Pulpo
"Ooh, I smell a rumble!"
Written by Josh Heald (Story), Jon Hurwitz (Story), Hayden Schlossberg (Story) & Michael Jonathan Smith (Story & teleplay)
Directed by Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg
Directed by Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg
"Well, I figured with summer ending and school starting back up, we could stop all the fighting and be friends again."
— Moon
After a Training Montage featuring Sam and Tory, Robby and Sam arrive at the LaRusso home to a surprise: Shannon is back, about to head to rehab. In an unusually human moment, Shannon suggests Robby could stay with Johnny, though Robby refuses.
As Amanda and Daniel go out for dinner, Johnny and Carmen go on their first date and both couples end up at the same restaurant, at adjacent tables. Despite palpable tension between Daniel and Johnny, they start to relax after a few drinks and begin to find common ground, particularly about Kreese’s toxic influence and the LaRussos’ decision to send Robby back to school. At the end of the night, Daniel and Johnny part ways with a handshake.
With her parents out of town for the weekend, Moon invites Sam and all of Miyagi-Do to a party, which quickly escalates when they find themselves face-to-face with Cobra Kai; Moon explains that she invited both dojos in an effort to foster peace between them. As Sam challenges and defeats Tory in a drinking/balancing contest, Demetri tries to reconcile with Hawk, only to have liquor poured on his head. Demetri spitefully retaliates by sharing Hawk's most embarrassing secrets on the microphone in front of everyone, but the cops arrive to break up the party just before things turn violent.
Also at the party, Miguel and Sam speak once more, and Sam learns that he returned the Medal of Honor to Robby, who then placed it in the garden to be found rather than credit Miguel for its recovery. Impaired by the alcohol in her system, Sam stumbles into Miguel’s arms and they impulsively kiss while Tory secretly looks on. Unwilling to face her parents in her inebriated state, Robby takes Sam to Johnny's place instead where they both spend the night.
Tropes:
- Added Alliterative Appeal: When Carmen offers to teach Johnny salsa dancing during their date, she says she will "be [his] salsa sensei."
- Alcohol-Induced Idiocy:
- Sam has a drinking/balance contest against Tory, then ends up kissing Miguel.
- Reversed with Johnny and Daniel at the restaurant. As with season 1, once they start drinking together, they lighten up and (again) decide to set aside their childish feud.
- Anti-Climax: After Demetri humiliates Hawk at the party, the two dojos get ready to brawl... only for the cops to suddenly arrive to end the noise and underage drinking, forcing everyone to stop what they're doing and flee.
- Asian and Nerdy: Nathaniel laughs at Demetri's math joke during his roast of Hawk.
- Blue Oni, Red Oni: At the party, the Cobra Kai kids happen to be wearing red while the Miyagi-Do kids are wearing blue. Meanwhile, the neutral parties (or, in the case of Raymond, who is treated as comic relief more than a serious member of the Cobra Kai) are wearing yellow or brown.
- Cassandra Truth: Sam brushes off Moon's hopes of Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai getting along as little more than wishful thinking. Moon, however, ignores Sam's warning and instead encourages her to enjoy herself at the party.Sam: Moon, you never said anything about inviting Cobra Kai.
Moon: Well, I figured with summer ending and school starting back up, we could stop all the fighting, and be friends again.
Sam: It's wishful thinking.
Moon: Sam, trust me, get rid of all this negative energy. Clear your chakras and have some fun. - Closet Geek: Hawk asserts that he hates "nerd shit", but briefly forgets to keep up the act when Demetri mentions that Doctor Who has a new showrunner and a new (female) Doctor.
- Continuity Nod: At dinner, Johnny and Daniel reminisce about the
Deleted Scene from The Karate Kid where Johnny pranked Daniel by putting a blueberry pie in his chair, only for Daniel to wipe the mess on Johnny's shirt. - Drink-Based Characterization: Daniel, Carmen, and Amanda all order fancy cocktails while Johnny orders Coors Banquet, an inexpensive, American beer that matches Johnny's blue-collar lifestyle and Eagleland tendencies to a T.
- Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: As Sam says, everyone has been through tough times or had to deal with adversity and it doesn't make it okay to be a jerk to other people.
- Hope Spot:
- Demetri and Hawk seem to reconcile at the party after discussing Doctor Who. Then when Demetri gives him some sincere advice about embracing inner peace so he'll get over Moon, Hawk pours his drink over Demetri's head and calls him a pussy.
- Johnny and Daniel once again figure out that they can set aside their differences... briefly. (In their defense, this time their peace lasts until the beginning of the next episode.)
- I Can't Dance: Carmen convinces Johnny to try salsa dancing during their date, offering to teach him.
- Ignored Aesop: When Demetri notices Hawk still pining for Moon, he advises him to just move on. Hawk replies he can't because, per Cobra Kai, defeat does not exist. Demetri gets fed up and points out the Cobra Kai attitude was exactly what drove her away in the first place which leads to...
- Kick the Dog: After Demetri attempts to dissuade Hawk from reconciling with Moon and instead embrace inner peace, Hawk pours a cup of liquor over Demetri's head while scoffing at Demetri's advice, which Hawk labels a "pussy" concept.Demetri: I'd give up, man. She's moved on.
Hawk: Defeat does not exist.
Demetri: [sighs] There's that winning attitude that pushed her away in the first place. I think you need a healthy dose of inner peace. It's worked for me.
Hawk: Oh, yeah?
Demetri: Yeah.
[Hawk pours liquor over Demetri's head]
Hawk: That's what I thought. Still a pussy. - Lady in Red: Both Carmen and Amanda wear red dresses for their evening out.
- Manchild: While Stingray's manchild credentials have already been firmly established, he peaks in this episode when his date for the party expresses dismay that his "friends" are a bunch of teenagers.
- Meaningful Name: "Pulpo" is Spanish for Octopus, and as Miguel mentioned earlier, an octopus is symbolic of his relationship with Sam.
- Mythology Gag: During the double date at the restaurant, Johnny jokingly references his fight against Daniel in the first film.Carmen: Should we get another round?
Amanda: Mm-hmm!
Johnny: I don't know. Last time I went four rounds with LaRusso, I caught a foot to my face. - No Social Skills: Played with. Upon arrival and seeing how many people are at the party, Demetri complains that he brought Trivial Pursuit."If I'd known there would be this many people, I would have brought Balderdash!"
- "Not So Different" Remark: Again, Daniel and Johnny find that if they let their feud go they have a lot in common, have similar goals, and can laugh about their teenage rivalry. They both have issues with the waitress not writing down their orders so their meal comes out properly.
- Only Sane Man: Only Sane Women, rather. Both Carmen and Amanda are fed up with Daniel's and Johnny's childish feud and decide to act like adults for a night.
- Operation: Jealousy: Subverted when Hawk attempts to win Moon back by hitting on another girl, before discovering that she's Moon's new girlfriend.
- Pet the Dog: Aisha tries to dissuade Sam from drinking any more liquor after her drinking contest with Tory. Sam dismisses her concerns, however, insinuating that the drinking contest was a way to get back at Cobra Kai for vandalizing the Miyagi-Do dojo (despite the fact that only Hawk and his gang were responsible). Aisha goes on to clarify that it was Miguel who returned Miyagi's Medal of Honor to Robby.
- Prepare to Die: A variant. When Hawk reaches his Rage Breaking Point with Demetri, he shouts "You're a corpse!" before advancing at him.
- Rage Breaking Point:
- Hawk has enough of Demetri humiliating him in front of everyone at the party and attempts to confront him, only to lose his opportunity due to the arrival of police.
- We don't see the consequences until the next episode, but witnessing Sam kissing Miguel is enough for Tory to premeditate an assault on her on school grounds in front of dozens of witnesses.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: The party attendees skedaddle without delay after the police arrive.
- Spicy Latina: Lampshaded by Rosa. In that dress, Carmen can't possibly have chaste intentions.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Demetri delivers an epic roast to Hawk, humiliating him in front of everyone at the party.
- Wild Teen Party: Moon invites the Cobra Kais and the Miyagi-Do students to her joint, with plenty of booze. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
- You've Gotta Be Kidding Me!: Johnny's and Daniel's reaction upon seeing each other at the Mexican restaurant. Lampshaded by Daniel himself.Johnny: When you're a teenager, it's hard to avoid a little...(sees Daniel and Amanda walking in) Oh, come on.
Daniel: You gotta be kidding me.
"I'LL SEE YOU IN SCHOOL!"
