All Valley is the seventh episode of the first season of Cobra Kai.
Summary
Daniel takes on teaching his new pupil using the unconventional techniques from Mr. Miyagi. Robby is tempted to return to his delinquent ways. Johnny helps Miguel with his first date.
Plot
The episode opens with Robby in a Training Montage as he performs various tasks around the Larusso dealership - waxing cars, washing windows, sweeping floors, running the flag up the flagpole, and even stapling documents - all according to Daniel's personal instruction. After many long days of menial chores designed to teach him muscle memory, Robby gets frustrated about having learned nothing, much like Daniel felt with Mr. Miyagi. That night, Daniel spars with Robby for the first time and shows him what he has truly learned.
At the Cobra Kai dojo, Johnny is irritated to discover that his students are "flinchers" and orders a face-punching exercise to remedy their fear. In his office, he flips through a karate magazine and sees an ad for the upcoming All Valley Karate Championships. Miguel then enters to seek Johnny's advice about Sam, whom he likes. Johnny encourages him to pursue her, telling him that "all the babes want to date a Cobra Kai." Miguel notices the ad, but Johnny says they are not yet ready for the tournament.
Back at Larusso, Robby's delinquent friends come to him with a proposal: They want Robby to acquire the security code for the dealership so that they can strip the cars for parts to sell. Robby is resistant, but the thugs threaten him with violence if he does not comply. Later that day, Robby secretly records Amanda inputting the security code for the door on his smartphone.
At school, Miguel approaches Sam to ask her out, but after her experience with Kyler, she is not interested in dating anyone. Following Johnny's advice, Miguel refuses to take no for an answer, and Sam eventually agrees to a friendly outing. He asks his fellow karate students where they should go, and Hawk suggests a tattoo parlor before removing his gi to reveal a soaring hawk with a blue mohawk inked upon his back. Their conversation is interrupted when Johnny learns that Cobra Kai has been permanently banned from the All Valley tournament. Johnny yearns to take his frustrations out on the committee, but Miguel tells him there might be a smarter way to fight back.
At the dealership, Robby strengthens his bond with Daniel by helping to trim the bonsai trees. When his friends arrive later that night, Robby refuses to give them the code, unwilling to betray his new mentor's trust. Robby defends himself using the karate he has learned, but is eventually overwhelmed and cornered. He then points to a security camera above him, causing his attackers to flee.
As Johnny prepares to face the All Valley committee, Miguel takes Sam to the Golf N' Stuff Family Fun Center, and they spend the evening in a montage set to "Young Hearts" by Commuter, mirroring Daniel and Ali back in 1984. After a night of fun, Miguel demonstrates some of his karate skills on Sam, who easily turns the tables on him and pins him to the ground, where they kiss.
At the meeting, Johnny is taken aback to find Daniel on the committee, but proceeds to make his case for Cobra Kai to compete. The committee explains that the dojo was banned due to the unethical actions of John Kreese, Terry Silver, and Mike Barnes at the 1985 All-Valley Tournament, but Johnny has no knowledge of Silver or Barnes whatsoever and tells them that John Kreese is dead. He then explains how his new Cobra Kai differs from the old, in that he is teaching bullied kids to become more confident in their everyday lives while improving his own. Despite Daniel's adamant objections, the committee votes to reinstate Cobra Kai in a 3 to 2 vote. Afterwards, Johnny and Miguel meet up at the dojo to celebrate their respective victories with a toast.
Trivia
- The episode title refers to the All-Valley Karate Tournament, the Dojo getting into the tournament was the key focus of this episode.
- The All-Valley committee scene directly references the events of The Karate Kid Part III, particularly Terry Silver and Mike Barnes's involvement with John Kreese. It also sheds some light onto the fact that the events of the 1985 tournament resulted in the dojo getting a permanent ban from the tournament.