean, she's his ex, and she hung him out to dry, champ should have all the more reason to want to kick her ass!

STINGRAY

(awkwardly) Well, from what I've seen I don't think there are any hard feelings left between them...

Johnny shoots him a questioning look...

Cut to Miguel slowly proceeding past the Miyagi-Dos.

MIGUEL

I'll be in the locker room if anyone asks.

Sam shoots him a reproachful look, but the call to prepare for the next match prevents her from going after him.

Cut to the entrance to the locker room, as Miguel makes his way towards it. Suddenly, the door bursts open, revealing Demeter alongside Yasmine, the latter's hand under Demeter's arm, but darting away as she notices Miguel, embarrassment instantly erupting on her face. Demeter, on the other hand, reacts with good humor.

DEMETER

Heeey, Miguel, how it's going out there? Came here for a little break in between busting skulls?

MIGUEL

(a corner of his mouth curling up) An extended break, actually. The tournament's over and done for for me.

DEMETER

(eyes going wide) Wait, you mean that the bitch queen...

MIGUEL

(shrugs) Funny, isn't it? (points to Demeter's made-up (though now somewhat smudged) face) The two of us may have lately lost a thing we used to have in common, but now instead we got a brand new thing in common!

DEMETER

(frowns) Can't say I'm all that happy to have this conversation topic. Guess Sam's our only hope now.

MIGUEL

Hope she follows in her dad's footsteps. Anyway, good to see you haven't taken your loss too badly.

DEMETER

Well, all credit goes to my Lady here (indicates Yasmine). She sort of brought me back from the brink, to be honest.

YASMINE

Sorry for your loss, Miguel.

MIGUEL

(smiles) No big deal, I'm just happy I could give a good showing so soon after getting out of the wheelchair. Hey, I appreciate you're here for Deme...ter.

DEMETER

Hey, if you prefer Demetri, that's fine with me. I just figured since I could be listed under whatever name I wanted on that screen, I may as well make a little statement.

MIGUEL

I'll try to adjust anyway.

YASMINE

(to Miguel) Well, I suppose I was forced to concede that despite her best efforts, I still harbor feelings for her, even if these feelings have all been thrown into disarray now that they can't find the guy they've been originally directed at.

MIGUEL

I'm sure they'll adjust too, given enough time.

DEMETER

Thanks, Miguel. (to Yasmine) He's right, you know. Once these feelings stop insisting on looking for a guy, they'll see the one they're after has been here all along.

YASMINE

(sighs) Hope that's true. As of now, I feel I'm still atoning for whatever sins I committed back in some previous life.

DEMETER

Oh, my dear Yasmine, I'm sure it's someone else's sins you've been chosen to redeem. Must be because of your strong moral backbone.

Yasmine shoots Demeter a dubious look. Miguel chuckles as he waves them goodbye on his way to the locker room.

Cut to the locker room, where Miguel shambles his way to the bench opposite his locker, crosses it, picks the numbers on the combination lock, and opens the locker door. He takes out a towel and wipes his face. As the towel is lowered below his eyes, they go wide, noticing a can of Agent O-Ranger inside the locker, leaning against his backpack. Brand new, glistening with dew, and so very inviting...

MIGUEL

(reaching for the can, its cold surface giving him a bit of a chill) How did this get here?! Was it here when I put my stuff inside? Guess that's possible...

He turns the can in his hand, looking at it with hesitation, then he takes a quick sweeping look - nobody here but him.

MIGUEL

(sighs, his eyes back on the can) It's just a drink, how bad can it be? And I'm out of the game anyway, so if it strikes me down...

He pops the can open, sniffs it, shrugs, takes a tentative sip, moves the liquid around his mouth cavities for a bit, swallows. Next he waits for a bit, and as nothing of note seems to be happening in his gut, he starts quaffing it more greedily...

... when suddenly a ringtone erupts out of his backpack in the locker. Miguel puts down the can hastily, zips the backpack open, takes out the phone. It is...

MIGUEL

Mom!? Hey, what's up?

CARMEN

(celebratory tone) Our campeón, woo-hoo! What's up with you, my karate master? Have you walked away with the trophy yet?

MIGUEL

(uneasy smile) Yeah I guess you could say that. I think they do give third place prizes, so I should qualify.

CARMEN

(incredulous) Whaaat? You've only won third place?!

MIGUEL

(mouth corners curling down) Afraid so, sorry to disappoint. I mean, I probably could've gotten to the final round, but I got pretty messed up in the quarters, and I was worried I'd tax my body too much... and there was no point really, no way I would have won the next match anyway.

CARMEN

Hmm, well if you felt your body wasn't up to the task, then I'm happy you've been looking out for your health, Miggy... I'm just surprised to hear you've given up on your own. I thought you were set on winning back to back?

MIGUEL

I did but then my back got in the way (laughs). Seriously though, I was set on entering the tournament to prove to others and myself that I could give the other contenders a run for their money. And I think third place is good enough proof that's true. (chuckles) Honestly, it wouldn't be a good look for the All-Valley if none of the other fighters managed to beat a guy that couldn't even walk like less than a year ago.

CARMEN

(beaming) Of course, Miggy, you're right and I'm proud of you, my warrior. Be home soon, we've got a homecoming party waiting for you!

MIGUEL

Oh, I hope you didn't overextend yourself to set it up, whatever it is!

CARMEN

Not at all, Miggy, don't worry. I was glad to have an excuse to get out of bed. (she is interrupted by indistinct background voice) Oh, Yaya is asking if you're sore after the fighting.

MIGUEL

(rubbing his shoulder) Yeah, well, that's one way to put it...

CARMEN

(again background voice) She's saying she'll give you something to soothe the pain... and help you relax.

MIGUEL

(laughs out) Oh I think I know what she means. I can smell it from her room sometimes. Tell Yaya I appreciate it.

CARMEN

(annoyed) Sure, and you don't tell anyone I allow this stuff at my house.

MIGUEL

(cheekily) Sorry, mom, already invited everyone to an afterparty with Maria and Huana... But seriously, of course I'm not telling anyone my gram's a stoner.

CARMEN

Well, some would probably find it cool. Anyway, is the tournament over yet?

MIGUEL

No. As a matter of fact, I just walked off the ring from my last fight.

CARMEN

So, if you don't mind me asking, who beat you and who else is still in the game?

MIGUEL

(bites his lip) Riiight, prepare to have a laugh...

CUT TO

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY

We cut unexpectedly to an upscale-looking classroom, full of smartly dressed STUDENTS sitting by their laptops at shiny and spotless metallic desks, the TEACHER at the front of the class going on about something or another, her voice muted. We pan until we come to a desk occupied by AISHA, her chin propped up by her fist, her eyelids looking like they could use some propping up themselves.

Suddenly, the smartwatch at her wrist begins to glow and - silently - vibrate. Her eyes dart to the watch' screen, displaying the time prominently. Hastily, she turns it off. Then she starts conspicuously fidgeting about in her seat, pressing her hand to her forehead.

TEACHER

(squinting at her) Ms Robinson, something the matter?

AISHA

(sounding faint) Uh, yes, teacher, I'm... not feeling too well. (gets up from her seat, moving unsteadily) Please excuse me.

She walks past the other desks, bumping into one of them, eliciting stifled giggles, cut short by the Teacher's steely glare.

TEACHER

(to Aisha) Are you sure we shouldn't call a nurse?

AISHA

No, thank you, teacher. It's just a dizzy spell, I'll get some fresh air and be back in minute.

She exits the classroom, then takes a few more wobbly steps along the hallway, and, having made sure no one is following her, drops the charade and picks up the pace, heading for the bathroom. Once there, she locks herself inside a toilet stall, lowers the seat, plops down, takes out her phone, and opens the Internet, clicking on the All Valley Tournament tab.

AISHA

(a tense look) Alright, I'd better not tune in too late...

CUT TO

INT. WEST VALLEY SPORTS ARENA

We cut back to the ring, where SAM is confronting ROBBY. Sam stands in her battle pose, while Robby is acting all casual with stooped shoulders and bored expression. As the flag goes down, Robby starts strolling towards her, throwing his wobbly limbs around as if they were made out of jello, with the same dispassionate look. As laughter erupts from the audience, Sam leaps away with a suspicious frown. But Robby merely continues his Ministry-of-Silly-Walks-approved advance at an unchanging pace, until, with evident frustration, Sam throws a punch at him, which he takes to the forehead with no attempt at blocking, and flops to the ground, as if his leg muscles just all went slack at once.

More laughter, mixed with whistling and hooting, resounds. Cut to KREESE scowling frustrated at the performance, TORY squinting with incomprehension, KYLER sneering derisively, DANIEL with his brow furrowed in confusion, and finally HAWK, his eyes unremittingly blazing with searing hatred.

Cut to...

STINGRAY

(eyeing JOHNNY questioningly as the latter scowls at the screen in disbelief) So that here is your kid, Sensei?

JOHNNY

(through gritted teeth, as he crumples a not-quite-empty can in his hand) He keeps it up and I'll make him my ex-kid...

Cut to...

SAM

(leaning over Robby) Just what the hell do you think you're doing?

ROBBY

(as he sluggishly gets up) Is it you showing disdain for the alternatively mobile? Because I may need to report you to the organizers...

SAM

Stop screwing around, Robby! You think you're such hot shit you can first have some fun, is that it?!

ROBBY

(feigning shock) Fun?! Sam, your words are hurting me, I'm literally shaking! (makes his limbs wobble some more) I'm doing my very best, look!

He twists his chest, swinging his floppy, seemingly limp arm at her. As she takes a step back, he does the same in the opposite direction. Then he makes a protracted spin, and while doing so clutches his knee and lifts it up, in a pitiful mockery of a spinning kick.

ROBBY

(as Sam looks on with reproach) C'mon, Sam! What's wrong with you?! Fight like a LaRusso!... Oh, sorry, I don't mean call the police, I mean stand and fight!

Rankled, Sam cries out and delivers a side kick to his chest, which, predictably, sprawls him out on the ground.

More laughter, more hooting and hollering, and the disgruntled referee awarding Sam her second point.

SAM

(shouting, pouting and red-faced) HEAR THAT?! TWO POINTS NOW! YOU GONNA START FIGHTIN' FOR REAL ALREADY?!

ROBBY

(as he gathers himself up, with a hurt-puppy look) Oh, I am for real, Sam! But no worries, I still got my special attack! Watch!

He lifts his right knee slooowly, simultaneously raising his two elbows while the hands and forearms act limp - a rickety, tottering caricature of the crane kick. Exasperated, Sam puffs, then runs up to him and gives him a mean kick to the groin. Robby instantly doubles over with a pained cry, clutching his family jewels as his body slowly sways to the front and collapses before Sam. As laughter reaches its crescendo, the referee runs up to her and issues a penalty for an illegal move. Frustrated, Sam shakes him off while signaling for a time-out, glancing questioningly at Daniel as she does so.

SAM

(shouting) I CAN DO THAT, RIGHT? (as Daniel nods, she turns to Robby, her glare imperious) YOU. ME. LOCKER ROOM. NOW!

She walks off as Robby shirks in feigned terror at the sound of her voice. Then he proceeds to squirm on the floor after her like a human-looking worm, inspiring yet more merriment among the audience.

ROBBY

(looking up at them) SORRY, FELLAS! CAN'T KEEP A LADY WAITING!

As he finally gets onto his feet and proceeds to follow her to the locker room, we cut briefly to Kreese and Tory, as they exchange grim looks.

Cut to the locker room as Sam waltzes in, making MIGUEL, who has just finished his call with Carmen, jolt from his bench in shock.

MIGUEL

SAM! WHAT HAPPENED?! Is the fight over already?

SAM

(confrontational tone) It damn near was, and I wanna know what you two've been up to?! First you throw your match to her, now he's trying to do the same with me, and he's even more brazen about it!

MIGUEL

(shock only increasing) What?! Sam, I swear me and Robby haven't been up to anything, we didn't talk about anything behind your backs!

SAM

Then why did you walk into her kick?!

MIGUEL

(sighs) Look, Sam, after four rounds I felt my body was on the verge of breaking down. I figured if I forced myself to try and win that last round, there was no way I'd be in the condition to win the finals. And I... (looks down in shame), I didn't feel doing so just to get to the finals would be worth it...

SAM

(puts hands on hips) Uh-huh, of course! You didn't want to see your old Cobra Kai flame get hurt, is that it?! (snorts) "Old", what am I even saying?! She still burns bright and hot inside you, doesn't she?!

MIGUEL

(shakes his head) It's not like that, Sam. Please, we've been through this...

Sam's mouth parts for a retort, but she is interrupted by...

ROBBY

(cheerfully)'Sup, guys. Am I interrupting? (to Miguel) She told me to come here, just so you know.

SAM

(spinning to face him) I did, yes! So I've heard his excuse, now what the hell is yours?!

ROBBY

(shrugs) Excuse for what?

SAM

(fuming) DON'T PLAY WITH ME, ROBBY, OR I SWEAR THEY'LL BE FINDING PIECES OF YOU IN EVERY ONE OF THESE LOCKERS!

ROBBY

(flinching in feigned terror again) Uuuh, I'm sorry, Sam, please don't get mad! If you mean my performance back there, well, let's just say it reflects my level of commitment to this tournament at this point.

SAM

Oh, so you think you're so much above me that you won't lower yourself to actually fight me, is that right?

ROBBY

Think whatever you want. The fact is I entered the tournament to fight him (indicates Miguel) and maybe Spikey. And now I've got no stake in this shit anymore. I mean, what, win the gold by beating up two chicks? Yeah, great, awesome, sign me up... actually no, to hell with this. I've got nothing to gain here... (hears footsteps outside)... but I know who still does...

He turns around to face Tory entering the locker room, followed shortly by...

ROBBY

Oh hello, Sensei.

KREESE

So, Robby, was that your master plan all along? To turn my dojo into a laughstock?

ROBBY

(snorts) Sorry you took it this way, Sensei. But newsflash, this whole thing's been a laughstock already. On our opponents' side their best guy (points to Miguel) shouldn't even be near a karate ring for a good while still, their second best guy is benched with his hand in a cast, and their third best guy is prancing around pretending to be a girl. So that leaves the actual girls, and honestly, I'd rather see them duke it out than be the guy who got the gold by dunking on them.

TORY

You're so sure it'd be a piece of cake for you, huh?

ROBBY

(smug) With you I've got enough practice. With her (glances at Sam)... I don't care to have any.

SAM

Someone's forgetting all the practice we had at Miyagi-Do...

ROBBY

That was another life, dear. Life I've got no wish to re-live. (to Tory) Hence I'm leaving her to you, and I believe it's better for both of us this way.

TORY

(eyes wide) You're throwing the fight so I get to go up against her?

ROBBY

Pretty much, yeah.

MIGUEL

(as Tory mulls over Robby's response) Thanks, Robby.

SAM

(glaring at him) Oh, you two are on the same side after all!

MIGUEL

I just think he's got the right idea. You two need that fight more than Robby does. A fair fight to settle the score for good. (turns to Tory and Kreese) What do you guys think?

KREESE

(nods as Tory remains silent) While not the outcome I expected, it may indeed be the most beneficial one in hindsight. (to Robby) I understand your decision now. Still, you needn't have made yourself into a clown to achieve it.

ROBBY

I take that after my dad. Besides, Demetri already made a play for the best performance award. I couldn't let them upstage us, could I?

SAM

(as Kreese chuckles, to Tory) Well I guess everything's settled then. The boys graciously stepped aside to let us have at it. I suppose we shouldn't disappoint them now, don't you think?

TORY

(smirks as she stares her down) They won't be disappointed.

SAM

(nods curtly) Let us go then, the audience must be getting impatient.

She walks past them and out of the locker room. Everyone else follows her shortly.

Cut to the ring, where Daniel gives Sam an inquiring look as she re-enters.

DANIEL

So what was that about? You guys sorted it out?

SAM

(coldly) Sure we sorted it out. Robby would rather go through a jester routine than risk actually losing to me in a real fight. And who am I to tell him no?

DANIEL

(shaking his head) This day's sure got a lot of surprises in store. So he doesn't want to start over?

SAM

(shrugs) Why would he have the privilege? Besides, I think he'd prefer his girlfriend to do the work for him.

She glances at Robby as he goes past them, approaches the indignant-looking referee, and whispers something to his ear.

REFEREE

(bellowing voice) MR KEENE HAS CONCEDED TO MS LARUSSO! MS LARUSSO IS THE WINNER!

Boos resound as Robby heads for the bench, ignoring his fellow Cobras as they cast scornful looks at him.

Cut to...

HAWK

(squinty-eyed, under his breath) Saving yourself up for me, are you, pretty boy? Smart move... not that it's gonna help you any...

We pan to MOON, as she continues to observe him with worry etched into her features.

Cut to...

DARYL

(standing in the center of the ring) Well, ladies and gentlemen, we're probably in agreement that this was a letdown, though Mr Keene may have a promising future as a circus performer. In any case, one way or another we have reached the final match of this edition of the UNDER EIGHTEEN ALL VALLEY TOURNAMENT! And it is with pleasure that I state it is the very first edition where both of the finalists are women! (clapping and cheering erupts) Undoubtedly a historic milestone for karate in this city! Let's hear it for our lovely and tough ladies!

Cut to...

DEMETER

(clapping like her life depended on it) Sure wish he made this announcement with me out there.

YASMINE

Well, you must've been the first one to publicly announce his... her transition at this tournament. That's gotta count for something, right?

DEMETER

(smirks) Maybe, but I have a hunch it's not going to make the history books...

Cut to the outside of the bathroom stall where AISHA has locked herself in. Opposite the stall, a GIRL is fixing her makeup by the mirror when, suddenly, excited squeals erupt from behind the door. The girl's eyes dart towards the source of the sound, stare for a moment, then slowly turn back toward the mirror, the eyebrows raised up and the mouth curled down...

Cut to...

JOHNNY

(snorts) Pff, maybe if the guys didn't lay themselves out in front of them to make it happen, that would count for something...

STINGRAY

Oh come on, Sensei! Kickass chicks are cool!

JOHNNY

(giving him a suspicious side glance) Not at seventeen they aren't. Older and more skimpily clothed for me, por favor.

Cut back to the ring, where SAM and TORY have now taken their positions, the referee between them, Daryl having now retreated to the edge of the ring.

DARYL

And so we've come to this deciding moment, this deciding battle! On my left Samantha LaRusso, the prodigy and the heir to the Miyagi-Do Karate! On my right, Tory Nichols, dare I say the Queen Cobra of Cobra Kai? Or do I get a bite for that? (chuckles)

TORY

(under her breath) You get a swipe left for sure...

Cut to...

ROBBY

(leaning over to Kreese) I bet this guy's pick-up lines have a 100% success rate.

Kreese smirks, seemingly in spite of himself.

Cut to...

DARYL

Alright, enough keepin' y'all in suspense, the show must go on! Let the final fight begin!

He mercifully goes quiet, as the referee orders the girls to bow, which they do, and waves the flag down. The mutual circling commences, Tory's fists raised vertically, while Sam's arms are positioned more diagonally and to the sides of her torso. We hear Sam strive to keep her breathing in check as her gaze holds onto her opponent. We see near unnoticeable jerks stirring up Tory's muscles as she keeps herself from launching into a mindless assault. Then, simultaneously, both girls close in on each other, Tory shooting her leg up in a high kick, Sam crouching for a spinning sweep. Tory's foot brushes up against Sam's collarbone, pushing her back slightly, making her sweep miss Tory's other leg. Tory brings her foot down for an axe kick, with Sam rolling away to evade the stomp. As Tory's foot hits the floor, she launches her whole body into the air, spinning diagonally to deliver a jumping spinning kick to now crouching Sam. Sam blocks the kick with her forearms, but the force throws her back to the floor, her arms flying to the sides, while Tory, the moment she regains her footing, slides her feet to the side, dropping to the floor and thrusting out her fist to land a cross punch to Sam's chest. Sam winces as the blow connects, effectively signaling the loss of her first point.

Cut to...

STINGRAY

(whistles) Damn, that was pretty badass, don't you think, Sensei?

Johnny reluctantly nods as he stares intently at the screen.

Cut to the ring, with Sam back on her feet, her eyes squinting doggedly at Tory, whose gaze remains impenetrable. Sam advances steadfastly, Tory gears herself for a crescent kick. As she unleashes it, Sam dives down, sliding under Tory's leg on her calves, her back bent down. Tory springs her standing leg off the ground for a horizontal side kick, but as she thrusts it out, Sam spins on her knees, dodging the kick as it flies across her chest, then grabs the kicking leg and slams Tory's body to the floor, shooting out her right leg sideways to kick Tory between the shoulder blades.

Tory gasps as the referee moves in to split them up. The score is now 1-1. The fighters gather themselves up, Tory stretching her shoulder blades as she does so, Sam just gazing at her with laser-sharp intensity.

SAM

(muttering to herself) Be the cannon...

She breaks into another advance, Tory's eyes widening ever so slightly at the sight. She remains poised as Sam closes in, then, as the latter throws a right roundhouse kick, she responds be lifting her left leg up, blocking the kick with her thigh, then dropping her calf to catch Sam's leg in a grip. Sam reacts by getting her standing leg off the ground and having it swing in a pendulum motion at Tory's foot, kicking it out from under her and ducking under her opponent's elbow strike to her face at the same time. Tory topples onto Sam; with one leg of each of them still lifted up and entwined, she falls her right flank first, launching a right hook as she goes down, which Sam blocks by karate chopping her elbow pit. With Tory's body held up above her - her left hand going for Sam's right leg - Sam twists her own body sideways, pitching Tory onto the floor next to her. Her thigh now pinning Tory's waist, Sam lifts her chest with her elbow and hammers down a blow onto Tory's sternum, which the letter stops by grabbing her wrist. Sam yanks her leg free of Tory's grip, pushes herself up along the latter's body, and delivers a knee strike to Tory's chin. Tory's head snaps back across the floor as the referee grabs Sam's arm and pulls her up, declaring her second point win.

Sam steals a self-satisfied glance at Daniel, who gives her a thumbs-up, though with a twinge of ambivalence in his expression. We cut to Miguel watching the proceedings with a mirthless smile - and a deep frown, then to Hawk, his left hand squeezing the edge of his seat so hard his knuckles show the color of a dead fish' belly. Then we cut to...

STINGRAY

Man, I knew Tory was fierce, but I didn't know LaRusso had her beat in this department!

JOHNNY

(nodding with a smirk) Yeah, shows you which girl put her bet on the right sensei...

Cut to Tory raising herself up, her hand rubbing her chin. She turns to face Sam, struggling to hold down her bubbling rage. She takes a deep breath, draws back her lips, assumes a fighting pose and advances a millisecond before Sam does the same. She picks up the pace as she closes in, then suddenly darts diagonally to the side as Sam starts rotating her body for a spinning hook kick. She leans down to let the kick fly over her head as she moves past Sam. Then she leaps for the leg as it goes back down, wraps her arm around it, wrenches it upwards and simultaneously backsweeps Sam's standing leg, and, as Sam's arm darts for her waist, throws herself on her side across Sam's body as the latter falls face first to the floor. Tory lands her shoulder on Sam's spine - to an ensuing gasp -, draws up her legs and leaps back onto her feet, then spins and throws a kick at Sam's head while the latter rolls onto her side. Sam blocks Tory's foot with her forearm, then makes a grab for her ankle, at which point Tory drops to her knee and slams her elbow into Sam's temple.

Cut to a reaction shot of Daniel gasping as Sam cries out again, more loudly this time. The referee pulls Tory off Sam and assigns her a point, 2-2 now. Sam gathers herself up - a red spot behind her right eye socket - panting, sweaty, her teeth clenched. As she and her opponent face off, she bellows out an angry roar and rushes her, Tory bracing herself with a deep squint. Sam engages her with a hook kick - Tory dodges by leaning back - followed by an uppercut - blocked by an elbow - then a left-hand jab - swatted away with the back of a hand - and a knee strike to the chest. Tory doubles over from the blow, seizes the knee as it is being shoved between her ribs, then twists her upper body, yanking Sam to the side in an attempt to trip her over. Sam's hand shoots out, grabs the seam of Tory's gi, and she pulls herself towards her to headbutt Tory in the bridge of the nose. Blood sprays from Tory's nostrils as her upper body is jolted back. She then throws a hook punch to Sam's face which the latter dodges by launching herself to the side with a shove of her standing leg, having her body (still held by the knee) rotate half-reclined around Tory's, with Sam wrapping her arm around Tory's neck, wrenching it downwards, pulling Tory off her feet and throwing her over her side to the ground. As Tory lets go of her leg while rolling away, Sam raises it up to bring it down and pin Tory to the floor. Tory's hand shoots up, slows the foot's descent by closing itself on the ankle, at which point, right before Sam's eyes, Tory's arm stretches itself out, with the underside of its arm joint fully exposed...

The time slows down as Sam's fist takes aim and is sent on its way. With Tory unable to overcome the downward pressure of Sam's leg, her arm shakes in place but is otherwise immobile. The fist flies its course, about to reach its target and take Tory's arm out of commission... and then is abruptly halted, the knuckles already brushing up against the sleeve of Tory's gi. Close up of Sam's eyes going wide and her mouth opening, startled as she realizes what she was trying to do. With an incredulous frown, Tory draws up her knees, seizes Sam's foot in a vicelike grip, yanks it to her opposite side, pulling Sam on top of her... and on top of her pointed elbows, ready to launch themselves into her stomach and shoulder. Sam is pushed away, getting slammed by Tory's hips as she goes for good measure. She rolls on the floor, clutching her hurt spots, as Tory springs onto her feet, runs up to her, and...

... stops herself from raining down more blows as Sam comes up on her back and their eyes meet. Tory, her expression reflecting her gradually snapping out of her combat daze, holds her fist suspended in the air, Sam shifting her gaze to it in growing disbelief. Before anything more can transpire before them, the referee comes up from behind, seizes that same fist and lifts it up into the air, prompting a storm of applause interspersed with some hooting and whistling. We cut to Robby, clapping at a machine gun pace, beaming with satisfaction and pride, Kreese slapping his bicep with a weight clearly lifted off his shoulders, Miguel also looking relieved, Daniel clapping with a bittersweet smile, Demeter clapping half-heartedly, her face sour. Then we cut to...

AISHA

(throwing her fist into the air, elated) YES, GIRL! YOU DID IT, YOU'RE FREE NOW!

And to...

STINGRAY

(bewildered) Why did she do it?! Why did she stop that punch?!

JOHNNY

(tugging at his beard with a deep frown) I think I know why... She did the right thing. It's her daddy that didn't...

Cut back to the ring where the applause continues, Tory standing erect with her arm still lifted. Sam gets back on her feet, forces a smile as she beholds her now former opponent. Tory returns her gaze and gives her a slight nod, though her look remains questioning.

DARYL

(stepping into the ring) LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GIVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO TORY NICHOLS, THE WINNER OF THE FIFTY FIRST UNDER EIGHTEEN ALL-VALLEY KARATE TOURNAMENT! OUR FIRST FEMALE CHAMPION!

The applause increases in pitch and intensity. Tory gives the audience a sweeping look, allowing herself a subtle smile... one which is wiped off her face as soon as he notices Hawk, staring daggers at her from under scowling eyebrows, his muscles taut like those of a panther ready to pounce, his mohawk looking almost like it is bustling with electricity, his eyes... like two fiery pits leading straight to hell...

DARYL

(as the referee lets go of Tory's hand and the other Cobras enter the ring and surround her with congratulatory words, though we can tell they sound rather lukewarm) Alright, thank you, everyone! That was one award down for our new champio..ness? Sorry, guys, this is the first time for us so I'm kinda feelin' my way around here. Anyway, let's now roll out the more (he curls up his bicep as if he was holding a dumbbell instead of a microphone) substantial awards...

As if on cue, a tablecloth-covered rolling cart is wheeled onto the ring, bearing a gold, silver, and two bronze medals. Tory releases herself from Kreese's embrace as the cart is placed in front of her, with Daryl picking up the medal and presenting it to her, the mic tucked under his armpit. Sam stands to the side, her feelings mixed, though we can see an element of happiness on Tory's behalf expressing itself in her features. She then turns to Daniel, who gives her a thumbs up and motions her to congratulate her opponent. She nods, then turns back to watch the CK crowd, waiting for the right moment.

TORY

(to Daryl, as she receives a hug from Robby) I'd like to say something...

DARYL

Of course, sweetheart, of course. Just wait a second and listen what a certain someone has to say to you first. (to the mic) Ladies and gentlemen, before we proceed with dispensing the other awards, let us first hear a special message from our most generous benefactor, Mr Kerry Nickel, who requested that we give him the opportunity to offer his personal congratulations to the new champion. (reaction shot of Daniel as his body language suddenly tenses up) Ladies and gentlemen, I give the floor... or rather the jumbotron above me, provided courtesy of Mr Nickel's Shellshock Corporation, to our gracious sponsor!

The lights go out, and the screens above the ring switch from the live footage of the victory celebration to the POV of a camera oriented directly at TERRY SILVER, decked out in a white suit (and a red suit shirt) contrasting sharply with his jet-black hair, sitting cross-legged in what appears to be an inflatable birthday throne, a part of a ferris wheel visible behind him. We cut to a slew of faces registering shock and/or alarm, including Johnny nearly sticking his face to the screen, as Silver begins to speak, in a slow, measured tone.

SILVER

(clapping his white-gloved hands with a mocking smirk) My sincerest congratulations to the new queen of West Valley karate. Truly a magnificent title to carry, your Sensei must really be beside himself with pride, to have managed to lead a student of his to victory again after, what, thirty-odd years? Anyway, what you have achieved today testifies to your grit, your tenacity, your ferocity. These are all indispensable traits for those seeking to overcome the miserable hand they have been dealt in life. But once you set yourself up for this goal, the first victory is just the beginning, a jumping off point in a struggle that may well have no true end in sight. And any wins you may have scored are rendered moot if you throw in the towel before getting to the top. And you can never now when the next battle comes around, or who you are going to wage it against. (dramatic pause as he leans to the camera, his piercing gaze narrowing) But fear not, for uncle Silver is here to give you a true taste of this life. (Daryl squints in confusion) I am hereby announcing an alteration to the All-Valley program, a round two if you will. The trophy (the stage lights shift in unison, throwing the white beams at the gold award held in Tory's hand), whoever brings it to the site under 23, Highgarden Avenue, will be declared the winner. What's the prize, you may ask? Why, my heartfelt appreciation... as well as the option to exchange it for ten million US dollars, in cash (the camera pans to the side to reveal a stack of greens next to Silver's throne). I repeat, 23, Highgarden Avenue, I shall await you there...

Cut to...

ROBBY

(deep frown, mouth agape) That's the fairground...

Cut back to...

SILVER

It doesn't matter what place you got to before or which dojo you're in, all that matters is that you bring me the trophy, and do it by yourself, for there can only be one. Now may fortune favor the bold... (chuckles) But of course she always does. This is Terry Silver, signing off... oh, and (a super close-up of his fiendishly smirking face) Ciao, Danny boy...

The jumbotron screens go black, leaving only the stagelights for illumination, as the soundtrack kicks in [suggestion: the after-the-break riff of Halford's "Silent Screams" at 3:50 to 5:25). A disturbed murmur spreads among the audience. Tory, her look alarmed, casts a glance at the trophy, which suddenly feels like a leaden weight and a hot one to the touch at that. Then she shifts her eyes to the row of her CK teammates, who now stare at her with distinctly unmatelike hostile and rapacious expressions. Only Robby among them looks at her with concern, then he follows her gaze and scowls as he recognizes the other Cobras' intentions.

ROBBY

BACK OFF, GUYS! YOU'RE NOT GONNA LISTEN TO HIM, ARE YOU?! THIS GUY'S A CON! A MANIAC! HE'S SETTIN' US ALL UP!

His screams fall on deaf ears as the Cobras begin to advance on Tory. Robby tries to hold them back, but a number of hands shoot out to shove him back at her, until he gets assistance from...

KREESE

(doling out mean elbows like one attempting to stem back a zombie tide) FALL IN, YOU RUNTS! THIS IS A TRAP YOU'RE WALKING RIGHT INTO, YOU BUNCH OF NUMBSKULLS! (turns quickly to Robby) GET HER OUT OF HERE, NOW! GO TO MY...

Before he gets to finish, a fist flies out and hits his flank. Kreese groans with anger and resumes lashing out at his (former?) students, but even with Robby's help the three of them are forced to draw back.

Cut to...

DARYL

(pacing the outer edge of the ring, voice panicked) EVERYONE STAY IN YOUR SEATS! PLEASE REMAIN CALM! I'M SURE THIS IS SOME BIG MISUNDERSTANDING! DO NOT LEAVE THE AREA! (casts frantic looks around the arena) SECURITY! I NEED SECURITY HERE RIGHT NOW! WHERE THE HELL ARE THEY?!

No security answers his call. We cut to Sam running into Daniel's arms, the two looking at each other with trepidation, then we cut to the Eagle Fang team, where everyone, Miguel included, stands around agitated, exchanging uncertain glances, with some directing her eyes to Tory with no smaller malice than that shown by the Cobras.

Then we cut back to Daryl as he backsteps to the railing separating the ring from the auditorium, still trying to locate the missing security. Suddenly, a hand thrusts out at him from behind the railing, sinks its fingers into his shoulder, and yanks him back, smashing his shoulder blades into the barrier. Daryl yelps in pain and shock, as the hand leaps from the shoulder to his wrist, wrenching it savagely upwards and onto the railing, still pulling as the wrist is bent to and beyond its anatomical limits...

The arena resounds with the mic-amplified sickening crunch of bone, followed by an agonizing scream, cut short by a heavy thud. We cut to Daryl slumping down the railing and to the ground, unconscious, his broken wrist lolling limp. Then we pan up, to the black military boots, the black trousers, the snakeskin-draped cast, to the white-knuckled hand gripping the mic, and to the fury-blazing eyes of...

HAWK

(under his breath) Finally shut him up. (to the mic, roaring) TORY NICHOLS! (cut to the entire Cobra Kai simultaneously turning their heads in his direction) I'M COMING FOR YOU, BITCH!

With this pronouncement, he winds up his cast-encased arm, then flings it at the railing with full force. The top part of the cast shatters upon impact to the clang of trembling metal tube, sending shards of plaster in all directions out of a puff of white dust. His pale fingers come squirming out of the hole, like the legs of some albino wolf spider. An electronic crackle is the last sound amplified by the mic as it is crushed in Hawk's iron grip. He throws the junked device away, and begins barreling down between the rows of seats, ramming those getting up in front of him with his elbow, sending them right back down with startled cries, or, as is the case with one unlucky bastard, flipping him over the back rest. Cut to Moon frantically shouting his name after him, then, with a startled look and panting breath, casting her sight on her backpack. Cut to Tory, as she gasps, seeing his meteor-like dash towards her, and at the same time noticing that the other Cobras have redoubled their efforts to get to her before he does, with one angry kick throwing Kreese back on his posterior. She looks back at Hawk, meets his steel-melting psychotic glare, bursting with sheer unadulterated bloodthirsty hate... and the sight proves too much for her.

She turns on her heel and bolts for the exit, clutching the trophy in her hand.

ROBBY

(desperately, as he vainly tries to block the avalanche of blows coming his way) TORY!

Tory gives him a regretful look as she reaches the double door, then she disappears behind it. Meanwhile, Rickenberger breaks loose from the writhing Cobra quiver, sets his sight on Hawk as the latter nears the stairway to the exit, and scowls in outrage.

RICKENBERGER

(to Hawk) HEY, ASSHOLE! TRYIN' TO CUT IN LINE?!

He runs past Robby and Kreese and up the stairs. As he nears Hawk, the latter, without slowing down, leaps up, shoves his booted foot into a portly girl's belly, launches himself still higher off of it, to her high-pitched anguished cry of protest, and then delivers a two-legged flying drop kick to Rickenberger's face and collar bone, bouncing off of him, somersaulting backwards in the air and landing on all fours. Rickenberger is flung back, sent hurtling to the base of the stairs, now occupied by the rest of his team. The force of his impact sends the Cobras stumbling away, taking some pressure off Robby, who directs his gaze at Hawk, who in turn flashes him a fiendish grin, before springing up and sprinting for the double door.

Robby, his face taking on an angry scowl, breaks into a run behind him, only to be halted by a hand seizing his gi collar. He throws a blind back kick, getting the hand off, but in its place, a number of other hands start grabbing at the seams of his outfit... until they are pushed back by Kreese's shoulder as he gets in between them. Kreese manages to utter one word - "GO!" - before the Cobras pile onto him. Robby gives him an anguished look before darting after Hawk. The Cobras lay down blows on Kreese as the latter falls on his back, apparently set on lynching him right here and now, when suddenly they are scattered around by a surprise charge from behind by the Eagle Fangs, trying to push through them and onto the stairs. A regular brawl ensues, with fists and feet flying in all directions. Kreese crawls away, his back to the floor, when a pair of hands slides under his armpits and lifts him up. Back on his feet, he turns around to face...

DANIEL

(hyperventilating, with horrified Sam at his side) C'mon, John! We can't stay here! The security... they've vanished! We have to get to Silver before any of the kids do!

KREESE

(nods, shaken up) Yes, we do. (casts a backward glance) But what of them?

DANIEL

There's nothing we can do now! These guys are out of their minds! Hopefully the police gets here soon. We must get the trophy and make sure no one reaches Silver.

KREESE

Very well. Sounds as good a plan as any at this point. Let's go then.

SAM

(shocked yell) MIGUEL!

We switch to her POV to see Miguel bursting out of the crowd to emerge in front of them. One Cobra throws a haymaker at him, which Miguel intercepts, to then force the arm down, wrap his leg around it, and pitch his body to the side, toppling them both over, with the Cobra slamming hard into the ground. Miguel jumps back up right afterwards, turns and makes a run up the stairs, barely paying notice to Sam and the Senseis.

MIGUEL

(as he passes by the trio) I'm goin' after them!

SAM

(panic-stricken) MIGUEL, NO!

Daniel's hand shoots out and seizes Miguel's bicep, but the latter shakes it off at once and keeps racing up, his eyes showing a little of the same wild quality we have seen in Hawk. Sam breaks into a run to chase after him, but she is in turn stopped by Daniel throwing both his arms around her waist and squeezing her tight.

SAM

(frenzied, writhing in his grasp) DAD, LET ME GO! I HAVE TO STOP HIM!

DANIEL

(his hold unrelenting) NO, SAM! CAN'T LOSE YOU AS WELL!

KREESE

(sternly, to Sam) You listen to your father here, kid, you hear?! You go running off on your own and you're gonna get swallowed up, you understand?!

DANIEL

(glancing at Kreese with surprise) Yes, this is exactly what Silver wants! To split us up and send us all on a wild goose where he can pick us off one by one! You're staying with me, honey! We're going to cut 'em off!

SAM

(her body calming down) Well, hurry then!

DANIEL

(releasing her) Ok, just stick by me no matter what, alright?!

The three move swiftly up the stairs, leaving the tumult behind - we see BERT tumbling away from the fighting throng, only to jump back on his feet and rush back in with a warlike cry, launching himself, shoulders first, at the calves of a Cobra doling out downward hammer blows to MITCH, who shields his head with his arms, hunched over. Bert's assault trips the Cobra up, leading the two Eagle Fangs to start meting out kicks to his prostrate form. Next to them, the ASIAN EAGLE and the BLACK COBRA trade blows, with the Eagle grabbing the Cobra's dreadlocks, yanking his head down and kneeing him in the face.

ASIAN EAGLE

Don't bring dreads into a street fight, dumbass!

Cut to...

DANIEL

(to Kreese, appreciatively) Thanks for back-up there, John.

KREESE

Don't mention it. I wish I could keep Tory in check the same way.

DANIEL

(as his eyes linger on Kreese, his expression registering sympathy and other strong emotions) You did what you could for her. But we'll get her through this, we'll get all of them through this. I promise you that. (lifts his eyes and looks around until he finds...) MIYAGI-DOS! WE'RE LEAVING! FOLLOW US!

Daniel's students, heretofore remaining on the sidelines as the incident has been unfolding, make their way towards him. The first one to reach them is...

DEMETER

(panting, obviously struggling with a heavy dilemma) Sensei! Permission to find Miguel and Hawk!

DANIEL

(frowning) Permission denied, Demeter! You can't go out there by your own!

DEMETER

(shakes her head with an apologetic expression) I'm sorry, Sensei, but I have to... I made a vow to Hawk and, uh, he clearly needs help. I have to try, even if I understand it's not the most rational course of action. I can run fast, I might be able to catch up, I'm sorry, Sensei!

With these words, she turns around and sprints away, as Sam calls in vain after her and Daniel just shakes his head in defeat. The others dutifully follow their lead as the trio heads out... except for NATE and the (OTHER) ASIAN MIYAGI-DO STUDENT, who first straggle behind, then stop altogether, and, once they make sure no one has noticed them breaking away, dash back down the stairs and leap into the fray. As Nate launches into a flying side kick to thrust himself into the tumult, he goes right over the head of Kyler, who is in the process of extricating himself from the brawl by crawling out from underneath it. Kyler then scrambles to his feet and runs off, with no one bothering to give chase...

Cut to Rickenberger, still lying sprawled out on the ground, the fight having moved a little away from him by now. He lifts his bruised head a little, his expression groggy, and we switch to his fuzzy POV as a looming FIGURE steps over to him from outside the frame.

FIGURE

(gruff voice) C'mon, son. Let's get outta here.

RICKENBERGER

(slurring his words) But dad, the prize...

FIGURE

Screw the prize. I've dealt with this guy before, he's a snake, you'd be wastin' your time with him at best. Besides... (he leans down and grabs Rickenberger's arm) you get yourself into a fix under my watch and I lose what few custody hours I've got left with you at this point, so forget about it. (heaves him up) Up you go, son, that's it. Now let me see your head.

As he feels around Rickenberger's face and then gives him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, our vision clears enough for us to...

... recognize the Figure as Mike Barnes...

Cut to Aisha, still seated inside the toilet stall, as she stares at her phone's screen slackjawed and horrified, just as the footage plays out Hawk's public announcement before the stream cuts off. Hyperventilating, she pockets the phone, then stares into nothingness for a few seconds, until her wide-eyed look turns into a determined frown. She gets up, bursts out of the bathroom, then proceeds to rush down the corridor towards the stairs. On her way she runs into...

STUDENT

Aisha, you ok? I got sent to check up on you.

AISHA

(darting past her) Tell teacher it was an emergency! I'll collect my stuff later!

The student turns to watch her go with a bewildered look.

STUDENT

"Emergency", huh? Well, I can believe that...

Cut to Aisha exiting the school building in the same rush, sweat running down her forehead. She heads for the parking lot and comes to an abrupt halt in front of a purple-colored scooter. She gets on it, pulls a helmet off the handlebar puts it on, takes out the key and starts the engine. The scooter revs up, the lights come alive, and it rolls away from the school, picking up speed at a breakneck pace...

Cut to...

JOHNNY

(still staring at the screen, astonished) Son of a bitch... We thought he'd drop by here, and he's lurin' them out instead...

STINGRAY

Uhh, I guess we should drive up to the arena's entrance then, Sensei?

JOHNNY

(snapping out of his stupor) Yeah, no point sittin' around here. Let's hit it before the kids scatter to the four winds...

He turns the ignition, brings the Dodge out into the street with a roar, sends it hurtling along the Arena site, then takes a sharp turn, tires screeching, aiming it down the street branching out to the driveway leading to the Arena's parking site. As the car makes the turn, Johnny beholds a nerve-wracking sight unfolding on the opposite lane - a massive tanker truck careening uncontrollably in their general direction, swerving off the lane and onto the sidewalk, gradually tilting over as it goes, to finally flip onto its side, and, sending showers of sparks as it continues to slide with an ear-rending grinding sound, smash into the parking lot's barrier and obliterate its parking booth, completely blocking the driveway with its immense bulk as it skids to a halt.

STINGRAY

(eyes wide, jaw dropping) JESUS H. CHRIST!

JOHNNY

(turning the wheel frantically to pull over on the opposite side of the street, then leaping out of the car to get a better look, uttering the words in a stupefied whisper) Yeah, well, that just happened...

We cut to the two Senseis and Sam walking across the parking lot, as the Miyagi-Dos spill out of the arena after them. Everyone ducks for cover as the booming crash unfolds before their eyes. As the truck ceases its motion, Sam springs back up and proceeds to run towards it.

DANIEL

(alarmed look) SAM, STAY BACK!

SAM

(reproachfully) DAD! SOMEONE MAY NEED HELP THERE!

She continues her dash, Daniel going after her as he notices with mounting horror a reddish liquid spilling out from under the tanker. Suddenly, Sam stops in place, as she sees the upward-facing truck cabin door spring open, followed by a Latino TRUCK DRIVER clambering out.

SAM

(putting her hands to the sides of her mouth) SIR, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!

Paying her no heed, the Driver leaps off the cabin and out of her sight. We cut to Johnny, as he sees the Driver dart across the street and down a back alley.

JOHNNY

(suspicious frown) HEY, PAL! YOU DROPPED SOMETHING!

Predictably, no response is forthcoming, as the Driver has now disappeared out of sight.

STINGRAY

Guess he didn't have time to go back and pick it up.

JOHNNY

Right, you'd think we were in NYC or something...

Cut to Sam as Daniel catches up to her and seizes her arm.

DANIEL

C'MON, WE'VE GOT TO GET AWAY FROM HERE! THIS THING COULD BLOW!

He points to the spill, which has now almost reached Sam's feet. She cries out and the pair bolts away, but as they run, she throws a sideglance at the tanker and frowns in confusion.

SAM

Dad, this doesn't look like gasoline. Or smell like it either.

DANIEL

(as he slows down the pace) Well, it doesn't mean it's not dangerous...

SAM

But we have to get out of here somehow, and this truck's in the way!

Daniel stops and gives the surroundings a sweeping glance. The only driveway is completely blocked by the truck, and fence separating the parking lot from the street is lined with mid-sized trees on all sides, ruling out the option to run the fence over. As Daniel considers their options, Kreese casually walks over to the spill, dips his finger in it, sniffs it, then gives it a lick, to spit the liquid back on the concrete shortly afterward.

KREESE

(to the LaRussos) Looks like another gift from our generous sponsor. (points to a logo on the side of the tanker - it is the Agent O'Ranger logo)

DANIEL

Damn! So that was part of his plan! To take out our cars! Christ, what else has he got in store?

KREESE

At least it looks like the truck's not a ticking time bomb, so we should be able to walk around it.

DANIEL

(sighs) Let's hope you're right. Not that we can do much on our feet. (turns to his Students) Alright, we'll go and try to stop this madness, and I need you to stay here and wait for the police, and preferably the fire department too. Chris, can you take charge once I go?

CHRIS

(nods uncertainly) Yeah, you can count on me, Sensei.

DANIEL

(appreciative nod) Thank you, Chris. I'm fast running out of students I can trust. (to impatient-looking Sam and Kreese) Ok, let us get a move on.

We cut to a POV from inside the Dodge as we see Daniel, followed by Sam and then Kreese squeezing their bodies between the truck cabin and a partly tipped over fence onto the sidewalk. The dodge revs up and drives up to them at a leisurely pace. The trio's faces turn upon hearing the engine and their eyes go wide.

DANIEL

Johnny?!

SAM

(elated) Sensei!

JOHNNY

(sticking his head and elbow out of the window) You guys need a ride? Well, lucky you, you've got a Cobra Cab coming right up.

DANIEL

Johnny, where the hell have you been?! I thought you lost this car?

SAM

(squints) Last time I saw it, it was with... (notices Stingray in the passenger seat)... Stingray!

STINGRAY

(hastily putting his shades on and adopting a 'cool' pose) Greetings and salutations, Miss Second Place. (to Daniel) We've been patrolling the perimeter, Sensei.

DANIEL

(confused) And you are...?

JOHNNY

My student emeritus. Now you gettin' in or what?

DANIEL

Sure, Johnny, you know where we have to... (thrown aback upon smelling Johnny's breath) Johnny...?! I can't believe this, you're drunk!

JOHNNY

(shrugs) Just a couple of beers, no big deal. Now stop being a sourpuss and get in!

DANIEL

(dogged look) No, Johnny, you get out. I'll drive.

JOHNNY

(snorts) In your dreams, Dan. Does this look like a Miyagi-Do car to you? Besides, between the two of us I am the designated chaser.

DANIEL

(throwing his arms up and down in frustration) GOD DAMMIT, JOHNNY! Why do you have to be such a bullhead?! (mockingly) "Designated chaser", ambulance chaser maybe! I'm not letting my daughter be driven by a plastered guy! (catches sight of a lone taxi parked down the street with a corner of his eye) Oh, look at that! There's an actual cab in there! Alright, Johnny, knock yourself out, we'll go with the services of a professional. C'mon, Sam.

Sam gives Johnny a sheepish look before she turns to follow Daniel.

KREESE

(watching the LaRussos go) Well, I think I'll take my chances with my fellow Cobra Kais. (to Johnny) You don't mind?

JOHNNY

(ambivalent) Hop in, Sensei.

KREESE

(getting into the back seat) Hello, Stingray.

STINGRAY

Uh, hi, Sensei. (to Johnny, somewhat alarmed) I thought you two were sworn enemies now?!

JOHNNY

(smirking, as he puts the car in gear) There's just no end of catchin' up for you, is there, Chubs?

Cut to Daniel and Sam approaching the cab. We take Sam's POV as Daniel leans over to the driver's window.

DANIEL

Hello, mister, are you free?

VOICE

(as the face of the DRIVER remains obscured by Daniel's body, with thick Latin American accent) Yes, sir.

DANIEL

Great! I need you to take us to 23, Highgarden Avenue.

VOICE

Of course, sir. Please come in.

Daniel nods, opens the back door, motions Sam in. As she takes her seat, Sam catches a glimpse of the Driver's face in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes narrow briefly, the sight appearing familiar, but not enough to set her alarm bells as Daniel slides in next to her.

VOICE

Twenty-three Highgarden Avenew. We will be there quick, yes sir.

DANIEL

Excellent, I'll pay you extra if you can get us there on the double.

VOICE

No problem, sir...

Cut to Johnny behind the wheel as the Dodge drives past the still parked taxi. He squints, looking closely into the rear-view mirror, then his eyes go wide in alarm as they get a look at the cabbie...

JOHNNY

FUCKIN' HELL, IT'S ONE OF THEM!

... whom he recognizes as the GOATEE MAN. As the taxi pulls onto the road behind them, Johnny moves the wheel rapidly, making the car drift and turn perpendicular to the lane. He then starts waving his hand at the taxi frantically, as the latter brakes before them.

DANIEL

(frowning with disbelief) What is he...

SAM

(alarmed) He's trying to warn us!

At the same time, a hand emerges from behind her backrest, plunges the fingers into her hair, yanking it backward, and, as Sam cries out in shock, a second hand presses the barrel of a handgun to the crown of her head. As Daniel shifts his gaze to Sam, now screaming at full volume, the mean-faced visage of the TEAR-EYED MAN reveals itself behind him.

TEAR-EYED MAN

(to Daniel) Tell her shut up or gun tell her shut up.

DANIEL

(half-stunned with terror) No no, please, we'll do what you ask! (to Sam, putting a hand on her shoulder) Honey, calm down please, it's gonna be ok! (to the Man, holding the palm of his hand up) I beg you, take the gun away.

TEAR-EYED MAN

(takes the safety latch off) Fuck you, gringo bitch, keep your shit mouth shut.

DANIEL

(gasps in dread, with Sam now frozen in her seat) What are you gonna do to us?!

GOATEE MAN

Take you to your dirección, of course.

He slams the pedal, whips the wheel. We cut to Johnny, now out of the car, but glued to the spot as he sees Sam being taken hostage. He finally leaps to the side as the taxi swerves past him and rams the back of the Dodge, breaking its right rear light and knocking off the bumper. The Dodge spins from the impact, Johnny's chest landing flat on its hood before it slides off and onto the ground. With a groan, Johnny lifts himself up, Kreese opening the door on his side and helping him up as the cab speeds away. Clutching his midsection, teeth clenched, Johnny throws himself back into the driver's seat.

STINGRAY

(panic-stricken expression) What do we do now?!

JOHNNY

(vindictive scowl) We chase them down.

STINGRAY

But they've got guns!

JOHNNY

Yeah, we've got the Dodge!

KREESE

You remember what happened to your woman the last tine you tried to play a hero?

JOHNNY

(raspy voice) I remember. (puts the car in gear) It happened because I let the bastard get away...

The Dodge roars, and, with smoke belched out from under the screeching tires, it propels itself back in the direction of the runaway taxi. The unflagging deafening whir of the engine signals the hot pursuit has begun... We pan away from the street and back to the arena's parking lot, as from outside the frame, two separate disorganized streams of people, one made up of the Cobra Kais, the other of Eagle Fangs (plus the two Miyagi-Do tag-alongs) swarm into the scene, racing each other to the gate...

CUT TO

EXT. BACK ALLEY

We cut to TORY, racing down a trash-strewn alleyway, fire escapes and steam-emitting air conditioners clinging to the walls like vines and fungi overgrowing tree trunks in a jungle. As she runs, panting, clutching the trophy for dear life, HAWK bolts into the alleyway behind her, galloping like an indefatigable machine, and closing in fast (suggested soundtrack: Metallica's "All Nightmare Long" - the main riff starting at 0:50). Suddenly, he swerves from his dead-straight course, leaps onto a garbage container, launches himself at a fire escape platform, grabs the railing, vaults over it, scoots over to the platform's opposite side, jumps onto the railing and propels himself diagonally downwards, barreling like an air-to-ground missile (as a hawk's cry resounds) straight into Tory's back. The impact whisks her off her feet, sends her plummeting headlong as Hawk rolls over her back and halts his momentum by smashing his fist into the ground. A crouching back kick hurled at her face right afterwards flips her onto her back, with Hawk leaping onto his feet, jumping back, spinning in the air, and smashing his elbow into her waist. Tory's body jackknifes as she howls with pain, her hand striking the ground and releasing the trophy, which rolls away, only for Hawk to roll to the side after it, grab it, and push himself off the concrete to stand over his downed prey, his eyes spelling bloody murder. He raises the trophy over his head, seemingly intent on turning it into a meat mallet, when his gaze shifts rapidly upon hearing...

ROBBY

(shouting in furious distress upon entering the alley) HEY!

With a malign grin, Hawk tosses the trophy in his hand, then bolts to the opposite end of the alley. Robby makes his way to Tory, who is now breathing heavily, tightly clutching her stomach, propped up on one elbow.

ROBBY

(putting his hands on her) YOU OK?!

TORY

(forcing the words out, obviously not ok) I'm fine... (through gritted teeth, giving Robby a look full of rage) Get him...

Robby nods, stands up, and with a determined frown breaks into a run in Hawk's direction, the latter having now disappeared behind the corner. As Robby is about to reach the corner, going at full speed, he is greeted with the trophy being swung from behind the wall at his midsection. He runs right into the blow, doubles over from the impact, with Hawk lunging from his hiding spot at him, and following up with a knee strike to his sternum. He tosses the trophy aside, grabs Robby by the lapels of his gi and pulls him to his face...

HAWK

(lips drawn back in a psychotic grin) PRETTYY BOOOYYY!

... then spins and hurls him off the sidewalk and onto the hood of a car standing at a stoplight. Cut to a POV of the distraught driver as Robby lands in front of his windscreen, rolls across the hood and drops on the opposite side, to be followed by Hawk leaping onto the hood like a velociraptor (eliciting a startled cry in the process), then jumping up, his fist raised - the cast now wrapped around his wrist and most of the forearm like an exceptionally large bracelet. Cut to a view in between two lanes of stopped vehicles as Hawk's fist slams the asphalt in front of Robby's crotch, the latter lying on his back, his legs spread wide, frantically crawling away. Hawk pitches himself at him, seizes his gi again, then starts tossing Robby around like a pinball between two slingshots, bashing him first against the body of a car to our left - its door glass instantly shattering - then to the one on our right. Robby's hand darts for a car door handle as he is then flung to the ground, swinging the door open, putting it between him and Hawk as the latter's fist comes hammering down. The fist smashes into the door, making a fist-sized dent on its surface and ripping it off its hinges. Robby puts the door as a shield while Hawk uppercuts it once, twice, then, seemingly bored of doing so, kicks it at Robby, grabs at a door of the car on his other side, and tears it away as well. Then he shield-bashes Robby's door, turns his shield around in his hands, swings it edge first, sending the other one going over Robby's head, then lifts his door up and brings it crashing down like a guillotine blade to where Robby's feet were just an eyeblink ago. As Hawk lifts the - now all bent out of shape - door up again, Robby throws his door over his own prone body, tossing it at Hawk's ankles. The door's edge trips Hawk up, and as he falls headlong, Robby leaps onto Hawk's door and delivers his shin to Hawk's face. Hawk is pitched backwards, somersaults onto his feet, then launches himself at Robby, locking his arms around the latter's waist, then hurls himself onto his back, dragging Robby down with him and making his upper body slam into the asphalt. Then he gives his body a twist, casting Robby off. Robby kicks Hawk in the shoulder, pushing him back a little as well as pushing himself away from him, then gets up as Hawk grabs onto the edges of broken car windows on both sides of him, and slingshots himself at Robby, thrusting both his legs at him in a dropkick as he goes. Robby manages to block the strike with his forearms, but is still sent stumbling backwards. Hawk gathers himself up, winds up for a spinning kick... only for his knee to smash another car window and get stuck in its frame. Robby seizes the opportunity by going down and sweeping up Hawk's other leg. As the latter falls to his knee, Robby follows up with a kick to the face, which Hawk blocks with his cast, eliciting a cry of pain as Robby's naked toes hit the plaster. As Hawk extricates his foot from the window, Robby decides to move back, out of the car-walled valley and into the crossing beneath the stoplight.

Cut to the alley, where Tory protractedly gathers herself up, hand still on her midsection. She turns with alarm as she hears footsteps approaching, to see...

MIGUEL

(running up to her) You alright?

TORY

(nods, her breathing labored) Yeah (she turns her gaze to the street, then back to Miguel, her expression now entreating) Help him...

Miguel's eyes narrow, as his gaze shifts, then he breaks into a sprint in the direction indicated, Tory's eyes following his departure...

Cut back to Hawk as he goes after Robby, ramming his cast into one car's side-view mirror just for the hell of it. Robby stands poised, and as Hawk closes in, he twists around, pitches himself headlong onto his hands, lifts up his lower body and drives both his feet into Hawk's stomach. Hawk groans, bends down slightly, grabs one of Robby's ankles and brings down his elbow onto it, but Robby's other foot shoots up and swats the elbow away by kicking his triceps. Robby then pushes himself off the ground, spins horizontally, and front-kicks Hawk in the chest, shoving him onto the hood of a compact car standing by the crosswalk. As Hawk rebounds from the vehicle, Robby, now lying prone, draws his knees up, waits until Hawk 's chest falls onto his feet and shins, an then with a heave of his leg muscles throws his body into the air and sends it crashing through the car's windscreen...

... which is the exact moment the fight comes into the sight of...

MIGUEL

(scowling angrily) HEY, STOP IT!

He runs onto the street, jumps, slides across the vehicle standing to the side of the compact car, and lands next to...

ROBBY

(red-faced) STAY OUT OF THIS, MIGUEL! I'M NOT DONE WITH HIM!

MIGUEL

YES YOU ARE, ROBBY! THIS IS OVER. NOW!

ROBBY

(through gritted teeth) LIKE HELL I AM! THIS PSYCHO TRIED TO FUCKIN' MURDER ME AND TORY! HE'S GOIN' DOWN!

MIGUEL

(adopts a fighting stance, in a hushed foreboding tone) Well don't say I didn't warn you, bro. Because it's you that's going down.

ROBBY

(taken aback slightly) Oh is that right? Well, ok then (assumes a karate pose himself) Guess it's time we established a pecking order in this family, bro.

MIGUEL

(hostile sneer) Took the words right outta my mouth, bro.

ROBBY

Watch that I don't take some teeth out of it, too...

The bros start circling each other, as we pan away to the sidewalk, where suddenly DEMETER bursts into the frame, panting, staring at the confrontation in dismay, then noticing with the corner of her eye...

DEMETER

Trophy! Guess I best get it out of sight...

She runs to the award and sweeps it off the floor. As she then stops to consider her options, she hears the sound of rapid footsteps behind her, spins around to behold...

DEMETER

KYLER, SHIT!

KYLER

(scowling as his eyes fall upon Demeter... and the trophy) HEY, STICKBOY, GIVE THAT TO ME!

DEMETER

(panicked) GO TO HELL, ASSHOLE!

She turns on her heel and bolts across the street and into the mouth of another alleyway. With a mouthy "fuck!", Kyler darts after her. We linger on the spot he just vacated for a second to see Tory tentatively stepping away from the corner...

Cut back to the fight, as Miguel makes the charge with a roar on his lips. He throws a low kick to Robby's shins, followed by an uppercut, a jab, and a crescent kick. Robby blocks the first kick with his foot, swats the uppercut with his elbow, takes the jab to his breast, ducks as Miguel's leg comes at his head in a reverse pendulum motion, simultaneously shooting up his hand to grab hold of it, and as the hand seizes the lifted thigh, he spins, drives his shoulder into Miguel's hip joint, and throws him over his shoulder into the ground. Miguel gasps upon landing, but he instantly jams his free foot into Robby's gut, frees his other leg and hooks the foot over Robby's neck, and pitches him forward, over his prone body and towards the middle of the intersection, just as the traffic on their side was coming to life, prompting the drivers up front to pump their brakes and blare their horns. Miguel leaps into his feet and enters the car-framed, headlights-illuminated arena, as Robby gathers himself up to face him, then responds to his advance by leaping towards him and delivering a flying side kick, first with his upper-facing left leg, then the lower-facing right leg. Miguel blocks the first kick with his forearms - and a wince -, the second weaker kick hitting him in the sternum. He bends over and stumbles back a step from the impact, with Robby dropping to the ground on his side, launching a crouching side kick right afterwards. Miguel dodges the kick with a twist of his body, grabs the foot and metes out a karate chop to the underside of Robby's thigh. Then he lets go, pitches his upper body to the side, pushes his feet off the ground, and cartwheels, aiming his upward-pointing feet to bring them down onto his opponent head and shoulder. Robby rolls away from the strike, then, while still prone, attempts to sweep Miguel up as the latter's feet hit the asphalt. Miguel jumps over the sweeping calf and thrusts his legs out, delivering a dropkick to Robby's chest. Robby is sprawled out as Miguel somersaults on the ground towards him, his legs shooting up into the air, to be then brought barreling down heels first onto him. Robby leans his head away from the first heel as it hammers the asphalt by his ear, the other heel slamming him in the chest. Groaning, he grasps the foot with both hands, and with an exertion of his arm and shoulder muscles, twists it clockwise, forcing the rest of Miguel's body to follow suit. Still holding onto the foot, Robby then catches the thigh in a vice-grip of his own thighs, putting Miguel in a leglock.

Cut to the inside of the compact car, where Hawk abruptly snaps out of his stupor, jammed between a petrified ELDERLY COUPLE. He shakes his head to get rid of the glass shards in his hair, looks to his sides, then at the fight going on in front of him, his eyes narrowing...

HAWK

(a deep growl... as deep as Hawk is capable of anyway) Get. Out.

Cut to the sides of the car, as the Couple eject themselves in a panicked frenzy...

Cut to Miguel as he writhes in Robby's lock, struggling to turn his body horizontal, to free up his other leg currently pinned down under his opponent's lower body. Then his eyes fall upon Robby's feet, and he notices a small shard of glass embedded skin deep in the side of one of them. Miguel's brow furrows with grim resolve, his hand closes into a fist and shoots out, wedging the shard all the way into Robby's flesh. As Robby screams in pain and indignation, his grip loosens, Miguel wrenches his leg free and kicks him off. Robby rolls away, draws his legs back and gets into a crouching position, his gaze incredulous.

ROBBY

You're as fuckin' mental as he is...

He stands up, a slight limp now discernible in his step. Miguel closes in, Robby responds with a roundhouse kick, Miguel leans back, counters with a hook punch to the face, Robby dodges by tilting his chest sideways, grabs the striking arm as it hurtles past his head, presses the outstretched forearm to his shoulder, then uppercuts Miguel's elbow pit, and as the latter gasps, high-kicks him in the stretched-out armpit. Miguel staggers back with his arm hanging limp, his expression shocked.

ROBBY

(cocking his head) Liked that move? I've learned it from your dad...

Suddenly, his eyebrows arc up in surprise as he hears an engine whir coming at him from the side. He spins to behold the compact car pulling up sharply next to him. Its door - now inches from his face - swings violently open, slamming into Robby and sending him hurtling to the ground. As he falls, we see Hawk behind the wheel, his leg outstretched as he slingshots himself out of the vehicle and delivers a mean axe kick to Robby's sternum with his boot, effectively taking him out of the game.

HAWK

(lifting his eyes off writhing Robby and to Miguel) Get in, Serpiente. The prize's gettin' away.

MIGUEL

(nodding to Hawk with certain bewilderment, he steps over Robby, giving him a snide look as he massages his arm, already getting it tentatively moving) Too bad you didn't learn it from your Sensei, bro. 'Cause your technique could use some work...

The Eagles get into their seats. Robby strains to lift his head off the asphalt to watch as the vehicle makes a u-turn and zips towards the mouth of the alley...

Cut to the alley, where Demeter is frantically fleeing from Kyler. Her long legs allow for a speedy run, but Kyler's athletic build inexorably prevails in this contest. As Demeter hears him closing in, she casts her glance upwards, and, seeing a fire escape above her, winds up the trophy-bearing arm, and tosses it upwards onto the platform, just as Kyler dives for her calves. The trophy flies up, smacks onto the platform... and then rolls off of it, plunges back down, and lands in a garbage container.

KYLER

(having brought Demeter down on her face, his arms wrapped around her legs) OH YOU'RE SO FISHIN' THAT OUT, STICKBOY!

Demeter thrashes around in his grip, as Kyler gets onto his feet, turns, sweeping the ground with her body, and throwing her at the side of the container. Demeter's back smashes with a clang into the metal surface, eliciting a pained gasp. Kyler closes in, grabs at her gi, Demeter responding with frantic kicks to his face and chest. With an angry grunt, Kyler elbows her legs away, only for them to shoot up and close their thighs on his neck. With a strained puff, Kyler jams his hands into Demeter's armpits, then, increasingly redfaced and as the latter plucks at his eyes, lifts her up along the side of the container, then bashes her spine against its edge, and, as Demeter's body jerks, releasing its thigh-grip, pushes her hips up and chucks her into the container. As Demeter scrambles to get out, Kyler grabs the lid and slams it into her temple, cramming her down into the piles of garbage. Demeter bangs her fists against the lid, screaming her lungs out as it slides shut nearly all the way, leaving only a thin shaft of light - the light that is blocked out as Kyler's eye appears in the gap.

KYLER

THE TROPHY, STICKBOY! OR DO YOU WANNA END UP SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF A DUMPSTER FIRE?! YOU'RE NOT GETTIN' OUT 'TILL I GET THE TROPHY AND IF I DON'T GET IT RIGHT THIS FUCKIN' MOMENT, THINGS ARE GONNA GET LIT!

DEMETER

(terrified) Alright, alright!

She starts frantically groping around for the trophy, shifting disgusting trash around, as Kyler looks on. We switch to a view over Kyler's shoulder as he, preoccupied with watching Demeter, does not notice a figure sneaking up on him from behind...

KYLER

(shaking his head in disgust) Man,

I thought lip was a freak, but you take the fuckin' fruit cake, dude!

Suddenly, he perks up, sensing someone right next to him. Before he manages to turn around, however, a foot sweeps him up. We cut to to Demeter's POV as she sees Kyler's temple ram into the container's edge, and then plummet down out of sight, to be followed by a thud, as Kyler's body hits dirt. Demeter thrusts her hands out through the slit, grabs onto the lid and starts lifting it up, when another hand plops onto the lid from the other side and holds it still. Staring out the gap, Demeter is faced with...

TORY

(as she kicks Kyler's bulk and sends it rolling aside) Not so fast, Demeter. I'm gonna need that trophy first.

DEMETER

(startled) You?! Aren't you two playing for the same team?!

TORY

(glancing at Kyler's prone form contemptuously) He's playing for his own team... as are most. Now give me my trophy, or have you got comfy down there already?

DEMETER

(suddenly defiant) Actually, I think it's better this thing stays right where it is!

TORY

You can stay there till the cows come home, but I won't. Now, (holds out her hand, threatening tone) it puts the trophy in my hand or else it gets the smackdown again.

DEMETER

(outraged) Hey! These aren't my pronouns!

TORY

(through gritted teeth) Your pronouns will be the last thing on your mind after I dump you out with the rest of the trash. My trophy. Now!

DEMETER

(puts her hands up) Alright, you've made your point. (with the increased light, she spots the glinting award right away, picks it up, and hands it to Tory) You don't actually believe this guy, do you?

TORY

(smirks) I don't...

She grabs the trophy out of Demeter's hand, then pushes her face down with the palm of her hand, and slams the lid shut.

DEMETER

(panicked) HEY! THAT WASN'T OUR DEAL!

TORY

(sweetly) Sorry, Demeter, had to put the lid on us early. Enjoy your stay.

She breaks into a run, Demeter's frantic cries coming muffled out of the container. We cut to Kyler raising his head with a groggy expression, facing the end of the alley that they all came from. Suddenly, his eyes go wide with terror. We switch to his POV as the compact car comes barreling down the alley, smashing its side-view mirrors against the walls, running over and bursting open the piled-up garbage bags, flattening empty carton boxes. Behind the wheel, Hawk, with his now customary impish grin and manic glare; Miguel sitting next to him, his look betraying a certain hesitation, though one that is wiped off his face as he beholds...

KYLER

(alarmed) YOU FUCKIN' KIDDIN' ME, MAN?!

As the car comes rushing down at him, he scrambles to his feet, looks wildly around, his eyes settling on the garbage container. He lunges for it, shoves the lid open, proceeds to climb inside...

KYLER

MAKE ROOM, DAAAWWGG!

... only to get a kick in the face for his effort and stumble back. The car now upon him, Kyler desperately flattens himself against the side of the container. The vehicle swerves away from him, its passenger side door swinging open and promptly falling off the hinges as it smashes into the container, with Miguel emerging out of the ensuing gap, grabbing onto Kyler as the car passes him by a hair's breadth, dragging him along for a few feet, and then jumping out of the car and on top of Kyler to cushion his fall, as the car comes to a halt a bit further down the alley.

MIGUEL

(staring daggers down at his prone ex-nemesis) Hello, Kyler. (slamming his calf into his throat) Where's the trophy?!

Kyler just shakes his head (as much as his pinned neck allows him, at least) with a bewildered expression, waving his hands pathetically to show they are empty.

MIGUEL

(driving his calf still more violently into Kyler's jugular) Who took it then?! (turning his head to Hawk with a confused frown) You seein' anyone else here?!

At the same time, stifled screams come out of the garbage container, drawing Miguel's attention. Hawk, however, has his sights fixed on something else...

HAWK

(as he notices Tory reaching the opposite end of the alley, his eyes set aglow) Well, I've got my eyes on the prize alright...

He gets the car in gear and drives off after her... We cut briefly back to the first alley, where, entering through its mouth, with a backpack over the shoulder, a panting breath, and a look anxious but firm purpose, MOON comes running in our direction...

CUT TO Johnny, switching the gear in his Dodge as he races behind the taxi cab, the latter swerving from one lane to another to dodge traffic. Next to him, Stingray is clutching the dashboard, panting in fright, while behind him Kreese is sitting calmly, though with obvious concern.

STINGRAY

OH MAN! NO ONE TOLD ME TO PACK DEPENDS FOR TODAY!

JOHNNY

Well hold on to your butt till we need a turbocharge. In fact, hold on to your butts TIGHT!

With these words - and a dogged squint - he slams the gas pedal and smashes his bumper into the cab, sending it skidding wildly. We cut to the cab, as the passengers are thrust into deeper their seats by the impact, with the Tear-Eyed Man (TEM) somersaulting to the back of the trunk where he is stationed, bashing his shoulder blades against the trunk lid.

TEAR-EYED MAN

(pointing his gun in front of him) NO ONE FUCKIN' MOVES! (to the Goatee Man(GM), in Spanish) Can't you shake off this fuckin' loco?!

GOATEE MAN

(in Spanish) I'm doing my best, Diego! He's faster!

DANIEL

(near-hysterical) Jesus Christ, Johnny! Are you trying to set this gun off?!

TEAR-EYED MAN

(barks) SHUT UP! (to GM) I'll take care of him then! Open the trunk! (to Sam and Daniel) You move, you die! żComprender?

Sam gulps loudly as she does her best to remain still. GM pulls the lever and TEM kicks the trunk lid up, lying prostrate on his back, coming to face the Dodge tailgating them. Seeing the gun pointing at their windshield, Johnny whips the wheel, the car swerving towards the sidewalk, right wheels chafing against the curb. TEM opens fire, bullets ricocheting off the Dodge's hood, piercing holes in it, leaving webs of cracks in the windshield as its passengers duck for cover, Stingray screaming his face off. As TEM unloads the magazine, Johnny's head jerks up from under the windscreen, to see that the car is about to crash into a lamp post, whips the wheel again, making the tires screech as the vehicle narrowly dodges the obstacle, the side-view mirror shattering as it glances off the post. Johnny gets the Dodge to swerve to the left of the cab, puts the pedal to the metal, then rams its rear left corner. Cut to the cab, where TEM drops the now empty clip and takes out a full one, only to be violently thrown to the side as the Dodge collides into it. The clip goes flying out of his hand, then slides next to the backrest of the backseats... within reach of Sam, who has been watching the man over her shoulder. She reaches through the backrest and snags the clip right out from under his nose. TEM roars "PUTA!", lurches towards her, only to be sent tumbling to the right, as the cab's careening backside smashes into a tree on the side of the road. Cut to the Dodge, now riding alongside the cab to its (as in, the cab's) left. Johnny sees the struggle ensuing inside the cab, his eyes narrowing in determination.

JOHNNY

Alright, it's boarding time. Chubs, you take the wheel!

STINGRAY

(stupefied) And just where are you going?!

JOHNNY

(as he raises his legs above the dashboard and kicks out what remains of the windshield) Taking the fight to then. Move over here!

KREESE

This is suicide, Johnny!

JOHNNY

(lifting up his lower body) He just ran out of ammo, didn't he, Mr Vet?

KREESE

Hell if I now...

JOHNNY

(twinge of hesitation) Well, I think he did. (to Stingray) Stay on their tail.

He launches himself from the seat onto the glass-strewn hood of the dodge, leaps to his feet, braces himself, then runs across it and vaults onto the roof of the cab before it speeds away from the Dodge, with Stingray struggling to move his bulk past the gearbox. He slams into the side of the cab, hands holding onto the roof, legs dangling just above the asphalt, chest pressed against the passenger door's window. Cut to the inside of the cab, as Sam throws the clip under the driver's seat. TEM, meanwhile, whips out the jackknife and scrambles towards Johnny's side. As he raises his arm to stab Johnny in the gut through the window, Daniel's hands shoot out over the backrest separating the two and seize his arm. A wrestling match ensues, with TEM throwing his fist at Daniel's temple. Sam, blocked by her dad's body from reaching TEM, proceeds to climb over her backrest to the trunk area, but TEM takes notice in time, and with a well-aimed kick, sends her hurtling back and under the seat, Daniel crying out in anger at the sight, attempts to twist TEM's arm and make him drop the blade, the other man being considerably stronger, however. Cut to GM as he sees Johnny clamber onto the cab's roof from his left side-view mirror. As soon as the latter gets on his feet, GM puts the cab in reverse gear, pulls the manual brake, and spins the wheel hard, bringing the car into a tire-rending 180 degree turn and onto the opposite lane. The maneuver whisks Johnny off his feet, sending him rolling uncontrollably off the roof, only preventing himself from falling off by grasping the car's antennae at the last moment. Cut to the Dodge as Stingray whips his wheel with a high-pitched shriek to avoid a head-on collision with the cab, narrowly avoiding it as the latter skids onto the opposite lane, to then commence speeding off in the other direction. Stingray, barely getting the swerving Dodge in control, hits the brake pedal and begins u-turning himself, but in doing so with far less finesse he loses a lot of ground between the Dodge and the cab before resuming pursuit. Cut to the inside of the cab where Sam goes for the door handle as the car comes to a halt after the slide before it begins regaining speed, only to find the door locked. TEM, meanwhile, jams his feet into the backrest and starts pushing with all his might, dragging Daniel over the backrest and into the trunk area in the process. As Daniel drops to the other side and onto TEM, the latter slams his thighs into his flanks, and starts rolling around, trying to get on top and overpower his opponent. Outside, hanging off the side of the cab, Johnny looks through the rear door glass to see the confrontation unfold and move towards the - still open - trunk cover. He climbs along the edge of the cab's roof until he comes within reach of the trunk, and, seeing TEM on top of Daniel - straddling him, hand on his throat, the knife-clutching fist pressing down - while directly underneath the lid, on the very verge of falling out, he shoots his leg up, hooks the foot over the cover, and gives it a mighty push, dropping it right onto the back of TEM's head... just as Daniel casts him off of himself with a knee strike thrusting TEM deeper inside the car. The trunk cover barrels down onto unsuspecting Daniel, crashing into the side of his head, knocking him out cold, to a startled cry from Sam.

JOHNNY

(wincing at the sight) Shit!

TEM quickly gathers himself up, raises the knife, then starts stabbing the cab's body on the side Johnny is hanging off of. The first stab pierces the body, with the blade emerging right beside Johnny's cheek. As TEM withdraws the knife and winds up for another stab, Johnny rests his feet against the fender and, his hands gripping the roof's edge, leans the rest of his body away. As the blade penetrates the spot in the car's body where his chest was pressed a moment ago, Johnny pushes his feet off the fender, his body swinging upwards, and as it comes back down, he thrusts his foot through the rear door quarter, driving it right into TEM's face, flinging him to the opposite side of the trunk. Johnny then retrieves his leg and vaults onto the roof, crawls towards the spot above the rear door - his hand barely managing to move back from another knife stab through the roof - puts his lower body over the edge, lifts his leg up, shouts "Head down!", and brings it down in a pendulum swing, smashing the glass on Sam's side. Cut to Sam shielding her eyes with her forearm as she is showered with glass splinters. Drawing the arm back, she sees them scattered all over her lap. She scoops them up, wincing as the tiny blades puncture her skin, turns around, sees TEM shoving his knife into the roof again - quick cut to the blade springing up next to Johnny's foot - gives an angry cry, which leads TEM to shift his gaze to her, and throws the shards straight into his eyes. TEM roars with pain, pitching his body backward, knife left embedded in the roof, as Johnny's hand comes through the broken window and starts feeling around for Sam. She grabs his hand, and he proceeds to pull her out of the cab through the window. Cut to TEM drawing his hands away from his face, exposing little red spots all over, one shard wedged within the white of his eye, a bloody tear spilling down his cheekbone, over his tear tattoo. He howls in fury, dashes for Sam, grabs at her ankle as her upper body is already lifted out. She kicks blindly in response, but TEM's grip remains firm. We cut to a shot over his shoulder as Daniel's hand pulls the knife from the ceiling, turns it around and sinks it in TEM's collarbone. TEM gives out an agonized moan, releasing his grip, spins and swings his forearm into Daniel's face, sending him reeling back. We cut to the outside as Johnny pulls Sam up and onto himself as he drops onto his back. Sam gives him a distressed look as their eyes meet.

SAM

(questioningly) What about dad...?!

JOHNNY

He'd want you out of here first. Come on, get up!

They scramble to their hands and feet, as the Dodge finally catches up to the cab and starts tailgating it. Cut to the cab, where TEM gives the still half-dazed Daniel a crouching kick, hurling him to the back of the trunk, then closes his fist on the knife's handle, and, bellowing in pain, removes the blade from his flesh. Then he points the blade at Daniel and begins pulling himself towards him, as the latter draws back his knees in preparation for a counter attack.

GOATEE MAN

(shouting in Spanish) We need him alive, Diego!

TEAR-EYED MAN

(freezing in the spot, snarling) For now...

Cut to the roof, where Johnny and Sam's bodies sway as they ready themselves for the jump, looking like barely few feet between the cab and the Dodge.

JOHNNY

(turning his face to Sam) I'll go first, so I can catch you when you jump.

SAM

(desperately) You won't let them take dad, right?!

JOHNNY

I won't, I promise you. Now see you on the other side, doe.

He breaks into a run, leaps off the cab, pitches headlong upon landing on the Dodge's hood, somersaults and grabs onto the edge of the broken windshield to stop himself from tumbling inside. Giving wide-eyed Stingray a nod, he turns around, and motions Sam to follow.

Sam takes a deep breath, breaks into a run. At the same time, GM whips the wheel to the side, making the cab swerve a fraction of a second before she launches herself upwards. This alters her jumping trajectory enough that she is now set to land on the street beside the Dodge's body. Time slows down - as Sam hurtles through the air, her arms and legs spinning, Johnny thrusts his hand out, grabs her forearm, his chest twisting after her as she flies past him, still on course to hit the asphalt. It seems like her momentum is about to drag him off the car as well, when suddenly the rear door of the Dodge bursts open, and Kreese sticks his chest out horizontally, allowing Sam to use it as purchase for her feet, bouncing off of him, then pushing herself upwards from the door, and flying back up as Johnny strains to haul her onto the roof and then yank her towards him. The force of the foot's impact shoves Kreese out of the car, making him tumble end over end along the lane, quickly falling behind the Dodge. A car driving behind it comes to a screeching halt right before his prone form. Its door opens, and a smartly dressed leg steps out...

Cut to the cab as it is about to ride the red light into an intersection. GM jerks the wheel to the side, simultaneously switching gears and pulling the handbrake, making the car slide into a lane running perpendicular to its prior direction, preventing a collision with vehicles coming from the cab's right side. Cut to Stingray, who, distracted by watching Sam's leap, is late to notice the red light. He whips the wheel as well, which sends the Dodge skidding so violently to the side that the tires lose purchase, leading the car to start careening, and then flipping sideways. Meanwhile, as Johnny hauls Sam toward himself, she slams into him with a force that whisks him off his feet, the pair spinning in the air clutched in a tight embrace, while the roof beneath them pitches to the side. As they fall, Johnny's back slams into the now diagonally positioned roof, rolls off of it and the two hit the ground, the edge of Dodge's roof crashing into the asphalt next to them, making the car bounce up and hurtle in an arc, spinning, a hair's breadth above their rolling bodies, landing on the side after making an 180 degree twist in the air, sliding sideways down the lane, then finally toppling in reverse direction, chassis thrusting up, with Sam and Johnny rolling out of its way before getting crushed under its body.

Cut to the cab, as Daniel's eyes are glued to the trunk lid's glass watching the crash, the sight disappearing behind the corner just before the Dodge ceases its motion, making the fate of Johnny and Sam unknown to him. He turns his head away, his expression one of somebody utterly devastated. He lets his body go slack, his eyes pointed dully downwards, as TEM watches him with a callous smirk, before bringing his hand up to his eye, shakily closing his fingers on the glass shard sticking out of it, and then proceeding to slowly, painstakingly dislodge it, his teeth clenched tight...

Cut back to Sam and Johnny - slackjawed, their eyes bugging out, their breath panting, their legs wobbly, as they slowly lift themselves off the street, glance at each other as if to seek confirmation of their survival in one another's eyes, then turn their gazes to the Dodge, lying upside-down amidst a scattering of broken glass. They lean down to look inside and see...

STINGRAY

(suspended off the floor, enveloped by an airbag, moaning pathetically) Get me outta this!

JOHNNY

(as he crawls towards him and starts pulling him by the arm) Airbags?! Since when my Dodge's got airbags?!

STINGRAY

AAH, CAREFUL! (flopping on the ground as Johnny wrenches him out of the airbag) I, uh, had to get these installed or I wouldn't be allowed to drive this baby, you know.

JOHNNY

(frowning suspiciously) Allowed by whom?

STINGRAY

(looking down in shame as he scrambles out of the car) My mom... I mean, they saved my life, so it's not like they were a bad addition!

JOHNNY

You mean your gut isn't enough to do the same? Besides, it's the car that needed saving from your shit driving. Now she's trashed!

As Stingray's mouth gapes open with no words coming out, Johnny gets a pat on the shoulder from Sam, who then points to...

KREESE

(lifting his head off the asphalt with a groan) You...

CHAUFFEUR

(looming over him) Sensei Kreese. You will come with me.

KREESE

Doesn't look like I've got a choice.

CHAUFFEUR

The choice has been made for you. Sensei Silver awaits.

With these words, he leans down, wraps his sculpted arms around Kreese's chest, hauls him up, and carries him to the raised rear door of the car, which we now recognize as Silver's limousine.

Cut to Johnny as his eyes narrow upon watching Kreese's kidnapping.

JOHNNY

The hell's this guy doin'?!

SAM

(alarmed) Dad mentioned Silver driving around in a limo...

JOHNNY

SON OF A...

He moves in the limousine's direction, but his body is still too shaken up for him to be able to pick up the pace. He is left to watch helplessly as the limo, now with Kreese inside, revs up, proceeds to roll down the street, and speeds past them, the Chauffeur paying them scant regard. Out of impotent frustration, Johnny grabs a piece of metal off the street and hurls it at the limo as it goes by. Then the vehicle takes a right turn and disappears behind the corner, going in the same direction as the cab.

SAM

(looking and sounding miserable) What now?

STINGRAY

Well, we've picked up one and lost one. How about we call it a draw and wait for the tow truck?

JOHNNY

(through gritted teeth) You can wait for a tow truck to haul your ass outta here, but we're goin' after them. (emphatically) They've got her dad!

STINGRAY

(whiny voice) Since when do we stick our necks out for Miyagi-Do?! Look, I've done my share today, alright?! I... my heart can't take much more of this...

JOHNNY

(contemptuously) Sure, go find some sand to bury yourself under, Stingray. We'll go on on our own.

STINGRAY

Well, how do you guys intend to chase after them now anyway?! Call an uber?

JOHNNY

The hell's an uber? You mean like an ubermensch? Ain't exactly got any pals in the Nazi party...

STINGRAY

No, I mean... (waves his hand dismissively) Never mind, it'd be a dumb idea anyway.

SAM

He means using an app to call for a nearby driver to give us a lift. It would make sense, actually... that is, if anyone's got a phone on them. Mine's been left in the locker room.

JOHNNY

I lost mine a good while ago.

STINGRAY

I think mine got wrecked along with my laptop.

SAM

(sighs) Then I guess the only option left is to walk, hitchhike maybe... (gulps audibly) And hope we don't get there only to pick up the pieces...

JOHNNY

(barks) We won't if we don't waste any more time pissin' around. C'mon, let's get movin'.

STINGRAY

Ok, hold on a sec, guys, let me get something...

He starts for the back of the Dodge. Sam looks at him with a mixture of despondency and curiosity, but then her ears register a whir of an engine coming up from behind, a familiar engine. She turns around slowly, not willing to get her hopes up at first, but as the incoming vehicle enters her cone of vision, her eyes go wide and her face brightens up instantly.

SAM

(incredulous joy) AISHA?!

We watch the scooter pull up in front of them, its rider helmeted, but its purple color immediately giving her identity away. As the scooter comes to a halt, Aisha takes her helmet off, her face registering some relief, but also a fair bit of confusion.

AISHA

Sam?! Sensei?! Stingray?! You guys alright?! My God, what happened here?!

JOHNNY

(smirks, as Sam runs up to and embraces Aisha) Well if it isn't the prodigal Miss Cobra. Guess we're one step closer to full dojo reunion.

STINGRAY

(taking his focus away from trying to open Dodge's trunk) Aisha! Nice to see you! Your assistance would be more than welcome right now...

SAM

This probably won't make stuff any less confusing to you, but... they've taken my dad, Aisha, and we were trying to stop them... we're still trying to stop them...

AISHA

(brows arcing up) WHAT?! Who took him?! And why?!

JOHNNY

The flunkeys of a guy holding a thirty year old grudge against him. The one not named Johnny Lawrence anyway. His name's Terry Silver, maybe you've heard of him. He seems to be gettin' around a lot.

AISHA

Wait, you mean the man who was on the jumbotron? You guys know him?

JOHNNY

(sour) We got to know him, yeah.

SAM

You saw that?

AISHA

Yeah, I was, uh, streaming the fight you gals had. You did pretty good, Sam. But then I saw what went down afterwards and decided I had to go there and help if I could.

SAM

So how come you're here now?

AISHA

I came by the arena, and some Miyagi-Dos told me most went this way, so I followed their directions, and then I saw the Dodge... And what was the deal with that truck?!

JOHNNY

Silver's gone all out on this one. It was his work, too. He almost got Miss Miyagi here snatched up as well, but she managed to slip away.

SAM

(glances at him appreciatively) Wouldn't manage it without your help.

JOHNNY

(self-deprecating) Might've lent you a bit of a hand...

AISHA

(regarding them with curiosity) You guys sound like you've got some history together.

JOHNNY

(as Sam smiles awkwardly) I'll tell you what, we've got history to make, that's for sure. Which is why I'm now gonna ask something of you, my old Cobra...

AISHA

(perks up) Yes, Sensei?

JOHNNY

Your scooter. It can take two, but no more from the looks of it. I need to borrow it from you and take Sam with me.

AISHA

(visibly deflated) My scooter... you want to go to the address that man has mentioned?

SAM

That's where they're taking my dad.

AISHA

(frowning) Don't you think it kinda sounds like a trap?

JOHNNY

It is a trap. But we've got no choice but to face him on his turf.

AISHA

What about calling the police?

SAM

My dad's already tried that route, didn't accomplish much. We've got to assume Silver's made sure police won't get in his way.

AISHA

So what's you guys' plan?

JOHNNY

Wing it. (walking up to her) Alright, hon, off you go, time's runnin' out.

AISHA

(reluctantly getting off the scooter) I'm not going to see it again, am I?

JOHNNY

(solemnly) I'll take care of it. You've got my word.

AISHA

(dubious smile) Well, I hope it serves you well, Sensei. (to Sam) Good luck rescuing your dad... (shakes her head) Can't believe I'm actually saying that.

SAM

(as she hugs Aisha again, then takes a seat behind Johnny) Thanks, Aisha. The whole day's been surreal. It feels like I'm going to wake up in my bed any moment now... (sighs) but I know it's not going to happen. See you later, right?

AISHA

(nods) See you, Sam. (raises her voice) Give them hell!

Sam gives her a thumbs up as Johnny revs up the scooter and the two ride off, quickly getting out of sight. A silence follows their departure, to be finally broken by...

STINGRAY

Well, I guess that's a wrap for the two of us...

AISHA

Yeah, I sort of expected I'd get to do something more substantial once I got here, like break up a fight or something... But I suppose I've helped somewhat at least.

STINGRAY

(motions to the Dodge) Well, be glad your part didn't amount to crashing the car like mine did.

AISHA

(eyes going wide) That was you?! How come you were the one driving? Never thought Sensei would let someone else behind the wheel...

STINGRAY

Well, actually I got this car back to him after he, uh, lost it I think. Not that he got to enjoy having it again for long... Anyway, I crashed it while he was busy gettin' Sam out of the kidnappers' car and back to us.

AISHA

(shocked expression) You mean while the cars were moving?! Wow, that must've been... badass! He and Sam really got close now, didn't they?

STINGRAY

That caught me off guard at first, too. I guess they've got some kinda alliance goin' on.

AISHA

(puts hand to her chin, looking contemplative) That would actually explain a few things... Boy, it feels like I must've missed so much since I left.

STINGRAY

(nods) Yeah, it'd be cool to catch up with our pals at Cobra Kai.

AISHA

(smiles tentatively) Guess we can at least catch up with each other.

STINGRAY

Oh, sure. So, uh... (squints) wait, do you hear that?

Suddenly, Aisha's expression changes, indicating she has registered what we now can also hear - a rumbling of many feet, mixed with angry cries and shouts. Then, out of an alley opening on the sidewalk near the two of them, COBRA KAIS begin to pour, with the Dreadlock Student, the Yellow Shirt (though now wearing the black gi as do all of them) Student, and the Brunette Student being the most prominent among them. Almost simultaneously, another alley, to the opposite site of Aisha and Stingray, proceeds to spew out the red-wearing EAGLE FANGS, including Mitch and Bert, mixed with the white-clad Nate and the (other) Asian Miyagi-Do. The two groups quickly take note of each other, exchange hostile glares and taunts, to then start charging one another, with our pair stuck right in between, their looks growing more alarmed by the moment.

AISHA

(rapidly casting her glance back and forth) GUYS! SLAM THE BRAKES A LITTLE! WE SHOULD BE WORKING TOGETHER NOW!

STINGRAY

I DON'T THINK THEY'RE IN A COOPERATIVE MOOD! HOLD ON!

With this shout, he dashes away from her and towards the Dodge, and starts desperately yanking at upside-down trunk lid. Aisha stares at him in dismay, with the two bands converging upon her in a mad frenzy.

AISHA

(desperate) STINGRAY!

She puts her fists up, turning to and fro hopelessly, as we hear the trunk lid give in and come crashing down. The two dojos are about to stampede her, rushing full tilt. The Cobra at the forefront of the side Aisha now has her back to leaps into the air, lifting his elbow with an aim to drop it on her shoulder, when suddenly, Stingray barges into the frame and gives a mighty swing of his (sheathed) KATANA (yes, she is a character) and swats the Cobra away from the air like a tennis ball. With a shocked gasp, Aisha presses her back to Stingray's (suggested soundtrack: Pretty Maids - "Back to Back"), then jumps up, and meets the onrushing Eagle Fang with a high kick to the face, coupled with an Amazonian yell. The two sides halt in bewilderment for a spell, then bum rush the pair. Our POV now rotating around them, we watch Aisha block a Brunette Cobra's haymaker punch, then seize the arm, push it over her head and bring it down in an arc, throwing her foe to the ground; Stingray sweep the Asian Student's feet with the Katana, and, with a kick, send him sliding under the feet of the Eagles in the back; Aisha grab the shoulders of a Cobra to her right, jump up and deliver a jumping back kick to the Cobra on the opposite side; Stingray parry a blow by spinning the Katana vertically in front of him, then, without interrupting the movement, duck down and turn the twirl horizontal and over his head, pushing the surrounding Eagles aside; Aisha get punched in the stomach, stumble back and fall onto crouching Stingray's back, somersault over it, thrusting her legs backwards and jamming them into the shoulders of an onrushing Eagle, knocking him off his feet before she rolls off Stingray; Stingray clasp the same Eagle's ankle as it comes flying at him, shove the Katana into his own mouth, and wrench the Eagle's body around himself in a spinning motion, knocking over another score of attackers, before springing back to his feet and facing the Cobras; Aisha throw herself onto the ground to elbow drop a leg as it comes sweeping at her feet, then turn around on her bottom, doling out kicks to the attackers' shins; Stingray have his Katana (still in his mouth) grabbed at and yanked back, only to shoot out his forehead and headbutt the would-be robber in the face, topping it off with slamming his jaw with the side of the Katana, now held in his hands on both sides; Aisha have her kicking foot pulled at by Mitch, and counter by ramming her other foot into his belly, and, as he doubles over, wrench her caught foot free, hook it over his neck, and give her body a twist, sending Mitch barreling to the ground; Mitch thrash about on the sidewalk under Aisha's calves, his hand grasping a broken bottle lying by the curb, raising it, only to be pinned back down by the sheathed tip of Stingray's Katana; Stingray, still holding the Katana with both hands, thrust it in the opposite direction, stab the Dreadlock Cobra in the gut with its handle, then yank it up, driving the handle into his chin, making his head snap back and come toppling down, while at the same time repelling the Blonde Cobra's advance with a shove of his hips; Aisha scramble to her feet to dodge a stomp, throw a cross punch, have it intercepted by seizing the wrist, then barrel with her whole body onto her opponent, whisking him off his feet (and not metaphorically, either) and tossing him backwards...

AISHA

You ask for my hand, you better be ready for the whole package!

... and Stingray, chucking his Katana sideways at the Blonde Cobra, who scrambles to catch it, and then uppercutting him in the unprotected groin, wresting the Katana away as the latter slumps down, and karate chopping him above the ear for good measure. Suddenly, the Dreadlock Cobra makes a grab at the Katana from the sidewalk, taking hold of the handle and pulling at it, which results in it sliding out of its sheath - held by Stingray. Stingray reacts just before the blade is unsheathed completely, slides the sheath back down, until it slams into the handle, driving it into the Dreadlock's sternum. The latter lets go and plops back onto the sidewalk with a pained groan.

With no else in line to take a crack at them, with every attacker seemingly either out cold or scampering away, Aisha and Stingray turn to each other, their looks dazed. But then, they notice movement at the edge of their vision and simultaneously turn in the same direction, to behold...

... Bert and Nate, standing side by side, in their combat positions. Aisha responds with her own karate stance, shaking her head discouragingly. Stingray, for his part, spreads his legs wide, slings the Katana across his shoulders, and raises his left hand, to do the Neo "Come here" gesture. Bert and Nate exchange determined looks.

NATE

You ready?

BERT

I was born ready.

They nod to each other, and then, as if on cue, turn tail and bolt away, to vanish behind the corner of the alleyway. Stingray and Aisha both squint in confusion as they watch them go.

AISHA

(after a brief moment of stunned silence, her breath labored, her heart pounding) Ok... I take back what I said before. That... was AWESOME!

STINGRAY

(nodding with a self-satisfied smirk) Challenge the champion of Coyote Creek at your own peril... (turning to her) It was a privilege to fight by your side, Aisha.

AISHA

Dude! The way you came swinging with that katana, that was so kickass! But... how come you had it with you?!

STINGRAY

I like to keep her around... for close encounters... (frowns) But I better put her back out of sight, I'm not really supposed to lug it around... Oh, by the way, do you happen to be eighteen yet?

AISHA

(eyeing him hesitantly) Uhh... why? You want to ask me out?

STINGRAY

(awkward) Not exactly... (cautiously) but would you agree if I did?

Aisha cocks her head in response, her look turning contemplative...

CUT TO...

... TORY, scampering in between patio dining tables - most of them taken, the diners staring at her in confusion - in front of a fancy restaurant, the trophy in her hand. She is about to get out from the dining area - surrounded by a low decorative fence - into the open sidewalk, when our POV switches to a view over her shoulder, to see the compact car charge into the frame, tear into the fence, run over a - unoccupied - table and smash into the wall right next to the restaurant's large front window. Tory spins around as if jolted, to the startled cries of the patrons, as the car's door swings open, and out steps (as the soundtrack starts blaring - suggestion: Metallica, "Here Comes Revenge", beginning with the "I am here, I'm hell unbound" lyric at 1:55)...

HAWK

(screaming at the top of his lungs with a deranged grin) HEY, WHAT'S THE HURRY?! THIS IS A SLOW FOOD JOINT! (growling) AND I'M HUNGRY!

With that pronouncement, he proceeds to ram his way through the tables, tossing them aside, sending them spinning in the air, scattering the dishes around, slamming them into terrified diners' faces, making them flip in their chairs. As Tory braces herself for his charge, her uncertainty reflected in the tentative steps back she is taking, a SECURITY MAN darts out of the restaurant, coming up in between her and Hawk, and with a furious yell, points a stun gun at the latter, and fires. Hawk reacts with an uncanny swiftness, raising his cast and making the projectile probes bounce off of it, then shooting out his other arm, seizing the cables connecting the probes with the gun, and giving them a mighty jerk. The guard is sent stumbling towards him, his finger held by the trigger, and as he gets within range, Hawk throws a haymaker, smashing the cast into the man's jugular, pitching his upper body backwards, his legs shooting up into the air. The guard's bald head hits the concrete, knocking him out cold. Hawk snorts, lifts his burning gaze to Tory, and his lips draw back in a predatory snarl.

HAWK

No one left to save you...

TORY

(defiantly) Then bring it on, porcupine.

HAWK

(bends his cast-wearing arm and makes a cocking motion, as if he was reloading a shotgun) I've been waitin' for this...

TORY

(standing poised) You want it? Then come and get it.

HAWK

(bellows with malign laughter) Oh, it's you I want, Toryyyy...

With that he breaks into a run, barrels at her, and then at the last moment leaps onto a table, propels himself up off it and launches into a jumping spinning kick. Tory ducks as his booted foot arcs horizontally over her head, then she twists to crouch-kick him as he lands on all fours, his back to her. Hawk somersaults away from her foot, then springs off the ground, twists his chest around mid-air, and thrusts his fist into her sternum. Tory falls onto her back, blocks Hawk's next punch by jamming her foot into his elbow pit, then pushes herself away from him using his collarbone as a launching pad, somersaults backwards and gets onto her feet. Hawk leaps off the ground after her, shooting his knee up at her stomach. Tory winces as she blocks the blow with her elbow, Hawk immediately following up with the cast-covered forearm strike to her flank. Tory staggers to the side from the impact, slams her hands - one of which still grips the trophy - on a patio table, jumps onto it as Hawk's leg sweeps the ground where she just stood. Hawk then dives under the table, his hands grabbing onto its edges on either side, then with a heave of his muscles, rams his shoulder blades into its underside and lifts it off the ground, Tory losing balance and toppling face first onto the table's surface. Then Hawk thrusts his arms forward, hurling the table, with Tory on top, through the restaurant window, shattering the glass and eliciting a collective cry of terror out of the guests dining within, with Tory being thrown off the table as it lands on the restaurant floor, and continuing to roll on the ground, carried by the throw's momentum, the trophy slipping out of her hand upon landing and going flying off to the side.

Hawk leaps into the building after her, bringing his cast down on the upturned table as he lands, breaking it in half. Tory gathers herself up, her expression half-dazed, as Hawk closes in, cracking his finger joints as he goes.

HAWK

(bellowing) WAITER! A TABLE FOR TWO! (to Tory, his tone ominous) Our last date was cut short, it's time I made it up to you...

Cut to the alleyway (caption: a moment earlier) where Miguel is pinning Kyler down, his eyes darting in confusion from the compact car speeding away, to the garbage container on his opposite side, which Demeter is now pulling herself out of. Kyler takes advantage of Miguel's brief distraction by drawing up his knee, jamming his foot into Miguel's sternum, and throwing him off of himself.

KYLER

(as he leaps to his feet, fuming and red-faced) FUCK YOU, 'RHEA! THIS AIN'T OVER! YOU AIN'T TAKIN' THIS AWAY FROM ME!

With that he launches into a barrage of hooks and uppercuts, Miguel dodging or swatting away each in turn, while stepping backwards until he nears the opposite wall and notices the fire escape platform above his head. At this point he leaps up with a high kick to Kyler's collar bone and grabs onto the platform. Kyler intercepts the kicking leg, winds up for an elbow drop to Miguel's outstretched knee, when the latter's body twists horizontally and delivers a hook kick to Kyler's cheek. The latter is sent reeling backwards, spinning 180 degrees as he goes. Miguel swings from the platform, gives himself a push off the wall with his feet, then launches himself at Kyler, clasping his knees on the latter's neck and slamming his hips into the latter's shoulder blades, pitching Kyler headlong to the ground. Kyler's limbs lash out, his fists jabbing Miguel's kidneys. Miguel's hands close on Kyler's left forearm and bicep, then simultaneously twist and wrench it upwards, eliciting an agonized moan from his opponent.

MIGUEL

(looking down with a contemptuous scowl, under his breath) Guess that's one way to do it.

He releases the arm, which plops right back down, then rolls onto his back, pulling Kyler onto himself, and, with a thrust of his hips and thighs, hurls him headfirst into the wall behind them. Kyler's temple slams hard into the brick surface, and he drops limp to the ground, as Miguel gets back up. Miguel then shoots Kyler a quick glance to make sure he is out, then shifts it to...

MIGUEL

Demeter. (as she is staring at him with her mouth slack) Stay here, don't get in the way. I'll go stop them. You make sure no else follows us...

Without waiting for Demeter's consent, Miguel spins on his heel and races off after Tory and Hawk. Demeter watches him go, her brows furrowed, then she hears the sound of (slightly irregular) footsteps coming from behind. She spins, to behold...

ROBBY

(trotting with a limping gait) Demetri! Out of the way!

DEMETER

(taking a deep breath, then spreading her legs apart and holding out her hand, palm up, while shaking her head) No, Robby. (emphatically) Stop. Just stop this!

ROBBY

(coming to a halt with an angry grimace) I don't have time for this, Demetri! I need to go save her! Now out of the way!

DEMETER

(poising herself for defense) Your deadnaming does you no favors, Robby. (giving her best Gandalf imitation) You. Shall. Not Pass...

ROBBY

(snorts incredulously) Someone should've told you that before you started your transition, 'Demeter'. (his frown turning dogged) Well, you've had your warning...

Cut back to the restaurant as Hawk throws a hook at Tory's face. Tory leaning back from his fist, Hawk turning the punch's momentum into a full-body spin, launching a high back kick as he turns 180 degrees around. Tory throws herself onto her back, shoots out her legs, grabs Hawk's standing leg in a vice grip and gives it a twist. Hawk's body is flung to the side, but he stops the fall by thrusting his kicking leg diagonally to the floor, pushes himself off of it and flings his back at Tory, sticking his elbow out and plunging it into her midsection. Tory doubles over from the blow, her chin banging into Hawk's collar bone, the latter thrusting his arm up and wrapping it around her neck, pressing her throat into his shoulder with his forearm and giving her a scornful sideglare as their faces are now squeezed together.

HAWK

(venomous whisper) Is that how Pretty Boy plays with you? (strains his arm muscles even more as Tory gasps for breath) Or do you like it rougher?!

Tory responds by bringing her hands to his face and clawing at his eyes. Hawk swats her hands away with the cast as he throws his legs to the sides (Tory attempting to knee him in the exposed crotch, but unable to reach it due to his hips pinning her thighs down), slams his boots onto the floor, and begins to rise up, dragging Tory up alongside him with his suffocating grip. As he stands erect, Tory's hands now raking his biceps, Hawk bends down, throws Tory over his shoulder with a downward heave of his chest, and tosses her onto the floor. Then he sinks his hand in her hair - Tory's hands going for his wrist, but glancing off the cast instead - gives his body a spin, and sends her sliding across the floor, until the back of her head bumps into the leg of another table. He then leaps onto a table in front of her, jumps up from it towards a crystal chandelier hanging directly over her body, grabs it with both hands, yanks it down while in the air, rips it off the ceiling and brings it crushing down onto Tory, who rolls under the table for cover. The chandelier disintegrates upon impact, the lightbulbs exploding and the crystals scattering in all directions, giving Hawk a few cuts in the process. The table topples over, putting a vertical barrier between Hawk and Tory. As Hawk gathers himself up, Tory vaults over the table, delivering a sidekick to his face mid-vault. Hawk stumbles back, Tory scooping a loose crystal off the floor, striking with it, and jabbing it into Hawk's hip. As the latter recoils from the blow, the crystal lodged in his flesh, Tory follows up with a high hook kick. Hawk ducks under her foot, then springs up, grabs her shin, rams his shoulder into her thigh, and lifts Tory off the floor, swinging her in a vertical arc over his head - her face knocking against another chandelier and sending its crystals jingling - and then bringing her down on her back, punching the side of her knee as he does so. With Tory lying dazed, he grabs the crystal, and with a roar tears it out of his hip, then darts to Tory's side and plunges the bloodied thing into her chest. Tory shoots both her hands up, seizing Hawk's wrist and stopping the crystal from smashing into her ribs, at which point Hawk raises his cast all the way up as if it was a giant hammer meant to nail her to the floor. Tory kicks up, her bare feet bashing his shoulder ineffectually, as Hawk stands motionless looming over her, relishing his imminent finishing blow...

... only for his merciless gaze to abruptly shift upon hearing the voice of...

MIGUEL

(panting) HAWK, TORY, ENOUGH!

Cut to the alleyway, as Robby charges, leaping at Demeter and throwing a spinning crescent kick in the air. Demeter leans back, then jumps up to dodge Robby's follow-up crouching sweep, and kicks Robby in the shoulder as she drops back down, sending him rolling away. Robby leaps to his feet, now positively fuming, bum-rushes Demeter, who sidesteps him and trips him up. Robby somersaults on the ground, onto his feet, sees the way forward is now free, and breaks into a run, only for Demeter to dive for his calves, lock her arms around them, and pitch Robby face first to the ground. Now prone, Robby thrusts his legs back forcibly, shaking Demeter off, then draws them up, and lifts himself off the ground. He proceeds to run, but his limp slows him down enough that he can hear Demeter catch up quickly. With a roar of frustration, he leaps into the air and throws a jumping back kick, with Demeter grabbing onto his ankle as it slams into her midsection. Demeter topples backwards, but drags the ankle along, leading Robby to hit dirt again. Her hands then leap from the ankle to the thigh and pull the rest of her body onto it, to be followed by Demeter wrapping her limbs around Robby's leg. Robby pounds the ground in frustration, with a heave of his shoulders turns onto his back, then lifts his free leg up, and brings the heel barreling down on Demeter's shoulder blade. As the latter shrinks from the blow, Robby draws his knee up, and shoots the foot at her face. Demeter dodges with a roll of her chest, then wraps her arm around the striking leg, with both of Robby's thighs now under her armpits. Robby's upper body springs up, he winds up his arm, the fingers straightening up, then sends it slashing at Demeter's neck. Demeter's head jerks back to avoid the blow, with Robby's hand shifting direction mid-slice and grabbing at Demeter's hair, yanking at it, and pulling her head right up to his.

ROBBY

(roaring into Demeter's face) JUST LET ME GO, FOR FUCK'S SAKE!

DEMETER

(hyperventilating) I CAN'T! I PROMISED MIGUEL I'LL KEEP YOU AWAY FROM HIM!

ROBBY

I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT MIGUEL! I JUST WANNA PROTECT TORY!

DEMETER

(frowning in confusion) What...? You mean you aren't going to fight him?!

ROBBY

NO! NOT AS LONG AS HE LETS US GO!

DEMETER

(his mouth agape) Oh... well alright... (hesitantly) You promise?

ROBBY

(disgruntedly) YES, DEMETER, I PROMISE!

DEMETER

...Ok then.

He releases his hold on Robby's legs, the latter instantly pulling them from under her and gathering himself up. Without another word, he turns and resumes trotting down the alley, when Demeter gets up after him and looks at him go with a pensive expression.

DEMETER

(shouting) Actually, hold on! I'll go with you!

ROBBY

(without turning or slowing down, irritated) Whatever... Just don't get in my way anymore.

DEMETER

(as she catches up to him) Sure, and you don't deadname me anymore, ok?

ROBBY

The hell does that even mean?

DEMETER

(sighs) Ok, I guess a longer conversation is in order.

ROBBY

Save it for later...

We see their backs as they head off, then we pan sideways towards Kyler's sprawled out body, as it begins to stir...

Cut to the restaurant as Hawk answers Miguel's plea with a savage snarl, Tory rolls out from under him, and, as the crystal in Hawk's grip rams the floor, getting wedged between the floorboards, launches her foot at his face, the blow dropping him to his side. As Miguel races to intercept them, Tory pushes her upper body off the ground, her fist raised and aimed at Hawk's face. Hawk's hand shoots out, meets her arm, sinks its fingers into it, and pulls it past his head, his other hand now darting for her throat. Tory falls on top of Hawk, about to straddle his flanks as his grip on her windpipe tightens, when Miguel pitches himself forward, throws his body at them, and whisks her off of Hawk. The latter springs onto his feet instantly while Miguel pins Tory's chest down with his shoulder and holds her right wrist down. Without looking backward, Miguel thrusts his free hand back, open palm signaling Hawk to stop, only to have it seized by the latter and wrenched aside, pulling him off Tory, who in turn gives Miguel a kick in the midsection, further pushing him away. Miguel's eyes bug out in shock as Hawk brings his boot down on Tory's shin, giving it a twist as the sole pushes into her muscle. Miguel sweeps up Hawk's other foot, sending the latter hurtling down headlong in between Tory's thighs, which close on his temples immediately. As Tory sits up to deliver a punch to Hawk's spiky crown, Miguel lunges at her and pushes her back down, while Hawk's hands clasp onto her thighs and begin pulling them apart, managing to do so enough for Hawk to shift his head and sink his teeth in Tory's flesh. As Tory cries out in pain, Miguel rolls across her body, grabs onto Hawk's spikes and yanks his head away. Tory kicks at Hawk's face, the latter cocking it sideways, leading to her foot missing the target and slamming into Miguel's forearm instead. The impact makes him lose his grip, which is followed by Hawk spinning on the floor and kneeing Miguel's flank. Tory leaps onto her feet and lifts her leg for an axe kick to the back of Hawk's head. As she brings the foot hammering down, Miguel shoves Hawk out of its way with his shoulder, brings his crossed forearms up to block the strike, grabs her ankle, then lifts his lower body up, jams his foot into her knee pit, and spins his back on the floor with a push of his other foot, forcing her to stumble to the side, hopping on one leg. Then he uses the free foot to push Hawk away, as the latter winds up for a lunge at Tory. Hawk makes another go after being pushed back, this time intercepting Miguel's foot, and yanking at it, pulling the latter in and at the same time making Tory pitch face first onto Miguel. Miguel wraps his limbs around Tory and rolls on top of her, shielding her from Hawk's oncoming fist slam with his back. As the blow makes him wince with pain, Tory thrusts her elbow out from underneath him, striking Hawk's ankle. Hawk leaps back with a grunt, his body language expressing hesitation at seeing Tory's body covered by Miguel's. At the same time, Tory begins writhing under Miguel, jabbing him in the kidneys as she does so. Struggling to hold her down, Miguel notices with a corner of his eye a handbag slung over a toppled chair, lying within reach. His hand shoots out, yanks the bag away, throws it onto his shoulder blade, then wraps the strap around Tory's grasping arm, and spins the bag until the strap tightens, effectively binding Tory's arm to his shoulder. Next he heaves both of them up onto their feet, turning around so that Tory's bound arm remains the one facing Hawk - preventing her from striking at the latter - who now dashes towards them and launches into a sweep kick. Miguel's foot swats the sweeping leg away, sending Hawk spinning on the floor, and then Miguel's calf darts to block Tory's foot, as she attempts to in turn throw a kick at Hawk. Her body squeezed tight against Miguel, Tory notices a clasp connecting the strap with the bag. Her free arm snatches at it and pulls it open, unshackling her body from Miguel's. She then gives him a shove with her chest, leading to Miguel rolling onto the floor in between her and Hawk. Hawk makes a jump over Miguel, but the latter's leg shoots up, hits him in the side midair, and sends him sprawling onto the ground behind Miguel's head. Tory races after Hawk, to be momentarily halted by Miguel karate chopping her shin. Miguel then somersaults backward in between them, and - as Hawk gathers himself up - stands on his hands, raises his lower body up, and performs an upside-down split, simultaneously striking the chests of both Tory and Hawk, sending them stumbling in opposite directions. As their bodies regain balance, the two look up, and regard Miguel with a mixture of disbelief and awe, transfixed in their spots, as he shifts from his hands to his feet. At this moment, Robby and Demeter come barging into the restaurant, taking in the destruction wide-eyed and panting.

ROBBY

TORY!

DEMETER

MIGUEL! ELI!

Tory casts an uncertain glance at Robby, while Hawk's body tenses up and his eyes narrow. Making a quick assessment, Miguel lunges at the latter, while Robby sprints towards Tory and Demeter dashes towards the two Eagle Fangs as they topple to the floor. Robby grabs Tory in a tight embrace and drags her off while she merely stares at the tumult taking place on the floor as Demeter joins in to help hold Hawk down as he thrashes and foams at the mouth. Then her gaze shifts to the trophy, glinting on the ground among the rubble.

TORY

(pointing to the award) Robby!

Robby takes her cue, dives for the trophy, then springs back up, gets back to Tory while the latter watches with growing bewilderment as Hawk twists and tosses on the floor, howling in his friends' grip like a man possessed. Then Robby places his arm on her shoulders, and leads her out, Miguel giving them a quick look as they exit the building.

Cut to Demeter, struggling to keep Hawk's limbs pinned down.

DEMETER

(a look of confounded trepidation) There's something wrong with him!

MIGUEL

(nodding with a disturbed expression) Yeah, we've got to get help... But we can't let him go...

He looks around the room, seeing it now deserted by everyone but them, no one to call for the ambulance.

DEMETER

He's having some kind of fit. Maybe if we could just keep him from injuring himself for long enough...

MIGUEL

Yeah, but how long is that gonna take?!

DEMETER

(shakes her head) Never seen anything like that...

MIGUEL

(sighs) If only my mom was here...

DEMETER

Why, she's done an exorcism course?

MIGUEL

(snorts) No, though she probably would if they offered one... at least Yaya would for sure.

With that, they fall silent, their expressions increasingly strained and hopeless, as Hawk continues writhing, his eyes twitching rapidly in the socket. Then their monotony is interrupted by a sound of glass shards cracking under furtively planted shoes. Their heads shift rapidly in unison towards the sound, to see...

MIGUEL/DEMETER

MOON?!

as her eyes sweep across the room and come back to them, her look becoming increasingly perplexed and alarmed. She has her backpack slung over her shoulder.

MOON

Guys?! What's goin' on here?!

DEMETER

Hawk's decided to go medieval on Cobra's asses, and now he's taken over by the devil apparently.

MIGUEL

Can you call for help?!

DEMETER

Yeah, but, uh... I think he's on drugs...

DEMETER

Really?! How do you figure?

MOON

(ignoring her snide tone) I saw him pop some pills back at the arena, no idea what they were... but I may have something with me that could help him.

DEMETER

(suspiciously) Does your idea of help involve activating his chakras? Or maybe finding that, uh... peach blossom spot?

MOON

(walking over to them with a frustrated frown and throwing her backpack onto the floor) No, it involves an express detox...

She zips the backpack open, reaches inside, then takes out a handful of zip lock bags, filled with differently colored powders.

MIGUEL

(eyes going wide) What are these?

MOON

Special ingredients...

DEMETER

(incredulous) You're going to take him out of his drug fit by giving him more drugs?

MOON

Those aren't drugs!... not in the way you think, anyway. (she holds up two bags) These two, for instance, can neutralize the effects of most psychoactive drugs when ingested together.

MIGUEL

(dubiously) And you're saying this is safe?

MOON

Not really, it's kinda cutting edge stuff, not really tested well, and how could it when having these drugs in the first place can land you in jail? But from the looks of him we don't really have time to consider the alternatives...

DEMETER

So what, we tell him to say 'Aaaah' and pour them in?

MOON

No, you have to break them down first with the enzymes in your saliva. If they go straight to your belly, that can lead to...

DEMETER

... you kicking the bucket?

MOON

(nods slowly) I wanted to say multi-organ failure, but that works too.

MIGUEL

Ok... Well, I don't think he's going to listen to your instructions...

MOON

(opens the bags) I know.

With these words she tilts her head back, then puts the bags to her lips and starts tapping at them, spilling the powders into her mouth. After emptying about the fourth of each bag, she takes them away and starts chewing as the other two look on dumbstruck.

MOON

(mouth full) Open his mouth and hold it open.

Miguel reaches for Hawk's nose and squeezes the nostrils shut. As the latter's mouth involuntarily opens, he and Demeter each seizes one side of it, and proceeds to widen up the gap, Miguel pressing Hawk's head down with his other hand, his thighs putting Hawk's hand in an armbar, Demeter pinning the latter's other hand with her hips.

MOON

(leaning over Hawk's immobilized, incognizant face, whispering) You want to be a big bad bird, Hawk? Then you first need to let mama bird feed you...

With that she opens her mouth and spits a thick and oddly hued drool down into his.

DEMETER

(her nose and brow furrowed in disgust) Oh man, this is right out of some extra gross fetish video...

As Moon gives them a nod, Miguel and Demeter slam Hawk's jaw shut, tilt his head back, forcing him to swallow. Hawk continues his senseless thrashing about as the others look on with apprehension. For a while, nothing seems to change in his behavior, leading to increasingly despondent looks. But then, gradually, the motion of Hawk's eyeballs ceases, and the writhing of his limbs begins to drop in intensity until it finally too dies down. With him now breathing heavily, Hawk's eyebrows flutter, as if his consciousness was being reset. Finally, his eyes open fully, now showing a spark of recognition. The others tentatively let go of his limbs.

MIGUEL

Hawk? Can you hear us?

He is answered by Hawk frantically twisting to Demeter's side, then sticking his head out and violently lurching onto the floor, Demeter scrambling away with a panicked shriek. Having emptied his stomach, he flips on his back again, shielding his eyes with his forearm.

MOON

Hawk, how do you feel.

HAWK

(hushed tone) Thirsty... Damn, what happened?

MOON

It looks like you overdosed...

MIGUEL

There's a bathroom here.

MOON

Can you stand up?

Hawk gives an uncertain nod, then, without looking anyone in the eye, protractedly gathers himself up, his muscles slightly wobbly.

HAWK

(rubbing the stab wound in his hip) Shit... sorry guys, guess I kinda overdid it...

DEMETER

(taking a look around) You can say that again.

MOON

C'mon, let's get you some water and have a look at that cut.

Hawk nods, shame still clear in his face, and they all head for the bathroom. As they disappear behind the door, a pair of faces peek out from behind another door, leading to the kitchen.

WAITER

Oh, great, now they're going to wreck the bathroom too.

COOK

Just how much longer are we gonna wait for the cops?!

WAITER

Told you, apparently they all called in sick today, and what few showed up for work have already been dispatched elsewhere. Looks like there are straight-up riots across town.

COOK

Sweet Jesus, riots?! Here?! It's this fuckin' karate, that shit's a blight on this town!

WAITER

Right, you take a generation of brats raised on GTA and crap like that, then teach 'em to fight, and this is what you get.

COOK

Yeah, and the DA's are just gonna let these little shits right back on the streets.

WAITER

Place's gettin' unlivable, I'm tellin' ya. I'm thinkin' of movin' to Texas, at least when some punk gives you grief over there, you can blow a hole in him and go about your day.

COOK

Sure, but good luck makin' fifteen bucks an hour as a waiter in Texas.

WAITER

(pensive) I could try bein' a cowboy. Think they'd have any job for a cowboy?

COOK

(snorts) Lassoing Mexicans maybe...

Cut to the bathroom where Moon is now mending Hawk's wound using the supplies from a wall-mounted first aid kit, while the others just sort of hang out awkwardly.

MIGUEL

So what was it that you took?

HAWK

A pill Silver gave me. To make me tougher.

DEMETER

(as everyone perks up in shock) You got drugs from Terry Silver?!

HAWK

Just this one. He came to the hospital after the... ambush.

MOON

Guy must have a hell of a lab...

MIGUEL

What did he want from you?

HAWK

(shrugs) Just that I do what I already wanted to do - get payback.

MIGUEL

(shaking his head) He's been playing us against each other all this time...

DEMETER

... and with Hawk he sure got a perfect candidate for that...

MOON

(having finished wrapping the wound) So what are you going to do now?

DEMETER

Sensei LaRusso said he'd be heading to the address Silver gave, to try and stop anyone else from going there. (to Miguel) He took Sam with him, too. Maybe we should go there and see if they need help?

MIGUEL

(decisively) Yeah, I can do that. Hawk, you coming with us?

HAWK

(nods with hesitation) Sure, Serpiente, I owe you.

MIGUEL

Hey, if you don't feel up to it...

HAWK

(looks him in the eyes) I'll be fine. I'm feelin' better already. (to Moon) I owe you, too.

DEMETER

(as Moon nods in silence) Then I guess we'd better step on it if we don't want to be late to the party.

MIGUEL

Right, let's go. (to Moon) Thanks for your help, Moon.

MOON

Good luck, guys.

Miguel and Demeter depart, Hawk lagging behind them, giving Moon an ashamed side glance.

HAWK

(awkwardly) Moon, listen, I...

MOON

(sternly) Go with them, Hawk. Go and help them. We can talk later.

HAWK

Ok, Moon, see you.

MOON

Bye, Hawk.

He walks off, with a sullen expression, leaving Moon packing the medical supplies back into the kit...

CUT TO

EXT. (YET ANOTHER) ALLEY

We cut to TORY and ROBBY, trotting side by side, the former clutching the trophy, the latter still limping. They move with conviction, evidently using the alley as a shortcut to their destination. Suddenly, Robby motions Tory to slow down.

ROBBY

(coming to sit on a pile of old tires) Sorry, I, uh... (lifts his injured foot) I need to get this out before I go any further.

TORY

(walking over to inspect the glass shard in his foot) Well that went awfully deep. How did it get there?

ROBBY

(acerbically) Ask your ex. Think you can pull it out?

TORY

I'll try, but... it's gonna hurt.

ROBBY

You don't say? I feel like this whole day's been one long cavalcade of hurt. What's a little more at this point?

With a shrug, Tory kneels down in front of him, tries to get a hold of the tiny part of the shard sticking out of Robby's foot - the latter wincing at her touch - only to find herself unable to grasp it firmly enough with her fingers. After a moment, she gives up, and instead puts her face to the foot, pushes her mouth outwards, and catches the shard with her teeth, Robby looking down in bewilderment, his expression turning into a pained grimace as she proceeds to pull the shard out, to finally spit it out and rub her teeth with her forearm.

ROBBY

(frowning) I'm not even gonna ask what it smelled like down there.

TORY

Good, because I wouldn't have the words to answer that anyway.

She then grabs a sleeve of her gi and tears a piece of it off, takes off her belt, and ties the former around Robby's foot with the latter.

TORY

Best I can do given the circumstances.

ROBBY

(grinning appreciatively) Thanks, you're really the girl for all seasons, aren't you?

TORY

In this life you ride or die, Robby, there's no third option.

ROBBY

Well, come on, then. Let's ride out the storm.

He jumps off the rubber pile and they go on their way. Cut to them emerging out of the alleyway, onto the street leading into a less densely urban area. The walled-off old ferris wheel looms not too far away.

TORY

Highgarden Avenue. This is it, we've got here and with no one to stop us.

ROBBY

You sure you actually want to go through with this?

TORY

You're saying we should go back after all we went through?

ROBBY

I've gone through all this for you, not for that (motions to the trophy).

TORY

Then you may as well go that last extra mile with me, don't you?

ROBBY

I'm just worrying what's waiting for us at the end. Save to say we shouldn't expect Silver to just make good on his promise with no more tricks up his sleeve...

TORY

(shrugs) I'm not afraid of him, I'd like to see him try and wriggle his way out of his word. (sighs, gives him a forlorn look) Besides, if there's even a slightest chance he was being truthful, I can't really afford to just pass on it.

ROBBY

(shakes his head) There's no way he'll hand over the money with no strings attached. And you definitely should not agree to anything he proposes.

TORY

(reassuringly) I won't... Well, at least I'll get the satisfaction of seeing the look on his face when I walk in there with the trophy...

ROBBY

Fine, but I'm going with you then, I don't trust the guy as far as I can throw him.

TORY

Alright, but he said there can be only one...

ROBBY

(grins) It's your award, I'm just tagging along.

Tory smirks in return, nods, and the two head for the fairground.

Cut to them approaching the gate in the fairground's fence. The metal sheets entirely conceal the area on the other side, and there's no sound coming from within. Tory steps up to the gate, lifts the arm holding the award, shouts out.

TORY

HEY?!

ROBBY

Would sure be a twist if there was no one actually here after all.

Tory turns to him with an incredulous expression, but then her attention is drawn by a loud grating sound as the gate begins to ponderously slide open. As the inside of the fairground is unveiled to them, the empty attractions - with their rust, dirt, faded colors, peeling off paint - start getting lit up and coming to their mechanical life one by one, as if suddenly thawed out from their years-long hibernation - the merry-go-around with its mountable ponies circling in a sinusoid movement, the dodgem platform where a number of bumper cars is now riding around by themselves, bumping into each other like a bunch of roombas set loose in the same room; a jet ride with its manifold swinging arms, like a giant metal multi-limbed dervish; a pair of strength testers in the shape of bald gap-toothed cartoon bad guys with pot bellies, shouting looped taunting jeers at no one in particular. Only the ferris wheel, towering over the other attractions, remains in eerie stillness, like a vigilant guardian watching over the revelries of its children. A nauseatingly saccharine carnival music is being played over the loudspeakers dotting the scene, at the very center of which, sprawled out in his inflatable throne next to the pile of money, regarding the two arrivals with a smug smirk, awaits...

TERRY SILVER

(spreading his arms out, festive tone) THE CHAMPION HAS ARRIVED! Welcome! Welcome to the small island of joy among the ocean of pain. You have arrived! You have navigated the rough waters and made it to this safe harbor! Now come! Come accept my congratulations, and collect your spoils! For they await their rightful titleholder!

Tory and Robby take the first hesitant steps down the lane leading to Silver, taking in their surroundings with puzzled and suspicious looks. Silver, regarding them calmly from his seat, appears to be in the park all by himself.

Eventually, Tory moves in front, walks up to Silver, and, staring him right in the eyes, chucks the trophy at his feet.

TORY

Here you go. As you requested.

SILVER

(furrowing his brows in apparent surprise) Oh, but I'd never dare to ask you to part with it, my dear lady! Tory... Nichols, isn't it? You've won it fair and square after all, haven't you? It belongs to you, I only wanted to see if you'd manage to hold on to it, and now you've sated my curiosity.

TORY

Does it mean I have your attention now?

SILVER

(chuckles) Oh, indeed! You have come quite the distance to prove your value... (his tone turning ominous) But there remains one small issue. I believe I have made it abundantly clear that you were supposed to bring the award by yourself. And there are two of you. That does not square with my terms...

ROBBY

(quickly) I'm only here to witness the exchange.

SILVER

(snorts) Oh no, you're not, Robby. We all know that. You guys fought your way here together, that much is obvious. (rises from his throne) And I'm afraid my reward shall only be paid out in full, undivided.

ROBBY

Oh really? Why do I get the feeling the only one that's full of it is you, Silver?!

TORY

You aren't goin' to divide us...

SILVER

(to Robby) Oh no, Robby, I'm a man of my word. And I know what my word was - there can only be one. And one way or another, one there will be.

Robby and Tory spin around as they hear the gate slam shut behind them, then turn back to Silver with alarmed looks.

SILVER

(questioning glance) Well... shall I act as your referee? Though it's not that one would be needed here. There is only one rule in this arena - two people enter, one leaves.

TORY

We aren't goin' to fight for you.

SILVER

What's wrong, Tory? Lost your fighting spirit? I'm sure your Sensei would be disheartened to hear you say that... Hell, why not just ask him?

He gives a sign with his uplifted hand, and suddenly, the CHAUFFEUR emerges from behind one of the attractions, pushing KREESE, gagged, in front of himself, then, as they move to Silver's side, kneeing him in the knee pit, knocking him off his feet in the process.

TORY/ROBBY

(startled) SENSEI!

KREESE

(as the gag is removed from his mouth) GET OUTTA HERE! NOW!

SILVER

(scowling in disapproval) Tellin' them to quit the game early? Not really sensei-like of you, maybe it was a mistake to take off that gag. (turning his glare to the couple) Well, if you're not going to fight for me, how about fightin' for your Sensei? For his life, to be exact?

Tory and Robby exchange quick knowing looks, then their eyes shift to Silver, glowing in defiance.

ROBBY

We'll fight for him alright...

In unison, they charge at Silver, who reacts with merely a grin, not even adjusting his posture. Tory leaps into the air, throwing a jumping side kick - Silver steps to the side while seizing her ankle, giving it a forceful twirl, and slamming her to the ground face-first. Robby comes at him from the flank, launching a barrage of punches, each of which meets Silver's karate chop midway to its target, eliciting an increasingly pained grimace from the former, with Silver's hand finally slitting horizontally through the air at dazzling speed and slashing Robby's throat, making him stumble back and drop onto his knees, compulsively clutching the struck spot. With an indifferent expression, Silver steps over Tory's prone body, smashing her wrist to the ground with the heel of his shoe as she attempts to grab hold of his ankle, and walks over to Robby, crouching behind him and putting him in a headlock. Meanwhile, the GAP-TOOTHED MAN (GTM) comes out of the frame, strolls up to Tory, and after hammering down a few blows onto her back, seizes her by the collar and wrenches her upward.

SILVER

(to writhing Robby) Nice try, but you pups are out of your league here. You don't get where I am by takin' shortcuts, my boy. There are steps there is no goin' around... (raises his voice) Manny boy, bring the gun!

We watch as MANUEL appears on the scene, holding a pistol in his hand, and briskly walks over to Silver.

SILVER

Put it in his hand, and hold it still. (to Robby, malign tone) You really thought I'd let her run off with the cash? That two-bit piece of white trash?! You think I didn't see the little show you put at the tournament to make sure you didn't have to fight her? I know which one of you a man should place bets on in a real fight. I know which one of you is worth puttin' effort into. Now... (as Manuel shifts Robby's outstretched arm to make the gun squeezed into his hand point at Tory) I'm givin' you a chance to make it official. All you have to do is pull the trigger, and the ten million will be yours... as will be the opportunity to join me as I lead you down the path to power.

KREESE

(as Robby stares at the gun in his hand with horror) TERRY, PLEASE, STOP THIS MADNESS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE! IT'S GONE FAR ENOUGH!

SILVER

(glancing at him with a sneer) What I do isn't madness, Cap'n, it's findin' those with most potential and helpin' them fulfill it. (to Robby, tone turning gleeful) Oh, I almost forgot, there's someone who'll be happy to see you rise to claim your title. (brings his voice up) Bring him over!

His call is answered by the TEAR (and bloodshot)-EYED MAN (TEM) and the GOATEE MAN (GM) dragging DANIEL into our view, tossing him to the ground next to Kreese.

ROBBY

MR LARUSSO?!

TORY/KREESE

(Tory still held up by GTM, Kreese kneeling with the Chauffeur casting shadow over him) Daniel?!

DANIEL

(to Silver, scowling) Silver, you lunatic! What in God's name are you doing to these kids?!

SILVER

(smirking, as he strokes Robby's hair) Liftin' a boy into a man, something you've never accomplished, Danny boy (to Robby). You came to Cobra Kai to show him you had no use for his peace-and-love bullshit, didn't you? To show him how throughoutly you've rejected his teachings? Well, now you can show that to him in a way that will leave no doubt, a way that will make his failure total. Isn't that what you wanted? Haven't you come to understand how Miyagi-Do is but a pack of lies to keep warriors like you docile, keep them in line so they won't pose a threat to the established order? I offer you a chance to step out of line, to learn how to serve the only master worth following - yourself. And as for her (gives Tory a contemptuous look), think hard, Robby, do you really want to get hung up over her? A slut that's only lookin' to get in with the top dog, who only hooked up with you after the CK champ gave her the cold shoulder? (Tory shakes her head frantically as she looks Robby in the eyes) Because where I'll take you, you'll have hundreds like her, thousands if you can handle that. Oh, actually, how about we take a flight to my friend's Lolita Island after this? (glances at Daniel with a shark grin) Mr Larusso's little girl will be there waitin' for you...

DANIEL

(furious) KEEP YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM SAM, YOU FUCKING SCUMBAG!

SILVER

(chuckling at Daniel's outburst) Look at this sad, pathetic, small man, failed by his creed so utterly, and now puttin' his last gasp into empty, impotent threats. (turning to Robby) Well, Robby, time to make your choice. Will you be like him, will you let your learned scruples, your conditioned sentimentality hold you down? Or will you ascend to become a man you can truly be?

Robby takes a hard breath, his eyes narrowing, looking down the eyesights of the gun, remaining silent for a moment. Then his lips part.

ROBBY

Go. Fuck. Yourself.

SILVER

(sighs) And here I was holdin' out hope for you to the end. Such a disappointment you are, almost as much as your father. Well, the same fate awaits both of you. But first let's show you how a real man would act here...

He yanks the gun from Robby's hand, lifts it, points the barrel at Tory, glaring right into her wide open eyes as if readying himself to snatch her soul. A close-up of his finger pulling the trigger, the boom of the gunshot resounding...

Cut to the outside of the fairground (caption: A LITTLE EARLIER), as Miguel, Hawk, and Demeter approach the fence, their expressions wary.

MIGUEL

Place looks sealed off pretty well.

HAWK

(shrugs) I could scale it.

DEMETER

And rip up your pants on that barbed wire? Not a good plan.

HAWK

(sneering at her) Got any better ones, Brainiac?

DEMETER

We don't even have any idea what's on the other side. For all we know he may have a whole squadron of armed gangbangers to keep the undesirables out.

MIGUEL

It's a good guess he's got at least a few of those. I've had a couple of run-ins with his goons by now.

HAWK

So what, we stand here with thumbs up our asses?

DEMETER

Well, now that your thumb is out of your cast, it may be looking for a new dark, moist, and tight spot... though I guess your ass doesn't fit that last criterium...

HAWK

(snaps at her) I'm not the one who has to worry about keepin' his orifice tight, missy.

MIGUEL

(annoyed) Give it a break, guys!... Guess one of us could lend another his back, so the other would peek over the fence and see what's going on there.

HAWK

Well I ain't volunteerin' for that first role.

MIGUEL

My back isn't exactly cut out for the task either...

DEMETER

Uhh, in case you haven't noticed, I'm the scrawniest one of the bunch. (to Hawk) Plus if you put your head over that fence, your spikes will be seen from a mile away, and we want to do this covertly, don't we?

MIGUEL

Deme...ter has a point, Hawk. Let her be the one to look. I'm sure she won't knock the crown off your head.

DEMETER

(as Hawk fumes in silence) No worries, I'll be too busy not getting impaled on his hair.

Hawk gives in with an angry scowl, walks up to the fence and leans over. Demeter is about to mount him, when her attention is drawn to the sound of an engine approaching from the street.

DEMETER

(bewildered) Wait, is that...

MIGUEL

(eyes wide with astonishment) SENSEI! (as the scooter comes nearer) SAM!

Johnny drives up to them with Sam holding on to his flanks, though ejecting herself from the scooter and dashing into Miguel's arms as soon as it comes to a halt.

SAM

(frantically) MIGUEL! THANK GOD YOU'RE HERE! Have you seen my dad?!

JOHNNY

(as Miguel shakes his head in confusion) Glad you guys have made it... (gives their battered visages a look over)... in one piece? (to Hawk & Demeter) What are you two up to?

DEMETER

Just trying to perform a bit of tactical recon, Sensei. I know you're all about shooting first and asking questions later, but...

MIGUEL

(to Sam) What happened to your dad?!

SAM

(presses her face into his chest, on the verge of tears) They took him, Miguel! It was Silver's men! They almost took me, too. We barely got away.

JOHNNY

(regarding the fence with a squint) So I guess they're holed up in there now. You guys saw anyone enter?

MIGUEL

No, Sensei, we just got here a moment ago. But Robby and Tory are probably inside already.

JOHNNY

(angry frown) Can't believe Robby would willingly walk into this snakepit. She must've put him up to this.

DEMETER

(shrugs) Well, he already walked into Cobra Kai, so...

HAWK

(reproachfully) So did you before Kreese threw your ass out. (regarding the scooter quizzically) Is that Aisha's scooter?

SAM

Yeah, she really helped us out, ran into us after we had a car crash (the trio's brows arcing up). But it seems like we got all the mileage we could out of it...

JOHNNY

(his gaze fixed on something in the distance) I wouldn't be so sure of it...

We pan to follow his look and see a big container with construction waste, a few wooden planks propped up against it... a set-up one could see as a makeshift ramp...

SAM

(her eyes settling on the container, then darting back to Johnny with an alarmed expression) You're not thinking what I'm thinking you're thinking...

JOHNNY

If we got the bike over the fence, we could get the gate open from another side and let the others in.

DEMETER

(frowning) Uhh, more likely you get the scooter wrecked, and potentially yourself too while you're at it.

JOHNNY

Never tell me the odds, Big Mouth.

SAM

(shaking her head) Sensei, no, it's too dange...

Her plea is cut short by a scream coming from opposite the fence.

SAM

(startled) THAT WAS DAD!

JOHNNY

(almost as startled) And it sounded like he said 'fuck', too! (revs up the scooter) Alright, time to rise and shine, Samshine, we gotta move in, you comin' with me?

MIGUEL

(alarmed) Sam, I'm not sure if this is a good...

SAM

(her look turning determined) It's my Dad, Miguel. I know it's a risk, but I've got to try... (giving Johnny a nod) I'm going with you.

She scurries over to and jumps back on the seat as Johnny revs up the engine some more, orienting the bike towards the container.

JOHNNY

(shouting over the din of the engine) SAM, PUT THE HELMET ON! (to the others) IF WE DON'T OPEN THE WAY, STAY OUT, GET HELP! I DON'T WANT YOU TO GET CUT UP ON THESE WIRES!

DEMETER

Really? Isn't that like a regular day at your dojo?

Without answering him, Johnny drives off, then hurtles past the container, puts some distance between it and them before making a sudden u-turn. As the scooter's tires screech from the maneuver, a gunshot resounds from behind the fence - a sound muted by the whir of the engine and the tire screech for the riders, but not for...

MIGUEL

OH MY GOD! THEY'RE FIRING GUNS IN THERE!

DEMETER

WHAT DO WE DO?!

MIGUEL

(looking helplessly at the scooter as it begins barreling down towards the 'ramp') I'M GOING IN THERE, CAN'T LEAVE SAM AND SENSEI BEHIND! YOU STAY PUT, DEMETER! BE HERE IN CASE POLICE SHOWS UP, TELL 'EM WHAT'S HAPPENING! HAWK, HOW ABOUT YOU?

HAWK

(eyes narrowed) If you go, I go, Serpiente.

Miguel gives him a nod, his lips drawn taut, then turns to look at Johnny & Sam, as they ride up the plank, sparks scattering from underneath the wheels, and launch themselves into the air...

Cut to a close-up of a gunshot entry wound (caption: A BRIEF MOMENT EARLIER), blood trickling down the black fabric of a gi. We pan up the gi, to see the Cobra Kai emblem, the yellow edges, then the wrinkled neck and the chin with a five-o-clock shadow to finally behold the contorted face of Kreese as he presses his one hand to the wound, standing in front of shocked-looking Tory. He then slumps to the ground, his eyes looking up at her as his breath becomes labored. Cut to Silver gripping the gun with a frustrated frown. He pistol-whips Robby over the head, then shoves the gun into Manuel's chest and walks over to Kreese's prone form, as Tory squirms in GTM's grasp, uttering inhuman wails.

SILVER

(looking down at Kreese, his voice expressing some measure of sorrow) You stubborn old fool, you just had to grow soft, too, didn't you? Should have gone all the way with me back then, and it wouldn't have ended like this.

KREESE

(weakly, sputtering blood) Where you've gone, Terry... men aren't meant to come back from...

SILVER

(his look growing cold) Well, I have come back, Captain, and I'm here to stay... (turning away from him) But first it's time to clean up this...

He stops mid-sentence as his eyes fall upon the sight of the scooter vaulting over the fence. We watch the bike's rear wheel get caught in the barb wire as the rest of the vehicle goes over, making it snap down, throw the riders off onto the ground as it somersaults in the air, and drag the wire along, tearing it off the fence. Next, the scooter slams into the dirt in between Sam and Johnny's sprawled-out bodies, rebounds, hurtles forward through the air, falls, careens on the ground, spinning and sending sparks in all directions, and finally rams into witless Manuel, who has been standing a few feet away from Robby, pointing the gun at him. Manuel is swept off his feet, the gun firing as the arm holding it darts upwards, then flying out of his hand and zipping out of sight. As the bike comes to a grinding halt, everyone's eyes shift from it to its ex-riders, as the latter gather themselves off the ground,.

SILVER

(smirking) Uhhh, the wayward Sensei finally comes home. What a grand entrance, too.

DANIEL

(startled, as Sam takes off her helmet) SAM!

JOHNNY

(staring Silver down) Yeah, I'm back, asshole.

SAM

(reflecting Johnny's defiant gaze) And we're not alone...

She glances back, and we see hands hooking up onto the edge of the fence where the wire was torn off. Then we see Miguel and Hawk pulling themselves up and over it, and dropping to the other side, their fists smashing the ground in unison.

JOHNNY

(the side of his mouth curling up) The cavalry's here... to bring the fun-house down...

(suggested soundtrack: "In The Air Tonight" (metal cover by Leo Moracchioli, starting with the drum breakdown at 3:14)

With these words, Johnny, Sam, Miguel, and Hawk begin the charge, Robby and Tory staring at them with astonishment, Daniel with trepidation, Kreese with a weak smile as he slowly bleeds out on the ground, Silver with a confident shark grin.

SILVER

(under his breath) Lambs to the slaughter... (turning to his goons) GET 'EM! I WANT THEM ALL, DEAD OR ALIVE!

He spins on his heel and heads towards Daniel. Cut to Robby as he takes off after him with a furious glare, only to be bodyslammed and sent rolling away by the hulking Chauffeur. Cut to Tory as she proceeds to frenziedly throw back elbows and heel strikes at GTM lying on top of her, then jams her nails into his eye socket, prompting him to finally slide off of her. Cut back to Silver as he closes in on Daniel, still held down by TEM and GM.

SILVER

(vicious sneer) Come, Danny boy, let's go for a ride, just the two of us...

He knees Daniel in the face, then kicks him brutally in the stomach as he slumps down. Next he leans, grabs onto Daniel's ankles and begins dragging him across the ground, heading towards the ferris wheel, with Daniel futilely clutching at the earth as it moves past his face...

Cut to Johnny and Sam, as they barrel in Silver's direction, with TEM and GM rushing to intercept them. Johnny slows down slightly, makes a couple fainted side steps, then leaps into the air and simultaneously drops his elbow onto GM's temple and drives his thigh into his chin. GM's head snaps back, he stumbles, falls. Meanwhile, Sam dives to the ground, somersaults, turning her body into a cannonball rolling at TEM. The latter jumps away, then throws a low front kick, which Sam blocks with her calf as she stops the roll on her knees, then spins around on one knee to launch into a spinning sweep. TEM leaps back, the tip of Sam's foot connecting with his ankle, making him stagger. Johnny's eyes squint as they dart from Sam to Silver, with him trying to decide which way to go. Then suddenly GM jumps on his back, wrapping his arms around the latter's neck and shoulders, gripping his waist with his thighs, then clasping his hands on the sides of his head and starting to shove in an attempt to twist his neck. Johnny spins around in the spot, bashing the unwanted piggybacker with his triceps and elbows, all the while his head is being gradually wrenched to the limit of its turning ability. Cut to Robby as he looks at Johhny with mounting alarm, as the Chauffeur strolls up to him, yanks him off the ground and throws him through the air. Robby lands hard on his back with a pained wince, lifts his upper body to keep his eyes on Johnny... only to see GM's head be suddenly jerked back as Hawk pulls at it and then jumps up and brings his cast hammering down on his face, sweeping him off Johnny's back. Robby's eyes go wide with disbelief.

HAWK

(as Johnny turns to face him with a confused look) I'LL TAKE CARE OF HIM, SENSEI!

Johnny gives him an appreciative nod, then takes off. Cut to Silver as he wrests Daniel off the ground, slings his body over the shoulder, and then chucks him into an empty car of the ferris wheel. He then shifts his gaze to the Chauffeur and bellows out...

SILVER

ALEJANDRO, GET 'ER SPINNING!

Right away, the Chauffeur reacts by bolting away from Robby, running up to a control console next to the wheel, flipping some switches and pulling a large lever down. With a metallic clang, the ferris wheel, up to this point an unmoving fixture among the chaos, commences its revolving motion. Silver vaults over to the wheel car as it begins its ascent, delivering a hook to Daniel's face as he sits down beside him, then pins him down with his shoulder, sinks his fingers into his hair and lifts it up.

SILVER

(his lips drawn back in a maniacal grimace) Rejoice, Danny boy! You'll have a panoramic view of your own demise!

Cut to Johnny as he sprints to the wheel, the car carrying Silver and Daniel already well out of his reach. Undeterred, he keeps running, then lunges at the car below them, grabs onto its underside, and starts pulling himself up. We see the Chauffeur dashing towards him, about to haul him by the dangling ankles and tear him off the car, when Robby comes into view and rams his shoulder into his spine, sending him staggering past Johnny, as the latter is quickly lifted above their heads.

Cut to Miguel, as he stands poised, his eyes focused on...

MANUEL

(grinning mockingly as he cracks his joints) So you came to papa in the end, Miggy... I always knew you would finally come round...

MIGUEL

(angry scowl) Only reason I'd come to you is to finish this. And that's what I'm goin' to do.

MANUEL

Yes, you will finish your American vacation, son. I already got your flight home booked.

MIGUEL

(doggedly) That's good, because you're goin' to need two seats for your flight home. One for each half...

Miguel closes in, throws a right roundhouse kick, Manuel steps back, Miguel launches his other leg in the air for a jumping hook kick, Manuel shields his face with a cross arm guard as he takes another step back, then counters with a side kick, which lands on the side of Miguel's chest, spinning his upper body ninety degrees.

MANUEL

(as Miguel is thrown aback by his martial arts display) See, Miggy?! Papa's been catchin' up with you...

MIGUEL

(cocks his head tenaciously) Alright then...

He twirls in the spot as Manuel moves in for a hook punch, leaps up and thrusts his legs out for a drop kick, swatting Manuel's arm away, then drops onto the ground, strikes out with a crouching side kick, pushing Manuel further back, then somersaults towards him and follows up with a crouching sweep, Manuel dodging further to the back again. We pan to see that the pair is creeping ever closer towards the jet ride, revolving at full speed...

Cut to Tory as she fires off a barrage of punches at GTM, who covers his face with raised forearms, his back doubled over. Suddenly, Tory's knees bend, and she propels herself into the air, her hands darting for the back of his head. She vaults over him, her legs shooting out to the sides, then slamming shut on his neck. Dropping down, Tory jerks her torso forward, and, now hanging off him upside down, jams her fists into his knee pits, pitching him backwards, yanking him over her upper body with her thighs, and finally slamming him onto the ground. GTM writhes helplessly in the vice grip of her legs, when suddenly GM stumbles into view from the side, trips over his prostrate form, and hits dirt beside him. After him moves Hawk, his gaze briefly meeting with Tory's, the two sizing each other up, mix of lingering animosity, suspicion, and... dare? Then he leaps onto GTM, bounces himself off his body, somersaults in the air, and swings the cast down on GM's shoulder as the latter scrambles to his feet. Tory twists to her side, sends GTM sliding across the ground with a shove of her thighs and hips. Hawk leaps over him, and GTM crashes into GM's feet, knocking him down again. Tory gets to her feet, to stand face to face with Hawk, their gazes as if mutually stoking the fire in each other's eyes. Hawk then lunges at GTM, drives his elbow in between the latter's eyes, then, dropping onto his back next to him, wraps his cast-augmented arm around his neck, wrenches him on top of himself, and sends him hurtling off the ground towards Tory with a thrust of his feet. Tory reacts by launching into a spinning kick and lobbing GTM away into the air with a well-aimed blow to the sternum. GTM goes hurtling in an arc over Hawk's crouched form, the latter reacting by throwing himself onto his back again, then flinging his lower body up and giving GTM' momentum a boost with a double foot toss. GTM's breakneck flight continues until his head slams into the beer gut of the strength tester, eliciting an explosion of lights, a lifting of a mechanical arm giving a thumbs up, as well as a complimentary shout issuing from the tester's internal speaker. With Hawk back on his feet, the two look quizzically at the tester, GTM now sprawled motionless on the ground next to it, then sideglance at each other, tentative smirks indicating a shared idea, and walk off to flank GM as he collects himself from the earth. Realizing his predicament, he throws a sidekick at Hawk while eyeing Tory with the corner of his eye. Hawk sidesteps the kick, hooks his shoulder under the outstretched leg, wrenches it up and smashes his heel into GM's exposed groin as Tory leans back from a swing of the latter's fist, then counters by uppercutting his jaw, diving under him, and hoisting him up after wrapping her arms around his standing leg. With both his legs now lifted off the ground and spread wide apart, GM's upper body loses balance and pitches forward and down, only to be brought back up by a kick to the face from Hawk. Hawk and Tory exchange knowing glances, then begin charging in unison towards the second strength tester, holding dazed GM's upper body out in front of them like the tip of a battering ram, his half-limp head jiggling up and down slightly as they run. Finally, the crown of his bald head smashes into the protruding belly, the charging pair flung back on their butts by the impact, to the celebratory show of light, sound, and animatronics. Gathering themselves up, with GM out cold, they turn towards one another again, their expressions tense, yet... budding with a sense of mutual respect. Finally, they give each other the slightest of nods, and their eyes shift, in the same direction...

Cut to Sam, as TEM's front kick flings her onto the revolving merry-go-round. Falling onto her back, she jolts her upper body up, only to then throw it back down as the wooden pony hurtles just above her. TEM leaps onto the platform, hauls his knee up, then brings the leg stomping down onto her. Sam dodges by rolling to the side, her hands shoot up, grab onto the next oncoming pony, and pull her body upwards. Suspended horizontally in the air , she thrusts her foot at TEM, who seizes her ankle after it strikes his gut. As TEM raises his fist to land a blow to her knee, Sam yanks at the pony, pulling TEM deeper into the merry-go-round in the process, leading to him getting swept off his feet by the next pony. As he is flung to his side over the horizontal arm connecting the pony to the central column, he maintains the grip on Sam's ankle, causing her to lose the hold on her ride. Falling onto the floor, she kicks at his hand, swatting it off, then jumps to her feet, onto an oncoming arm, and propels herself off it to land a jumping spinning kick to TEM's face. TEM gets sprawled out on the ground, a pony sweeping above him. He jams his foot into it as it goes by and pushes himself back, somersaulting backwards onto his feet. As Sam closes in for a follow-up kick, he dives onto his chest, letting the next pony hurtle past him and at her. Sam leaps onto the arm, at which point TEM springs himself off the ground with a shove of all four of his limbs, and rams Sam in the chest with his shoulder, knocking her off her perch. Sam's hand darts for the pony's handle as she is flung onto her back, her body now skidding around the platform, dragged by the revolving arm. TEM lunges for her dragging feet, seizes one, and, blocking the other one's kicks with his elbow, reaches for his belt, where, tucked away, is his jackknife (note: the knife has a knuckle duster handle for his fingers), as he is now dragged along after Sam. Sam's eyes go wide with terror as she sees the knife flick open in his hand, then get lifted above TEM's head, with the intent to stab through her ankle and pin it to the wooden platform. Without second thought, Sam lets go of the pony and brakes her motion by shoving her elbows to the floor, leading TEM to bump into her through the force of his momentum. Then her hand darts up, karate chopping TEM into his raised armpit. The arm goes slack, flopping to the floor along with the knife. With a cry of surprise, TEM rolls off Sam, scooping up the knife with his other hand on the way. He then springs into his feet, stepping out of the arms' range, pokes at the limp hand with the tip of the blade, and, with no reaction, his face takes on a furious scowl as his eyes shift back to Sam, now getting off the floor herself.

As grim determination sets into his features, TEM presses the knuckle duster grip onto his limp fingers, then closes the hand over the handle, and as Sam's brows spring up in shock, proceeds to close in on her while frenziedly twisting his chest left and right, imbuing the limp, knife-wielding arm with a whipping movement. Startled, Sam leaps back, TEM's arm swinging by her face. She jumps over the carousel's arm, with TEM vaulting over the pony, not ceasing his jerky chest motions for even a moment. As she keeps retreading, Sam bumps her back against the central revolving column, and, in a fit of desperation, she leaps up, throws her limbs back, wraps them around the column, and wrenches he body to the left, putting the column between her and the blade as TEM's arm comes hurtling at her from her right. The unfeeling hand bounces back after colliding with the metal pole, then it ricochets against oncoming pony, whipping back towards TEM's body, wrapping itself around his neck, and slamming the knife hilt deep into his jugular, the bloodied blade coming out on the opposite side. TEM's eyes bug out and his mouth goes agape, blood flowing out of it and spurting out of his throat, as he is tripped up by the carousel's arm and thrown back onto a pony as it races past, to be carried away in a wavy, tranquil motion, as his limbs twitch, and his hand vainly gropes at the weapon sank in his flesh. Cut to Sam jumping off the column on the other side of the merry-go-round, oblivious to what just happened. She dashes away from the carousel, spins, her fists raised... and then lets out a scream of horror as she beholds the blood-soaked pony, and its expiring rider, gasping and choking on his own blood in a vain attempt to draw in breath, to finally slump off its mount and hit the ground, dead.

CUT TO Demeter, as she stands outside the funfair grounds, where we have left her. She listens to the sounds of battle over the mind-numbing music with increasing apprehension, when suddenly another sound, coming from behind her, enters her sensory awareness.

DEMETER

(as she turns around to face...) KYLER?!

Bruised, battered, his arm not entirely operational... and clearly pissed off.

KYLER

STICKBOY! IT'S COZ OF YOU I DIDN'T GET HERE FIRST! Now I'm gonna beat these ten mil out of ya, buck by buck!

DEMETER

(her eyes narrowing) What do you even need the money for? It's not like you don't look like a million bucks yourself already!

She takes on a fighting stance as Kyler, enraged, rushes her. She rolls out of his path, then delivers a crouching side kick to his ankle. Kyler goes down on his knee, Demeter springing up and throwing a front kick at the side of his head. Kyler brings up his fist to swat it away, but the injured hand is jerked back by the blow, smacking him across the cheek with its knuckles. Kyler lunges at Demeter's standing leg, the latter jumping up and somersaulting over him, landing behind his back, then thrusting her feet back, smashing Kyler in the spine. Kyler is flung headlong onto the street, Demeter scrambling to her feet. As Kyler pushes himself off the asphalt with his hands, Demeter's foot lands between his shoulder blades, sending him stumbling forward. With a furious cry, he swings his arm around, the elbow protruding, glancing against Demeter's forehead. Kyler follows up with a front kick. Demeter dodges by spinning her body and bending her back outwards, then she throws her back onto Kyler's outstretched leg, and as her body turns horizontal and perpendicular to Kyler's, drives her knee into his chest. Kyler staggers back, doubled over, as Demeter, the moment her back hits the ground, spins on the asphalt and delivers a spinning sweep kick, knocking Kyler's feet out from under him. Still stumbling backwards, Kyler is pitched onto his back... and straight down the lidless manhole, his high-pitched shriek echoing from the sewer shaft as he disappears in the darkness below, to be followed by a far-away splash.

DEMETER

(as she leans down to look into the manhole with a troubled frown) Well... say hi to Mario from me... Bowser.

Only a disquieting silence answers her...

CUT TO Robby as he is hurled onto the bumper cart platform by the Chauffeur, who steps onto it behind him, grabs the nearest car and with a heave of his bulging muscles hoists it off the floor, lifting it above Robby's prone form. Robby rapidly rolls away as the car is hurled to the ground next to him with a rancorous clatter of metal.

ROBBY

SON OF A...! THIS SHIT AGAIN?!

He leaps onto his feet as the Chauffeur gives the car a shove, sending it careening at him. He jumps, rolls across the car's body, thrusting his foot out as he goes, striking his foe in the jaw. Chauffeur's head snaps back slightly, but he hardly seems fazed as Robby drops back onto the floor in front of him. He shoots his leg forward, ramming his calf into Robby, making him stumble back. Then his arms jut out to the sides, each grabbing an edge of a different car, then swinging them simultaneously across the floor at Robby. The latter leaps into the air, and, as the cars collide below him, launches himself higher off of them, spins, turns his body horizontal, and delivers a jumping spinning side ax kick to Chauffeur's crown. The latter's head hurtles down, bumps against the body of a car in front of him, only to spring right back up, and, as Robby falls sideways onto the same car, the hulking man thrusts his hands out at him, seizes his gi, yanks him off the car onto the floor. Then, one trunk-like arm holding writhing Robby down, the other hooks up to the underside of the car, lifts it up, pulls it over Robby, and winds up to bring it crashing down, presumably to squash Robby's body like a bunch of ripe grapes. Robby's hands grab at the Chauffeur's pinning arm, his legs wrap around it, yet the grip appears immovable. His eyes and mouth go wide, seemingly staring death in the face, panting as the mighty hand presses onto his lungs...

CHAUFFEUR

(his rock-carved face looming over him) Do not worry, Sensei Silver will classify you as a write-off, Mr Keene...

... when suddenly the Chauffeur is flung to the side by a bumper car ramming full-tilt into his flank, with Tory launching herself off of it and onto the man, Hawk springing up from the driver's seat to follow after her. Robby shoots his legs up as the released car above him proceeds to topple, blocks it from smashing into his face, and with a strained thrust of his thighs, pushes the metal mass away. The Chauffeur gets back up, Tory straddling his shoulders and hammering down blows onto the back of his head, then he reaches behind him, seizes her collar and proceeds to tear her away from his neck, only for Hawk to come up behind him and slam the cast underneath his elbow, then immediately duck down and repeat the strike to his knee pit. The Chauffeur slumps onto his knee, coming face to face with Robby, perched on top of a car, who then propels himself off it at his head, grabbing the sides of his face mid-flight, wrenching the head towards him and simultaneously driving both his knees into his face. The sheer might of the blow makes blood gush out of his facial orifices as Chauffeur's upper body is pitched backwards, with Tory, still mounting his shoulders, giving her body a forceful twist, in turn orienting his upper body face down as he falls... right onto Hawk's elbow uppercut. Chauffeur hits the deck headlong, blood pooling slowly underneath his face, as this mountain finally ceases its tectonic movement. The trio gets onto their feet, Hawk inspecting his now almost entirely crumbled cast, then giving the others a smug look as Robby regards him questioningly.

ROBBY

You change your colors more often than you change your hair dye, don't you?

HAWK

Nah, I just won't let others claim my prey.

ROBBY

(snorts) Prey. Sure, Hawk, sure. (glances at their downed foe) That one should sate you for a while...

Cut to Miguel as he dodges Manuel's punches, sneaking in his own jabs in between, wearing the older man down, inexorably driving him back. In frustration, Manuel goes for a grapple, with Miguel darting down by doing a split, jamming his fist into Manuel's midsection as the latter's arms swing over him, then in turn wrapping his own arms around his opponent's back as he doubles over from the blow, spinning to the side, ramming his shoulder into Manuel's thighs, and throwing him across his shoulders onto the ground. Next he draws his legs back under his chest and launches himself on top of Manuel, the latter managing to flip onto his back quick enough to counter by pushing Miguel away with his feet. Miguel now finds himself between Manuel and the whirling jet ride, the latter's arms swinging perilously close to him. Manuel kicks at Miguel's ankle as the latter springs up, then scrambles to his feet and leaps at Miguel, this time succeeding in catching him in an unwanted bear hug. Miguel brings his knee up to strike him in the kidneys, Manuel groans and starts throwing his fist at Miguel's spine, the latter being sent into throes of pain with each landed blow. With Miguel's knee strikes losing their potency, Manuel catches his thigh as it goes up, yanks it further up while pushing Miguel's chest back with his own torso, and manages to sweep him up. He then lifts his own knee for a stomp, Miguel scuttling backwards on all fours away from his foot.

MANUEL

(stomping the ground over and over, like trying to nail an especially quick insect) My friend Silver told me about the back problems you're havin', Miggy! Cheer up, we've got top class health care in Ecuador!

MIGUEL

(his legs spreading apart to avoid a stomp landing between them) Better check if that's where they're flying, then.

MANUEL

(confused frown) If who's flyin' there?

MIGUEL

(motioning up) They.

With that, he wraps his thighs around Manuel's calf, pulls himself underneath him, shoots his legs straight up, planting them in his gut and sternum, and then, with teeth gritted in painful exertion, heaves him up and throws his body behind himself... sending Manuel right into the path of a barreling jet, which smashes into him like a golf club into a ball, ejecting him far into the air, his body cartwheeling end over end way out of the jet ride area, and out of frame.

MIGUEL

(as he rolls out of the range of the jet arms and gathers himself up) Out of my life, father... and maybe out of this planet too if you'd be so kind...

Cut, finally, to the ferris wheel, where the Silver-Daniel car is now positioned at a 90 degree angle, and Johnny has already got out of his car and started climbing its spoke towards the center wheel. As Silver mercilessly rains down blows upon prostrate Daniel, Johnny reaches the center, grabs onto the spoke leading to their car, pulls his lower body up, wraps his legs around the spoke, and proceeds to climb up as the spoke begins to shift its position from a horizontal one to a vertical. Hanging upside down, frantically placing his hands one in front of another before the spoke becomes too steep to climb, Johnny painstakingly makes his way towards the car, as Silver seizes Daniel's gi, wrests him up, and shoves his head over the car's rim.

SILVER

(teeth clenched) Come on, Danny boy, take in the view! You won't be gettin' another chance!

His head sticking out, Daniel notices Johnny approaching them with a corner of his eye. He then begins to writhe violently in Silver's grasp to keep his attention on himself.

SILVER

(shark grin) Careful there, Danny boy, you ain't got your seatbelt on!

DANIEL

(wrestling with Silver's grip on his throat) Neither... do... you.

He pushes himself further out of the car, and yanks his chest down, pulling Silver's head and shoulders across the edge as well, simultaneously grabbing onto the edge convulsively with both hands. At the same time, Johnny pulls himself on top of the spoke and shoots his arms out to seize the car's upper rim. As he begins vaulting over it, Silver notices the intruder and his leg instantly flies in his direction, kicking him back over the edge, making him fall backwards onto the spoke and slide down its surface back to the center wheel. Meanwhile, Daniel's leg strikes out, kicking Silver's leg out from under him, then seizes his waist with his thighs as Silver falls on top of him, and pulls him the rest of the way out of the car. Both of them fall upside-down, Daniel holding onto the edge, preventing him from a downward plunge, Silver grabbing onto Daniel's legs as he falls, and ending up hanging suspended below him. Meanwhile, Johnny manages to hold onto the spoke as his back hits the center wheel. With a groan, he gets to his feet, wraps his limbs around the now nearly vertical-pointing spoke, pushes himself off the wheel, making his body rotate around the spoke like a pole dancer, and lands on the other side of it.

Daniel frowns with his mouth drawn taut as his grip on the car's rim begins to slip. Silver starts swinging his body to and fro, then lets go of Daniel's shins and hurtles down onto the car below them, landing on all fours with a heavy thud. Daniel pulls himself back into the car, then, hearing Johnny's voice, looks down, to see him climbing up the spoke carrying the car Silver is now in.

JOHNNY

GET A DROP ON HIM, DAN!

First reacting to the instruction with an incredulous frown, Daniel turns his gaze to the car below, where Silver glances up back at him, seemingly daring him to try. With a sigh, Daniel puts his legs across the edge, holding it tight, then sways his body, drawing a deep breath, and, as Johnny nears the car, makes the leap. He plunges down, right into the center of the car, Silver obligingly stepping out of his way, to crash through the car's worm-eaten bottom, the lower half of his body now dangling underneath it, as Silver pins his hand down with his shoe, bellowing with mocking laughter.

SILVER

BEEN PUTTIN' ON POUNDS, DANNY BOY?! THIS RIDE AIN'T FOR YOUR WEIGHT CLASS, I'M AFRAID! BUT LET ME HELP YOU OUT!

With that, he lifts his foot and brings it stomping down on Daniel's temple, pushing him through the hole. Meanwhile, Johnny, having climbed up to the car's edge and having noticed Daniel's legs in front of him, strengthens his thighs' grip on the spoke, thrusts his upper body out underneath the car, and grabs hold of Daniel's ankles just as the latter is forced through the car's bottom. The two swing in a pendulum-like arc away from the car, Daniel's hands grasping at the spoke as the arc comes to its opposite end, but unable to reach it. As Johnny, suspended upside-down, winds up for another swing, the spoke unrelentingly tilting upwards, Silver crosses over the hole and walks up to the spoke-attached side of the car. He then flings his backside on the car's edge, draws up his leg, and hurls it at Johnny's thighs just as the latter swings Daniel up at the spoke again. Daniel gets hold of it just as Silver's kick sends Johnny sliding down the increasingly vertical spoke; his legs hook up to the metal beam a millisecond before Johnny's hip slams into his face. The two slide down part of the spoke's length before Daniel's hold puts a break to the drop. As Johnny pulls his upper body up and regains a handhold on the spoke, Silver vaults over the car, wraps himself around the pole, and, pushing himself off the car, comes hurtling down at them. His foot smashes into Johnny's face as the latter turns onto the upper side of the spoke, shoving him further down onto Daniel and towards the center wheel. Afterwards, Silver's body spins and shifts on the pole, positioning itself head down, for him to throw his elbow at Johnny's spoke-grasping hands. The struck hands dart away from his point of purchase and his upper body is pitched backwards, with Silver twisting around the spoke again, this time ramming his heel into his thighs. Johnny loses grip on the beam completely, he falls somersaulting backwards, rolls down Daniel's back, and drops hard onto the center wheel, his hands clutching its rim as he is about to fall off of it as well. Daniel looks at his plunge with shock, then shifts his - now angry - gaze at grinning Silver, who begins clambering up the spoke as it reaches its fully vertical position and begins tilting downward, aiming to then repeat the downward slide and apply the same treatment to Daniel. Doggedly, Daniel proceeds to climb the pole up after him, as Johnny pulls himself up onto the wheel before its surface becomes to steep. He puts his feet on the wheel, then shifts them onto the now diagonal spoke below him. He looks up, sees Silver moving up the beam directly above him towards the car, with Daniel in pursuit, then his gaze shifts to the car attached to the spoke he is standing on, and his eyes narrow. He proceeds to run up the beam, sprinting along the precariously narrow surface, charging at the car. As Silver comes up to the edge of his car, thrusting his legs out as Daniel grabs at his ankles, Johnny leaps onto the car in front of him, his foot landing on and subsequently pushing itself off of the car's rim, launching Johnny into an upward arc through the air towards Silver, his body backflipping as it goes. Now oriented up, Johnny's legs thrust away from him mid-air, go hurtling at their enemy' suspended form, his back pointing downwards... and the feet catch his dangling black ponytail in a vice-grip. Johnny gives his body a twist as his body begins falling back down. Silver, caught off guard while kicking at Daniel, is torn off his spoke, and as Johnny slams face first onto his beam, instantly wrapping his arms around it, he plummets onto Johnny's back, bounces off of it to the side. His hand shoots out at Johnny, grabbing at his shirt, his fingers snapping shut an inch away from it... and Silver plunges down, his body spinning, his face contorted in a mixture of abject terror and absolute indignation, letting out a roar of a beast being dealt a death blow, before he smashes into the roof of his limo, and rolls down off of it onto the ground, his cry cut short.

We cut to Kreese, (suugested soundtrack: Judas Priest - "Down in Flames") feebly dragging himself across the dirt, leaving a smudge of blood behind him, the pistol previously held by Manuel now in his hand. He lies facing the rear left corner of the limo as Silver comes crashing down on it and then drops on its right side. Cut to Silver, sprawled out on his back, blood on his face, his body bent at an unnatural angle. His hand darts up for the door handle on the passenger's side, throws it open. He then grabs onto the the passenger chair's upholstery, pulls himself inside, his entire lower half getting dragged limply along. Cut to Kreese, lifting the gun, unloading a few shots at the limo, its bulletproof glass windows deflecting the rounds. As the vehicle starts up, the rear lights shining on Kreese's face, he squints, shifts his aim, directs the barrel at the fuel cap, riddles the target with the rest of the magazine, a few of the rounds piercing the fuel tank, gasoline immediately beginning to pour out. We pan to see the ferris wheel car carrying Johnny lower to the ground, Johnny leaping out of it the moment the limo begins speeding away. He dashes for the vehicle, bouncing against its locked doors (brief cut to Silver operating the pedals with his hands, his chin propped up on the steering wheel, his look agonising yet determined), then looks down to see the trail of gasoline, turns to see Kreese crawling toward the edge of the spill, then runs up to him as the latter flips with a pained grimace onto his back, splashing fuel around himself.

JOHNNY

(leaning over Kreese) You still holdin' on, Sensei?! Alright, we'll get you out of here.

KREESE

(shakes his head) No you won't. (pats his shirt pocket) Here, take 'em out.

Johnny feels his hand inside Kreese's pocket, then takes out a cigar and a lighter.

KREESE

Light 'er up, Johnny.

JOHNNY

(indicating the spilled gasoline) Here?! You crazy?!

KREESE

(emphatic) Yes, Johnny, here. Time for my last draw...

Shaking his head, Johnny lights the cigar, then carefully hands it to Kreese, who takes a deep drag, savoring the feeling as Silver's limo runs into the strength tester, reverses, then drives past it, bumping into GTM's body as it goes.

KREESE

Always knew this stuff would kill me one of these days...(indicating the kids as they come in behind Johnny) Be their teacher, Johnny... be their father...

JOHNNY

(nods, struggling to hold in his emotions) I will, Sensei...

KREESE

(nods in return, then shifts his gaze to Tory as she regards them with alarm) You look after yourself... (smirks with a melancholic look) dollface...

TORY

(her voice shaky) Sensei?!

She darts for Kreese, only for Johnny to intercept her, grapple her chest and drag her away screaming as Kreese gives Daniel, now back on the ground, a final brief approving glance, then turns his face towards the departing limo, his face growing rigid.

KREESE

(under his breath) Well, Terry, it's time I took back what's mine...

With these words, his cigar-holding arm swings in an arc, and stubs the glowing tip into the puddle of gasoline. Almost instantly, the pool catches fire, which shoots up into the sky, envelops Kreese's body, and goes hurtling after the limo. Cut to Silver, giggling dementedly to himself, his mind slipping, as he speeds up, sending the car barreling through the gate, a metal sheet flattening itself against the windshield, blocking his view, making him swerve wildly. Then he notices the fire racing at him in the rear-view mirror, his eyes squinting, then going wide upon the realization. His hand goes for the door...

Cut to bird's eye view of the limo, as the flame slithers inside the ruptured gas tank. An explosion shakes the screen, ripping the back of the limo to shreds, ejecting the rest of it upwards towards the camera, as flaming pieces of debris scatter all around, including one large fire-engulfed elongated object flying off to the side. The limo spins in the air, falling down onto its hood, skidding across the streets, sending showers of sparks on its way, until it comes to stop as it bumps into the curb. We pan away slowly, watching the wreck become enveloped in flames entirely, until we draw back enough to see our heroes walking out of the broken gate, to behold the vehicle's immolation... Then the camera starts zooming back in, but instead of focusing on the limo again, it centers on a dark round spot among the sea of burning debris. As our POV continues to close in on it, we come to recognize the black blot as a manhole entrance, yawning with impenetrable darkness...

CUT TO

A MONTAGE

... of MIGUEL walking up the door of his apartment, having it opened by YAYA, who moves in to embrace him immediately, then turns her head and shouts, leading to haggard-looking CARMEN coming into view, her face brightening up instantly upon seeing him.

... SAM and DANIEL driving up into their yard, ANTHONY dashing from the door towards them, AMANDA remaining at the door, holding her chest, breathing a deep sigh of relief.

... TORY and ROBBY meeting TONY as they head for her apartment. TONY jumps up in excitement as Tory hands him the trophy, then they step to the door. Cut to the inside, as Tory sweeps a lock of hair off of MARY's forehead, then plants a kiss on that spot, the latter deep - and calmly - asleep.

... HAWK, his expression grim, as he sits on a bench at the back of a police van, his hands cuffed. The van's rear doors slam shut on us, and our POV rotates 180 degrees to behold ANASTASIA, red-faced and bawling her eyes out, with MOON and DEMETER each standing at her side, a hand placed on her shoulder...

... a freshly dug grave, the closed casket lowered into it, a plain gray tombstone displaying the words "JOHN STUART KREESE, 1946-2019, SOLDIER, SENSEI, HERO". We pan sideways to see a tiny gathering consisting of Tory, Robby, Sam, Amanda, and Daniel watching the grave in silence, with Daniel holding a folded-up US flag.

AMANDA

(awkwardly) He went out in a way that would make Rambo proud...

SAM

(to Tory, tentatively) Can I ask you something?

TORY

(eyeing her inquiringly) What?

SAM

When you were given the award, you told Daryl you wanted to say something. What did you want to say?

TORY

(side of her mouth curling up, her look mirthless as she directs her gaze back at the grave) I wanted to tell him that he was now free, and that he could settle down with his honor intact.

DANIEL

(sad smile) He held onto his honor to the end, Tory. You can take comfort in knowing that.

SAM

... and in knowing he died proud of you.

TORY

(almost whispering) He died so I could live...

DANIEL

I have no doubt he didn't regret his choice for a second.

Daniel takes a step forward, walks over to the grave, and, with reverence in his motions, lays the flag onto the casket. We pan sideways, our POV sliding along a row of tombs, to finally arrive at the grave of Mr Miyagi some distance away...

Cut to JOHNNY, standing in front of the entrance to the Cobra Kai dojo. A close up of his hand opening to reveal the key, then inserting and turning it inside the lock. Cut to the darkened interior, as the chimes ring, the door frame bumping against them. Johnny enters the gloom, we see now that, tucked under his armpit, is the bullet-ridden and crumpled cutout of Kreese. Johnny flicks the light on, gives the deserted room a sweeping glance, walks to the side, places the cutout upright next to the door. Then he turns and heads for the office room. Inside, he moves to the desk, turns on the lamp, inspects the desk's surface, sliding his hand over the various papers strewn over it. Then his hand goes for the drawer and pulls it open. He reaches inside and takes out a stack of letters. He shuffles them, frowns upon seeing the same addressee on each envelope, then opens one and pulls the handwriting-covered sheet out...

Cut back to the outside, as Johnny exits, still holding the (now resealed) letters, to then insert them behind his belt. He carefully closes the door behind him, looks around, stares down the setting sun for a spell as light wind blows the trash scattered on the strip mall's parking lot around. As his eyes get unstuck from the sun, he blinks rapidly, then, squinting, he shifts his gaze towards a pair of figures, initially blurry in his view, approaching him. As his sight clears, these turn out to be...

ROBBY/TORY

Hello, Sensei/Dad.

JOHNNY

(smirking) Hi. Sorry, guys, (winking at Tory) the class' ended early.

ROBBY

(feigning disappointment) Oh, that's too bad. I figured now that I've checked out the other two Senseis in town, I could as well give that Lawrence guy a shot.

TORY

And I thought that maybe he was worth giving another shot after all...

JOHNNY

(feigning hesitation) Hmm, well, maybe we could ad-lib a class here on the spot, now that I think about it... But I'm afraid the days of me giving lessons to just two kids at a time are over...

TORY

Can't make an exception for us?

JOHNNY

(teasingly) And just why exactly would I do that, ma'am?

ROBBY

Don't really have anywhere else to go, to be honest.

JOHNNY

You tried that LaRusso joint?

TORY

Sounds like a sushi place...

ROBBY

Yeah, (points up) and now Cobra Kai? Now that sounds like the real deal.

TORY

(staring Johnny down defiantly) Sure sounds than... what was that, "Eagle Fang"?

JOHNNY

(chuckles) Yeah, you're right, that is a better name. Well, I guess you two won't take no for an answer...

ROBBY

(looking past him) But it seems that numbers aren't going to be a problem...

Johnny turns to follow Robby's gaze, to see, coming towards them...

SAM/MIGUEL

Hello, Sensei!

JOHNNY

(his smile broadening) Hi, guys. Came just in time, we needed sparring partners for these two.

SAM

(eyebrow arcing up) You've got new students, Sensei?

JOHNNY

Well if you guys can show what I've taught you, maybe they'll decide to stick around.

MIGUEL

Can't they spar with each other?

SAM

Yeah, we would sit back and watch, see if they're...

MIGUEL

(smug smirk) Cobra Kai material...

JOHNNY

(grinning) Think I'd have girls spar with boys? That's so... uncivilized.

TORY

Oh, so there are men and women in your dojo? Not just fighters?

JOHNNY

(look of distaste) The way winds are blowing, I may need to have men, women, and everything in between if I wanna stay in business.

ROBBY

Well, I guess it's true that we didn't have many opportunities to test our mettle recently...

TORY

And we wouldn't want them to think we'd shrink from a challenge.

MIGUEL

Nothing personal, folks. But you gotta earn your place at Cobra Kai.

TORY

We're ready to dole out our dues...

JOHNNY

(nods, his expression and tone turning somber) You've paid your dues, you all did, many times over. You've passed a test harsher than even the most nefarious scheme I could ever come up with...

SAM

(dubiously) Selling yourself a little short here, Sensei?

JOHNNY

... you have all proven not just that you belong in Cobra Kai, (glancing at Sam) or in Miyagi-Do, or whatever dojo you may choose to represent... (dramatic pause) You have proven something much more important. (as they regard him with confusion) Come here.

At first, they only shift slightly closer to him, uncertain of the import of his words.

JOHNNY

(barking) CLOSER!

They move right next to him, the two couples now facing each other directly, their expressions tense with anticipation.

JOHNNY

Hold out your hands.

They exchange surprised glances, with Miguel being the first to do as he says, followed by Sam and then Robby and Tory in unison. Johnny sticks out his hand in between theirs, opens it to reveal the key.

JOHNNY (cont'd)

You have proven that, together, you are the dojo, a greater dojo than any this town... probably this whole damn world, has ever seen. This is why I'm now gonna make this request of you.

He reaches for Miguel's hand, then places it, palm down, on his outstretched hand, and the key. Then he takes Sam's hand and puts it on top of Miguel's, then Tory's on top of Sam's, and finally Robby's on top of Tory's, his own hand remaining rested on that of Robby's as he resumes talking.

JOHNNY (cont'd)

I ask that you keep the flame together, that you keep this dojo alive, under whatever banner you choose for it, that you take only the best out of what we taught you, that you avoid the mistakes we made, learn from them, and improve upon us, don't let the evils of the past repeat themselves. Do you understand?

MIGUEL

(as others nod reverentially) Yes, Sensei, we will, under your guidance.

JOHNNY

(pained expression) I'm sorry, Miguel, but you will have to do this on your own...

ROBBY

(as alarmed frowns erupt around Johnny) What do you mean?!

JOHNNY

Forgive me, Robby, but I cannot stay by your side as you begin anew here... (sighs) Shows you again how your dad ain't worth a damn, doesn't it.

TORY

(incredulous, while Sam's face goes wide with horror, as she puts two and two together) But why?!

JOHNNY

(resigned) I'm here now on borrowed time. I was allowed to come here, sort some stuff out, close the books, so to say... and talk to you one more time before I have to go.

MIGUEL

(with trepidation, as he too begins to realize...) Go where?

JOHNNY

Go face justice for what I've done. With Silver dead, there's no way to clear me of Tom Cole's murder. My choices are to go on the run or turn myself in... and I'm too old to keep runnin'...

ROBBY

(mouth agape) You'll be charged with killing a man...

JOHNNY

(nods) As far as evidence is concerned, I was the one that did it. (smirks mirthlessly) Hope you can pay your old man a visit in jail once in a while. I know I didn't exactly do the same to you, but...

TORY

(frantic) That's not fair!

JOHNNY

Fair doesn't exactly factor into it... (looks over their shoulders) Oh, speakin' of the devil.

We see a police car inconspicuously roll up to the parking lot, stop right opposite them, then go silent, the man behind the wheel watching them impassively.

JOHNNY

(releasing their hands, the key left now in Miguel's palm) Aaand my time is out, it looks like. (voice breaking) C'mon, guys, give the old man a hug (he scoops them up, holds them tight, tears trickling down his face). You guys will get by, you will do good, you hear me?

MIGUEL

(holding back tears himself) We won't let that thing rest! We will prove you're innocent!

JOHNNY

(chuckles) That would be like tryin' to prove the cat with yellow feathers in his mouth didn't eat the canary. I'm sorry, Miguel. Those who could prove me innocent are now six feet under. Ain't got no more moves to pull out of my rear end here.

SAM

So you're going to concede defeat?

JOHNNY

(snorts) Not very Cobra of me, true. When you're young, you don't concede, not unless you're down for the count. But at my age... you can sometimes tell when you've reached the end of your rope... (reaches behind his back) Oh, before I go, there's something (takes out the letters, hands them to Tory), something I believe you should have.

TORY

(looks at the envelopes with her brows furrowed) Those are...

JOHNNY

It's evidence your Sensei had a side to him that he kept deep down and away from the world. I think you're best suited to decide what to do with it.

He gives the two couples one more sweeping glance, his face twisting into a pained grimace.

JOHNNY

Goodbye, guys... and good luck.

He walks past them as they stare at him wordlessly. He makes his way to the cop car, his legs leaden. As he nears the driver side door, it opens, and out steps...

JOHNNY

Hello, Jimmy. Thanks for not makin' a scene and all...

JIMMY

Least I could do for an old friend... and fellow Cobra. Took care of everything?

JOHNNY

I'd like to think so. Should be leaving the dojo in good hands at least.

JIMMY

(motions at the four) So these are the new Cobra Kai bunch?

JOHNNY

Best of the best. Pretty sure they're gonna leave us in the dust if given a bit more time.

JIMMY

(snorts) I'd like to see that. So, you ready to go?

JOHNNY

As ready as I'm ever gonna be.

JIMMY

(nods, opens the rear door for him) Alright, hop in then.

Johnny obeys with a look of resignation. Cut to the four, as they regard the scene in silence. Suddenly, Tory' eyes narrow, as Jimmy comes into her view after Johnny gets into the car. She squints, not believing her own eyes at first, then her features twist in fury.

TORY

(at the top of her lungs) NO!

She breaks into a run and charges at the car. Startled, Robby and Miguel dart after her, flinging themselves at her legs and pitching her headlong onto the concrete. She lifts her head up, gives Jimmy a snarling, hate-filled glare. He returns her gaze, cocking his head with curiosity, followed by a flicker of recognition. He snorts, evidently amused, puts his thumb to his eyelid and lifts it up, then blinks at her, and steps behind the wheel, Johnny looking back at Tory, equal parts perplexed and distressed, evidently taking her outburst as a sign of protest against him being taken away. As the police car takes off, we...

... cut to the scene of Tory's episode 6 flashback, the knife wedged up her eyelid, the beefy arm squeezing her neck, the police badge attached to her captor's belt. As the nine-year old Tory holds deathly still, forced to watch the brutalization of her father, we pan up from the badge to behold the man's face... the decade younger face of Jimmy...

CUT TO

INT. THE COURT

We cut to Johnny, his hands in cuffs, seating in a hallway leading to the courtroom, surrounded by two police officers. His eyes narrow, as he listens to the sentence being declared behind the double doors.

JUDGE (O.S.)

Mr Eli Moskowitz, you have been found guilty of three counts of assault and battery, four counts of vandalism, and one count of carjacking. In light of this verdict, combined with the fact you have been judged as an adult, you are hereby sentenced to ten years in California State Prison, with the possibility of parole after five years. The judgment is final. You have the right to appeal the sentence...Oh, and, uh, your petition to retain your current hair based on the "profound psychological trauma its removal may engender" has been granted. You are hereby dismissed.

Johnny listens in with an increasingly bewildered expression, until the door swings open, and HAWK steps out, likewise cuffed and escorted by the officers. The two exchange surprised looks, as Johnny is in turn yanked to his feet and led to the courtroom. Cut to Johnny standing at the defendant table, as the Judge reads out the verdict (the expected faces line the audience seats, with appropriate facial reactions).

JUDGE

Mr John Lawrence, you have been found guilty of first degree murder of Thomas Louis Cole, as well as one case of breaking and entering, one case of torture, and two cases of assault and battery. In light of this verdict, you are hereby sentenced to lifetime imprisonment in California State Prison (gasps erupt in the audience), with the possibility of parole after twenty five years. The judgment is final. You have the right to appeal the sentence. You are hereby dismissed.

Johnny gets up from the seat, his legs wobbly, feeling as if the weight of the world has just dropped onto his shoulders. As he is led out, he turns to Daniel, his former students, and his son, tries to force a reassuring smile... but his facial muscles fail him...

CUT TO

INT. CALIFORNIA STATE PRISON

We see JOHNNY at the end of a prison walkway, dressed in a prisoner uniform, among a group of other likewise outfitted freshly arrived inmates. To his side stands HAWK, also wearing orange. A prison guard gives the order and the whole procession begins strolling down the walkway. To their side extends a row of jail cells, with tattooed and scarred hands clutching, shaking, or just leaning against the bars. Behind the bars, ugly, revolting, or just merely offputting or disquieting faces stare at them as they pass by, grinning, grimacing, flicking their tongues, shouting incoherently, or hurling obscenities and/or jeering or lewd comments, with many being directed at Hawk's hair.

JOHNNY

(leaning to Hawk as the keep walking, doing their best to ignore the abuse) We'll get you through this, I promise you, kid.

Hawk looks at him in turn, his expression dubious, yet also betraying genuine fear and desire to believe him. Finally, he gives a slight nod before looking away. We pan sideways, away from the marching column, and into one of the cells, where, staring at them from his bunk, his legs drawn up, his muscular arms covered with prison tats, scars, and bruises, his wavy blonde hair in a crew cut, sits...

DUTCH

(under his breath) Well, well, who have we here...

CUT TO

EXT. STRIP MALL PARKING LOT - DUSK

We cut to the view of the now familiar Freightliner FLC-120 truck, parked in front of the even more familiar strip mall. We see the truck's DRIVER, the same faded jeans and white wifebeater shirt, standing propped up against the truck's fender, eating a hot dog while facing away from us, his long shaggy gray hair in full view. Suddenly, ROBBY comes into frame and approaches the driver.

ROBBY

Uh, hello there. (squints) Haven't we met before?

DRIVER

(without turning to face him, still chewing on his hot dog) Met scores of people on the road. Most ain't worth keepin' track of. Why?

ROBBY

You're the one with that wicked cabin, right? Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's you.

DRIVER

Yeah, you got that right, kid. And no, I'm not lettin' you mess around in there. Now say, (points to the dojo) you know that place?

ROBBY

(cocks his head) Yeah, that's my karate dojo. What about it?

DRIVER

Seen any suspicious fellas hanging out inside or thereabouts?

ROBBY

(thrown aback slightly) Uh, a couple times, yes. Don't think they'll be back, though. But what do you mean suspicious?

DRIVER

(as he finally turns his blue-eyed gaze to Robby, exposing his chiseled jaw covered with a five-o-clock shadow, a bulbous nose, wrinkly skin, bushy eyebrows, and a glorious 80's style mullet) What, were you born yesterday, kid? Suspicious, as in dressin' funny, whisperin' some mystical gobbledygook in strange tongues, movin' around all unnatural like, doin' weird tricks that make you think you need your eyes checked, or just gettin' into all out battles right on the street corner where everyone uses martial arts, people fly in the air, and nothing makes sense?! That kinda suspicious!

ROBBY

(frowning) I... think you have just missed one of those, but apart from that, nothing you said rings a bell. And why do you ask? You lookin' for such people to buy stuff from them? Or sell, maybe?

DRIVER

No, smart ass, I ask because I know those types have been up to their usual tricks here, I've got my readings. And when those types start actin' up, well it ain't no joke, lil' buddy. You can ready your butts for skies splittin' open, daggers rainin' down like it was a hailstorm in Colorado, fireballs dartin' to and fro, tornadoes chasin' you like you owed them alimony, freakshows comin' out of the sewers, just total mass hysteria, you followin', kid?! (Robby nods slowly, eyes wide, mouth agape) And when that happens, you better have someone like the ol' Jack Burton backin' you up, ready to look square into the storm and say "Give me your best shot, pal. I can take it."

ROBBY

(guardedly) And who's Jack Burton again?

DRIVER

(fuming) JACK BURTON... ME! Bloody hell, how many times am I gonna have to answer this same question? Have I not been fillin' the airways out of my Pork Chop Express for the best part of half a century now?! I swear, it's like I'm damned to follow the same drill over and over 'till my ticker stops dead in the tracks and I keel over for good... But anyway, you said you've seen a battle. I tell you what, the guys I'm talkin' about, if they haven't already taken over your joint, they'll be gunnin' for it, take that to the bank. Places like that, they can't tolerate 'em operatin' on their turf, 'less they're under their heel. And I hate to break it to you, lil' buddy, but this is their turf now, so you either skedaddle, or you gonna listen real careful to what ol' Jack Burton's got to tell ya.

ROBBY

(incredulous frown) Wait... are you... is this some kinda shakedown?!

JACK BURTON

(snorts) Shakedown?! Oh you better be ready for a shakedown alright! You be ready for big trouble in... what's this neighborhood called?

ROBBY

...Reseda.

JACK BURTON

Well, then, pal, be ready for big trouble in little Reseda!... Oh by the way, your joint's got a bathroom, right? I've got a number two coming up...

CUT TO

INT. SEWER - ?

We cut to a side view of a narrow, dark, dank, and disgusting sewer main, a stream of foul water and various kinds of waste running through it. We pan sideways along the length of the main until we behold the almost unrecognizable figure of TERRY SILVER - charred flesh visible in the burnt holes of his once white, now soaked and dirt-colored torn-up suit, his hair appearing half-melted, his limp lower half looking like it was mangled by rabid dogs - as it crawls relentlessly in the stream's direction, its face, charred so as to become a hideous red-and-black hairless, lipless, mostly noseless mask, half submerged in the filth. Groping near blindly forward, the figure keeps pulling its mostly ruined bulk along the main's surface, as if made void of any conscious thought and reduced to base biological mechanisms. (comment: Yes, you're supposed to think of Johnny's Got His Gun here) Suddenly, a gurgle of water can be heard a small distance away from him, and a school of bubbles is seen floating to the surface directly in front. Heedless, the thing once called Silver drags itself onto the spot, its head dropping down as it loses purchase, with the bubbles marking a spot where another pipe, leading downwards, connects to the main. With a great exertion, the thing lifts its head out of the sewer water, the eyes partly visible from behind the flaps of seared misshapen flesh, grimy liquid spewing out from little holes where its nose once was. It starts shifting from side to side, looking for a way around the unexpected obstacle, when, with a splash of muck, a gloved hand bursts out of the pipe underneath, seizes its face, and yanks it down the opening, quickly pulling the entire body below. Cut as Silver's body hurtles down the muddy water-filled pipe, slamming into its sides and writhing feebly as the hand keeps pulling it ever downward at a dazzling speed, the eyes registering panic as much as it is possible for them at this point. Then we cut to a large cubic chamber, filled about knee-deep with sewer water, with more streaming in a downward arc from a pipe opening in the wall. Suddenly, Silver's body - the gloved hand no longer in sight - is violently discharged out of the pipe, hurtling in the air before hitting the water's surface with another splash. Belaboredly, Silver's head rises out of the water, the latter streaming down from its hair, out of its orifices, getting snorted and spat out. As the eyes manage to open again, they behold in front of them a lone rocking chair situated right in the middle of the otherwise bare chamber. On the seat of the chair - a striped sweater, red and green, many a thread having been pulled out of it over the course of its lengthy existence. On the chair's backrest - a dirty brown hole-ridden fedora; and on the chair's armrest - the glove, brown and leather, but with metal plates screwed onto it to protect the knuckles and the lower parts of the fingers, and with long steel blades protruding out of each finger except the thumb. Silver's eyes regard the motionless arrangement uncomprehendingly for a while, but then a VOICE starts ringing out in the very depths of Silver's insanity-addled brain.

VOICE

Hello, Terry. Feeling a little down in the dumps?

SILVER

(forming words even in his brain coming with the utmost difficulty) Who... is... this...

VOICE

Someone like you, Terry, someone who's been left to prowl the realm between life and death, someone whom hell has no room for and whom earth cannot bear, someone who' been itchin' and scratchin' to get out of this limbo... and who has now found the one he needed to make his comeback. You have power, Terry, and you have no conscience, the perfect combination in my eyes... which is why I'm coming on board...

With that, a loose thread from the sweater comes alive and shoots out at Silver's prone form, rapidly beginning to wrap itself around his chest, making loop after loop as more and more of the thread gets pulled out of the sweater, itself remaining in place, until it starts vanishing, and reforming itself on Silver's torso, sleeves and all. Silver tries to rip the expanding fabric away, only to find the thread hard and sharp like steel wire, before his hands are immobilized by the growing sleeves. Finally, the sweater transfers itself onto Silver completely, and then, as if imbued with force and will of its own, wrenches him up, forces him to rise into an erect position, his legs initially swaying loosely as if the body was suspended above ground, but after that, as a thread from the sweater pierces Silver's lower spine and slides down the puncture mark, they suddenly regain firmness and place the body down on their now functioning feet. More threads slither up Silver's neck and into the gashes in his face, filling them with new, though garish and unnatural looking tissue, as if they were patching up his flesh. The flesh overhanging his eyes is parted, exposing the eyeballs in all their bloodshot glory. The hair becomes fuller and more wiry, infusing it with superficial resemblance to its prior shape. As Silver's face is mended, the sleeve thrusts the arm forward and slips the hand into the glove, whose metal screws immediately turn and burrow themselves deeper into the flesh, as Silver bellows in agony. Then the other sleeve darts up, makes the hand scoop up the fedora, and lay it on the now 'restored' head. The glove comes up to Silver's face, fans out its blades, now looking razor-sharp and brand spanking new, as if the screws extracted some life force out of Silver's body to imbue them with new vitality. Reflected in the blades, Silver beholds his new look, still charred, but now more demonic than revolting and pathetic. A shark grin is restored to his visage, then his, still lipless, mouth parts, and the same voice we have heard inside his head resounds.

VOICE

Well aren't we a dashing couple, my lovely? What can I say? Welcome to the family, Terry Krueger. Now, I believe you've got a score to settle with some brats in the world above? Funny, it just so happens it's been nightmarishly long since I last cut up a bitch. You know, Terry, I say we're in for a rip-roaring good time, you and I...

CUT TO

INT. A DARK ROOM - ?

We cut to the view of KYLER, drenched in wastewater - which drips off him onto a large and colorful carpet depicting a Chinese dragon - battered and black-eyed, as he shuffles across a dimly lit room, the walls of which are lined with shelves holding what appear to be ancient scrolls. He heads towards the end of the room, where rests a short-legged but otherwise massive mahogany table, flanked by two column-like Chinese vases. Beside the table, seated on a large red cushion, a dark FIGURE awaits, its back to Kyler.

FIGURE

(creaky, Asian-accented voice) What you return to me with, my child?

KYLER

(voice shaky with fear) I return with... nothing, father. I return, bringing shame!

FIGURE

Yeees, I can smell it come off you, even through that foul stench! You know what it means, yes?

A close up to the figure's hand, clad in a wide sleeve, its overlong nails first opening an ornate box on the table, then reaching inside and closing on some small object, like chopsticks on a sushi roll.

KYLER

(sputtering out the words) Yes, father, I know...

The figure rises from the cushion, and as it turns towards us, we get a look at its flowing dark oriental-themed robe, its fin-like tall black-and-gold headpiece, its waist-long gray hair, and finally its likewise gray Chinese mustache, growing out of the wizened, deathly white face of...

MR MIYAGI

(bringing the hand up to his face, holding between his fingers what we now recognize as a rectal candle) Then you know what you do now, child... Pants on, pants off...

A blood-curdling laughter resounds - a laughter that could only be uttered by the undead spirit of Lo-Pan...

CUT TO

?

A pitch black area, the howling wind indicating it being set outdoors. A lightning flashes in the distance, briefly illuminating the coils of a snake. The first lightning is followed by several more, each giving us a more detailed look at the creature - its scaly hide identical in hue and pattern to that of CK dojo's cobra. Our POV shifts to the close-up of the snake's spear-tip-shaped head as it lifts off the ground, and then of the eye, its pupil slit, yet otherwise not similar to a snake eye at all, but rather, with its white lens and blue iris, reminding us of the eye of John Kreese, a feeling reinforced when the snake rises erect, and, lit up by yet another thunderbolt, towering over our POV and gaping its multi-fanged maw at us, spreads open its hood, bearing the unmistakable yellow and black motif of Cobra Kai...

FADE TO BLACK

(Caption: Up next, Big Nightmare in Little Reseda, coming soon(ish))

[WRITER'S NOTE: THANK YOU FOR COMING ALL THE WAY WITH ME TO THE END OF THIS JOURNEY. HOPEFULLY YOU DON'T SEE IT IN HINDSIGHT AS TIME WASTED. I WISH TO MAKE A SMALL REQUEST OF YOU: PLEASE, LEAVE A COMMENT EXPRESSING YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ON MY STORY AS A WHOLE, AND THE FORWARD DIRECTION I'VE SUGGESTED FOR IT WITH THE LAST HANDFUL OF SCENES. I ASK THIS NOT JUST BECAUSE I'M A GLUTTON FOR FLATTERY (I APPRECIATE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM AS WELL), BUT ALSO BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY WAY FOR ME TO GAUGE PEOPLE'S LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT WITH MY WORK. IF I'M TO CONTINUE WRITING, I KIND OF NEED TO HAVE SOME IDEA OF THIS ENGAGEMENT, AND LEAVING A COMMENT IS THE ONLY WAY (SO FAR AT LEAST) YOU CAN DEMONSTRATE IT. THANK YOU, AND SEE YOU AGAIN IN THE (HOPEFULLY NEAR) FUTURE. CHEERS, EIGHTIESPOWER]