CK & KK Ficlets and Non-Ficlets

Kyler Park: My Observations

From my perspective, Kyler Park basically has, more or less, been demoted to the role of a comic relief who others enjoy watching get beaten and humiliated from time to time.

After watching Kyler get beaten by Miguel (twice), thrashed by Robby, sucker-punched by Kenny and humiliated by Eli, there are those who say they wouldn't exactly be surprised if Silver decided to eliminate Cobra Kai's "weaknesses" (as he'd call them), and does so by not only cutting Kyler from the team, but also replacing him with a more competent and tougher fighter in Season 5.

As for Kyler's redemption arc, I imagine an Alternate Universe Season 5 scenario where he ends up getting kicked out of Cobra Kai by Silver in almost the same way Bert and Mitch were in Season 3 by Kreese (which was a blessing in disguise of sorts for Bert and Mitch because Bert transferred to Eagle Fang, while the latter joined Miyagi-Do).

Here's how I'd see it: basically, Silver recruits more fighters for the expanded Cobra Kai franchise. One of these recruits is ordered to fight Kyler, and proves themselves to be a much more competent and tougher fighter than Kyler was. As a result, besides losing the sparring match, Kyler also gets severely beaten and humiliated in front of Silver. With that, Silver (who's both impressed with the new recruit and amused at Kyler's defeat) then kicks Kyler out of Cobra Kai before giving his spot to the new recruit.

Embarrassed and angry at being exiled from the Cobra Kai Dojo, as well as having to deal with a troubled home life (which he hinted to Hawk about back in Season 3) and not having any friends left in Cobra Kai, Kyler not only finds himself alone as an outcast and adrift with no alternative karate dojo for him to go to, but also a possible target for a new generation of more brutal and ruthless Cobra Kai fighters recruited by Silver.

As a result, besides realizing how he made Sam feel when he caused her to become an outcast by spreading that vicious rumor about her for breaking up with him back in their sophomore year, Kyler also feels the sharp sting of remorse when he recalls how his bullying behavior towards Miguel, Eli and Demetri had eventually led to the karate champions they've now become over time. 

However, Kyler shudders when he recalls what had happened to his friend Brucks at the hands of Eli (who had gone by Hawk before he pulled a Heel-Face Turn by switching sides and fighting against the other Cobras during the brawl in the LaRusso household back in December) before Eli walked over to Kyler and gave him a glare as his way of silently telling him he was next for a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown if he made fun of Eli's lip scar again; Kyler then shivers while imagining an alternate scenario where he got beaten and bloody at Hawk's hands, while Brucks watched in Kyler's stead.

Now that I think about it, Brucks definitely would've felt the same way I did. However, I don't think he would have turned his back on me and forgotten me like I did with him (which I regret immensely). Instead, he'd do the exact opposite by quitting Cobra Kai some time later and going to visit me in the hospital if I'd ended up there with my face all busted up, as well as telling me, "No karate dojo is worth losing the friendship between you and I, Ky, and I know it."

 Out of desperation, Kyler finally feels he has no one to turn to but Miyagi-Fang and no place left to go but to their dojo. Then, Kyler's backstory and why he is the way he is personality-wise is finally (and hopefully) revealed.