Warning! Spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6, part 3, ahead!

The finale for Cobra Kai effectively brought the overarching story to a satisfying close, but it's even more meaningful when looking at the titles of the first and last episodes. Johnny Lawrence has undoubtedly come a long way since The Karate Kid, and this is naturally emphasized in the finale of Cobra Kai. He started out the Netflix series as a self-proclaimed loser with nothing going for him and ended it as a global karate champion with a loving family. Each season of Cobra Kai saw Johnny come closer to this resolution, and his final chapter brought every step of this development to center stage.

Cobra Kai's final season. He put to rest his anger with John Kreese, got married, welcomed his new baby girl, and solidified his friendship with ex-rival Daniel LaRusso. It became official—Johnny is an "Ex-Degenerate."

Cobra Kai Season 6's Finale Title "Ex-Degenerate" Brings Season 1, Episode 1 Full Circle

The Final Episode's Title Is A Reference To The First

The final episode of Cobra Kai season 6, part 3, is titled "Ex-Degenerate," which is fitting since the very first episode of the Karate Kid spinoff series is titled "Ace Degenerate." In season 1, Johnny was solidly stuck in his 1984 All-Valley tournament loss, which resulted in his leaving the Cobra Kai dojo and its sensei, John Kreese. He identified this as the beginning of his misfortune and became, from that point forward, an expert degenerate.

Johnny reopened Cobra Kai to reclaim his former glory and change his circumstances. Of course, the road forward wasn't so easy. It took six seasons of Cobra Kai for Johnny to fully slough away the title of "degenerate." The events and title of the series finale prove that he was ultimately successful.

How Cobra Kai's Final Episode Reflects The Show's First & Last Episode Titles

Johnny's Story Paid Itself Off Perfectly

Johnny Lawrence has always been a complicated character, but the ending of the first Karate Kid movie proves that he didn't end his match with Daniel as a degenerate. Once he had lost the All-Valley, he chose to hand Daniel the trophy himself and delivered the memorable line, "You're alright, LaRusso." It was a sign that, despite his flaws, Johnny had a great path ahead of him. Unfortunately, John Kreese wiped all that away. He attacked and abandoned Johnny, which set the boy on the degenerate path Cobra Kai season 1 found him on.

Of course, he ultimately did win—but it wasn't this that made Johnny an ex-degenerate.

In the final episode of Cobra Kai, Johnny was given the rare opportunity for a do-over. At the very same location where he lost against Daniel in 1984, Johnny was set to face off with Sensei Wolf for the Sekai Taikai global championship title. He felt that if he won, he could finally prove he wasn't a loser. Of course, he ultimately did win—but it wasn't this that made Johnny an ex-degenerate. Over the years, Johnny gained family and friends, and, win or lose, he was no longer the desperate man he had started as in Cobra Kai.