Cobra Kai ended its fourth season with a number of jaw-dropping moments. Kreese was arrested, Hawk defeated Robby at the All-Valley, Tory beat Sam, and Miguel took off in the middle of the tournament to find his father. The thing is, Miguel’s father doesn’t know about him, Carmen revealed. This moment has set in motion a truly emotional season for Miguel and Carmen.
Vanessa Rubio spoke EXCLUSIVELY with HollywoodLife about Miguel’s decision and what it means for season 5. She hopes this doesn’t hurt Carmen’s relationship with Miguel but actually helps it grow. She wants to also see “healing” between Johnny and Robby so that maybe Johnny and Carmen’s relationship and family could finally be complete. Read our Q&A below:
At the end of the season, Miguel takes off for Mexico to find his father. He still needs that part of his life answered. Will Carmen go after him? What’s her next move?
Vanessa Rubio: Well, I can’t really reveal that. Like any mother, she would go after him and try to ensure that he’s okay. But I think this opens up a lot of opportunity for healing for them. He’s growing up. He’s making his own decisions. The way I explore the character, I feel like his drastic decision really made her see a lot of her own shortcomings and part in his choice. I think she has to come to terms with that, too. I can only hope that in season 5 it’ll enable their relationship to grow and solidify. I hope it doesn’t turn the other way where he’s totally against her, but I think one of the more beautiful aspects also is how Johnny steps in and basically offers to go after him. I think that can only mean good things for Carmen and Johnny’s relationship.
Does Carmen have a good reason for not telling Miguel’s father that he has a son?
Vanessa Rubio: I don’t know how much I can reveal, but it was very much out of my hands. It’s up to the writers and the producers where they wanted to take the story. I can kind of just ask as many questions and try for my own purposes to justify this with the character. But where they decided to take it is ultimately where they decided to take it, and I have to do my best part and go along for the ride in portraying it in a really realistic way. We shall see in season 5, and I hope audiences are satisfied with that.
You mentioned that you hope that this could be a moment of healing for them. Do you think this has the ability to actually divide Carmen and Miguel because of this secret?
Vanessa Rubio: I think we started to see the cracks show in this past season. I think it’s one of those things, which is also pretty realistic. It’s not like an all-out argument that is the fissure in the relationship. It’s more what isn’t said and what isn’t addressed. I think that’s pretty realistic and relatable in terms of relationships. We have to speak up and be honest with each other, especially in a parent-child relationship, that needs to happen. So it’s nice to explore that in terms of their relationship and how realistic it is.
We will see Miguel again, right?
Vanessa Rubio: We will see him again. Miguel is very much the center of the show in terms of one of the characters we’re really invested in. At the same time, I speak about these things, and it’s kind of like I speak for the actor and then myself. I’m a fan of the show, so yeah, he has to come back.
I’m sure you can’t reveal who, but will we meet Miguel’s father in season 5?
Vanessa Rubio: Oh man, you’re really challenging me here. I think it’s inevitable. This is one of those storylines that have to be resolved.
When it comes to Johnny, he has really stepped up. What are your hopes for them with their relationship? I feel like they like really blossomed this past season.
Vanessa Rubio: They really did. I think we can only hope for the best for these two. It’s really up to the circumstances of the karate war in the Valley, and Johnny’s own kind of maturity development, which is a big arc in the show. I think we’re all rooting for Johnny to develop in this way right to form a family unit and certainly Carmen has done that for herself. I think that’s a big desire for her, that solid family unit, and she’s done her best to build up herself. Arguably, she has her family running pretty smoothly. Johnny is kind of the X factor that comes in.
We talked a little bit about Johnny and his relationship with Miguel. Moving forward, Carmen could actually help Johnny with his relationship with Robby. There’s a lot for them to work through, too.
Vanessa Rubio: Totally. I’m with you on that. I think Carmen absolutely wants a lot of that healing to happen because without that we all feel it. Johnny’s incomplete without that resolution. So I think she’s on for that, and if that happens, that would be one step towards everything that we want for the couple.
I’m anticipating a dinner scene with the four of them eventually. I feel like that would be a truly powerful moment to finally see both sides fully healed.
Vanessa Rubio: I totally agree. I think that the resolution of this storyline is one of the ones that we all really want to see. We want to see, first of all, the couple happy and then to see Johnny happy would be great. It’d be epic. I think it would make a lot of people happy.
I know you can’t give too much away, but how would you say Cobra Kai season 5 compares to the past seasons that we’ve seen?
Vanessa Rubio: I don’t even know how to describe it. It continues to be hilarious as hell. There continues to be a karate war throughout the Valley. If there ceases to be one, we don’t have a show. I feel like audiences will be happy. There’s a lot of comedy, and a lot of characters coming together. They’ll be happy.