This article contains spoilers for Karate Kid: LegendsLegends was made to capitalize on the nostalgia for the original, as well as finally connecting the 2010 film with the originals.
While Legends had a number of connections to the previous films and shows, one of them shone a light on a missing aspect.
Johnny Lawrence's Cameo In Karate Kid: Legends Immediately Brings Some Humor
Johnny Was Hilarious In His Brief Scene
One of the most exciting moments in Legends was when Johnny Lawrence (Wiliam Zabka) appeared at the end of the movie and delivered a few one-liners to Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio). The movie ended with Victor and Li Fong sending a pizza to Daniel in California, and that sweetness was followed up by Johnny making several pizza-related puns about a potential new business venture. Apparently, he and Daniel had been thinking about starting a new business together, and Johnny's first idea was a pizza restaurant called "Miyagi-Dough."
Zabka hasn't lost a step as Johnny, and his delivery makes them so much funnier than they have any right to be.
After that, Johnny thought up some slogans and pizza names for the theoretical restaurant, which were also all puns relating karate to pizza. While, in a vacuum, most of these one-liners wouldn't have been all that funny by themselves, Zabka hasn't lost a step as Johnny, and his delivery makes them so much funnier than they have any right to be. He was hilarious in Cobra Kai, and while he only had a few moments of screen time in Legends, it proved how he was able to make his show such a success.
Karate Kid: Legends' Comedic Bits Are Hit & Miss
The Film's Comedy Wasn't That Great
Karate Kid: Legends is mostly an action movie, mostly focusing on character interactions and the great fight scenes. However, a few humorous bits are signature for the movies. Unfortunately for the comedic moments that are in the movie, they didn't manage to hit very hard, although there were still some very funny moments. The scene where Li and Mia were about to kiss before being interrupted by Joshua Jackson's Victor, who then complained that they were throwing him off his game before his fight, was funny, and it's one of the few moments that got a real laugh.

When Karate Kid: Legends Takes Place In The Timeline - How Long After Cobra Kai Is It?
Cobra Kai just wrapped up its six-season run on Netflix, but Karate Kid: Legends takes place a few years after the events of the series.
Jackson's performance at that moment made it funny, but that was one of the few parts that actually got much of a reaction. Legends didn't make too many attempts at comedy during the film, but there were a few moments that did fall a little flat, including the numerous times when the music slowed down and became distorted as the punchline to something that was happening. There were also a few quips that felt a little forced and unnecessary, and overall left Legends' comedy feeling pretty mediocre, especially when compared to the funniest moments of Cobra Kai.
Karate Kid: Legends Could've Used More Of Johnny Lawrence's Comedy
He Could've Brought A Lot Of Life And Energy
While Johnny was never going to be a main character in the movie, and if he was, it probably would've felt even more overstuffed, the comedy he brought to Legends' ending felt like something the movie was sorely lacking. The action and character interactions were great, and the main reason for the movie's existence, but Johnny brought so much energy and life in his very short cameo that it would've been amazing to see him, or at least his comedy style, in more of Karate Kid: Legends.

Karate Kid: Legends
- Release Date
- May 30, 2025
- Runtime
- 94 minutes
- Director
- Jonathan Entwistle
Cast
- Ben WangLi Fong
- Mr. Han
- Writers
- Rob Lieber, Robert Mark Kamen, Christopher Murphey
- Prequel(s)
- The Karate Kid
- Franchise(s)
- The Karate Kid
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