Glory of Love

***VERY minor spoilers***

I'd probably go 8 on this episode without the opening scene, but that's worth a star to itself, so it's a 9 for me. Not only is it a great and humorous throwback, but it probably really is how Johnny dreams. In his unconscious state I'm sure he sees everything in 80's vision. When he wakes up the world is weird to him. Excellent scene.

I'm glad the pretty kids finally had their halos tarnished a bit. I get tired of celebrating polished rich kids, whose biggest dilemma in life is not being admired by everyone. Hopefully they get into this a bit more. It's hard to root for people who are perfect, and a lot easier to root for the broken who are trying to heal.

I could see this chapter a thousand times. It's a trip to the 80s ... "full of love"

Daniel begins to recognize the need for balance in his life, not just in the dojo but at home as well.

Johnny teaches his students the concept of "mercy": This change in teaching reflects Johnny's personal growth and his attempt to alter the dojo culture imposed by Kreese, diverging from Cobra Kai's original philosophy of promoting aggression without remorse.

The episode's title, "Glory of Love," not only refers to the song played in the episode but also symbolizes how love in its various forms (romantic, familial, friendly) can influence characters' decisions and behaviors.

The episode prepares the ground for upcoming conflicts while closing some previous chapters, illustrating how lessons learned outside the dojo can be as crucial as those learned inside.

The entire episode is filled with 80s references, including a nod to Johnny's iconic red Cobra Kai jacket from the original movie, the costumes worn during the Eighties Night, and roller-skating.

This episode despite not being rated as high is a good example of what this show does well. It layers characters through well-written drama, while still often delivering good lighthearted comedy. The well-created drama is juxtaposed with Johnny's comedic dating adventures. This episode is well-names too as the name is a call back to the famous song from Karate Kid II, and a theme of the episode across the board is romantic relationships. Everyone might not enjoy love drama, but this episode is a great example of well-written, scored, acted, and edited drama.

Love the 80s vibes going extra hard in this episode, from the roller rink to the awesome music video parody. Decent acting and a great storyline.