History Fridge / TheKarateKid

!!Original films:

* Fridge Horror: What would have happened if, instead of Mr. Han, Dre's mom had tried to intervene when the other kids were beating him up? They probably would have murdered them both.
* Fridge Brilliance/Fridge Hilarity: Dre asks Mei Ying to make a pinky swear. Notice that she looked offset when he holds out his pinky finger. It's because that's how you flip someone off in China.

* When Dre moves to China, he's maxing and relaxing all cool while shooting some B-ball outside of his school when a couple of guys who were up to no good, started causing trouble by giving him a black eye. Like father like son?

* Fridge Horror: The second film makes it quite clear that the fight between Chozen and Daniel is to the death. That would be one hell of an awkward conversation Miyagi would have to have with Daniel's mother had he lost and Miyagi had been unable to do anything...
* Fridge Brilliance: The crane kick from the first movie is presented as a nigh-unblockable move, when done correctly, that Daniel uses to win the tournament. (It is actually not particularly difficult to avoid or block. In fact, as any martial artists can testify, it is a rather silly move, given that the kicker's stance is inherently unstable. It is also pretty obvious what kick – a jumping front kick – is going to follow.) In the fight with Chozen in part 2, he tries the move again, only to have Chozen block it easily. Miyagi mentions to Daniel that his own father taught him the crane, and the man was also Sato's teacher. It is very reasonable to assume that Miyagi's father taught Sato the move as well, and Sato passed the move - and how to block it - to his nephew.

See Headscratchers/KarateKid.

* Kreese assaults Johnny by catching him in what is essentially a stranglehold, even going so far as to stop his other students from trying to come to Johnny's aid, and showing no signs that he will let Johnny go. If not for Miyagi's intervening, Johnny would have been seriously injured, or worse. How was Kreese going to explain that to Johnny's parents?
** Losing is Kreese's BerserkButton as we see when he seriously injures himself twice fighting Mister Miyagi. He probably should have gone to jail for both assaults as he's a dangerous, unstable man who orders the injury of teenagers.

* FridgeLogic from part 2: Kreese assaults Johnny by catching him in what is essentially a stranglehold, even going so far as to stop his other students from trying to come to Johnny's aid, and showing no signs that he will let Johnny go. If not for Miyagi's intervening, Johnny would have been seriously injured, or worse. How was Kreese going to explain that to Johnny's parents?

* In the 2010 TheKarateKid remake, Cheng was particularly jealous of Dre and Mei Ying's relationship. Keep in mind of China's one child policy and how there is a shortage of girls in China. Mei Ying might be the only girl that Cheng had a chance to marry.

FridgeLogic from part 2: Kreese assaults Johnny by catching him in what is essentially a stranglehold, even going so far as to stop his other students from trying to come to Johnny's aid, and showing no signs that he will let Johnny go. If not for Miyagi's intervening, Johnny would have been seriously injured, or worse. How was Kreese going to explain that to Johnny's parents?

* Fridge Brilliance: The crane kick from the first movie is presented as a nigh-unblockable move, when done correctly, that Daniel uses to win the tournament. In the fight with Chozen in part 2, he tries the move again, only to have Chozen block it easily. Miyagi mentions to Daniel that his own father taught him the crane, and the man was also Sato's teacher. It is very reasonable to assume that Miyagi's father taught Sato the move as well, and Sato passed the move - and how to block it - to his nephew.

* Why does Daniel choose the Crane Stance and kick in the final round? As has already been noted, the move is obvious and nigh-impossible to execute. Simple: Due to the "Sweep the leg" thing, Daniel's left foot can no longer support his weight, but rather than throw in the towel, he gambles everything on a desperation move, the one move he actually has a chance of performing. And it works.

* At first, Mr. Miyagi calling Daniel "Daniel-san" given their age difference and relationship seems like improper use of JapaneseHonorifics, but then you realize Mr. Miyagi is probably just showing the respect he has for Daniel.
** Miyagi is the janitor of the condo Daniel lives in. In a way, he works for him.

** This also gives Mei Ying's parents further reason to be pissed at Dre when he shows his pinky finger at the audition.

* In the second film, Miyagi doesn't want Daniel to come along with him, giving reasons such as the long journey and the high cost. Then, when they get to Okinawa and the old fight with Sato keeps blowing up...perhaps Miyagi simply didn't want Daniel mixed up in it.

* In original Okinawan karate, only family members were taught- it was literally passed from father to son. So Mr. Miyagi sees Daniel as the son he might have had, and his father saw Sato as a second son to him.

* Fridge Horror: What would have happened if, instead of Mr. Han, Dre's mom had tried to intervene when the other kids were beating him up? They probably would have murdered them both.

* Fridge Horror: What would have happened if, instead of Mr. Han, Dre's mom had tried to intervene when the other kids were beating him up? They probably would have murdered them both.