Cobra Kai Season 6, Part 3’s Shocking Kreese & Silver Twist Explained

Warning! Spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6, part 3, ahead!Cobra Kai season 6, part 3, wrapped up John Kreese and Terry Silver's stories in the most shocking—but deeply fitting—way. These two villains had already left their mark in the Karate Kid franchise in the 1980s, but their return for the spinoff series took their villainy even further. It was clear from the beginning that Silver and Kreese needed an impactful and dramatic ending, and the finale of Cobra Kai certainly delivered. Though bitter-sweet, it was precisely the resolution that the Karate Kid franchise's overarching villains needed.

Silver and Kreese were allies in The Karate Kid Part III and much of Cobra Kai, but things had really fallen apart between them in season 6. The ending of Cobra Kai season 6, part 2, saw the duo face off with one another, but their big fight to the death was interrupted when Kwon fell on Kreese's knife. It was clear after that moment that Kreese and Silver would have to have a rematch in part 3, but precisely how this would end was anyone's guess. In a surprise twist, this pair's final fight together in Cobra Kai ended in a victory for Kreese, though neither man walked away alive.

John Kreese And Terry Silver Died In The Yacht’s Explosion At The End Of Cobra Kai

Kreese Used His Cigar To Blow Up Silver's Yacht

Terry Silver was sure that the Iron Dragons would win the Sekai Taikai once the tournament started up again. However, things started to go south when Johnny Lawrence's renewed Cobra Kai caught up. When the villain chatted with the Lawrence family leading up to the final matches, Kreese recognized what Silver would do next. His old friend planned to kidnap Carmen and baby Laura, but he wouldn't let that happen. Kreese snuck his way only Silver's yacht, and the two faced off in another battle. Unfortunately for Kreese, Silver had already proven himself the better fighter back in Cobra Kai season 6, part 3.

Kreese's only hope of winning was self-sacrifice. While Silver held him down on the yacht deck and tried to choke his war buddy out, Kreese reached for the burning stub of his last cigar. The pair had already knocked over a jug of gasoline near some oxygen tanks, so a spark was all that was needed to blow the yacht and its passengers to the sky. Silver could only scream "No!" as the cigar flew through the air toward the gasoline, a word which Kreese followed up with his own final line to complete the old Cobra Kai motto—"Mercy."

Why Kreese Threw His Cigar At The Fire Knowing It Would Get Both Of Them Killed

It Was The Only Solution In The End

John Kreese (Martin Kove) looking thoughtful while smoking a cigar in Cobra Kai season 6

Though Kreese has been a pretty despicable villain throughout The Karate Kid franchise, it was sad to see him go in Cobra Kai season 6, part 3. However, this was precisely how the man wanted to go out. He made his decision when he reached for the burning cigar. In fact, Kreese likely boarded Silver's yacht with every intention of never setting foot back on land. Silver had easily won their last fight, and the same was sure to be true during the season 6, part 3, rematch. Stopping the man would require drastic measures, but the cost of his own life was a price Kreese felt he deserved to pay.

Kwon's death in Cobra Kai season 6, part 2, led Kreese to consider all the ways he had been leading his students toward destruction. He realized that he had begun this terrible process decades before, going back to his cruel treatment of Johnny Lawrence. Kreese and Johnny shared a heartwarming moment in Cobra Kai season 6, part 3, during which the old man apologized for all the ways he had hurt his student. By giving his life to stop Silver, Kreese proved that he genuinely was remorseful. It wasn't done to earn Johnny's forgiveness but instead to ensure once and for all that he was safe from the consequences of Kreese's actions.

Cobra Kai never reveals if Johnny ever learned about Kreese's death, further emphasizing the fact that the old sensei's actions were entirely selfless.

Kreese Dying To Protect Johnny’s Family From Terry Silver Confirmed His Redemption

Kreese Had To Do Something Completely Selfless

Kreese and Johnny facing off in Cobra Kai

Going into Cobra Kai season 6, part 3, it was unclear whether John Kreese could ever really earn redemption. It was this man's fault that most of the terrible things Johnny had been through ever happened, and he had never managed to take responsibility for any of it. Though that changed when Kwon died, it was difficult to take Kreese's remorse seriously. The man had always been a self-serving survivor. He would throw anyone under the bus if it meant he could live. Because of this, the only way that Kreese could prove himself truly sorry was to throw away his own life in the service of another.

Cobra Kai Had Been Setting Up Kreese And Silver’s Deaths Since The Start Of The Show

There Was Only One Ending For These Old Friends

Seth Kemp as Ponytail Nick Marini as Twig Young Terry Silver Barrett Carnahan as Young John Kreese Photo Cobra Kai

Though John Kreese and Terry Silver dying together was a surprising twist, this ending makes perfect sense when considering their overarching stories. Cobra Kai revealed that these two had been friends since the Vietnam War when Kreese saved Silver's life by volunteering to take his place in a death match. For this, Silver owed Kreese his loyalty, but their friendship distorted over the years as they ran Cobra Kai dojo together. Though they went their separate ways after The Karate Kid Part III, Kreese convinced Silver to return to the dojo (and his evil ways) in Cobra Kai.

Since Kreese saved Silver back in the day and brought him back to oppose Johnny in Cobra Kai, the villain was a monster of his own making. Every terrible thing that Silver did was on Kreese's shoulders. Therefore, it was up to Kreese to ensure that Silver could never hurt Johnny again. They survived the war together thanks to their own cruelty and selfishness. It only makes sense that they would die together once Kreese saw the error of his ways.

Why It Made Sense For Kreese And Silver To Die Fighting Each Other In Cobra Kai

This Was Their Final Fight

Terry Silver and John Kreese in Cobra Kai

This final battle between the friends-turned-rivals reflected the death matches the Vietnamese soldiers had forced them to participate in decades previous.

There are additional layers of poetry to Kreese and Silver's deaths in Cobra Kai season 6, part 3. Since all the ingredients to blow up Silver's boat were readily available, Kreese could have easily done the deed before he ever even confronted his old friend. It's implied that Kreese knew from the beginning that he wouldn't win a fight, but he elected to the match anyway. Ultimately, this final battle between the friends-turned-rivals reflected the death matches the Vietnamese soldiers had forced them to participate in decades previous. It was a full-circle ending for these Cobra Kai villains.