[Stingray enters the Cobra Kai dojo in his original white gi and tries to be chummy with everybody]
StingraySensei! Sir, I am reporting for duty and I require no thanks.
Stingray
Oh, uh, you know, just defending the dojo and I-I served my time, Sensei sir.
Look, we're trying to train for a tournament. Let's carry on, everyone.
Stingray
The All Valley tourney. I'm well aware. Say, listen, I got a couple of good ideas. Just basic strategy.
Don't be ridiculous. You were never part of this team. You're a buffoon. A joker, an embarrassment. You have no value here.
Stingray
Wow, what? But, Sensei, I'm, um, one of the guys, you know.
You will never be Cobra Kai. You get that?
Stingray
Oh, wait, wait, w-wait, I got you. Th-This is, um... [chuckles] This is a test, right? Yeah, this is a test.
[coldly] Get the hell out of here.
Stingray
Challenge accepted. [leaves]
[pops cork] 1998 Bollinger. Been sitting in my cellar for years, waiting for the right moment.
Touché. I gotta give you credit, John. You reawakened something in me. Something I forgot was there. And I'll always be grateful for it.
Told you. [toasts] To Cobra Kai.
The number-one dojo in the Valley. I gotta say, I'm surprised you backed off on Nichols in the finals. That's not like you.
Well, what can I say? I had a moment of sympathy.
That's a first. You remember when you asked me what I thought your weakness was? It's Johnny Lawrence. That's what this was all about, right? It was never about us teaming up or bringing back the glory days. That was all bullshit.
Yes it is. And I fell for it. You know why? Because everyone has a weakness, John. And mine is you.
You think that I'm your weakness? Well, you've got it backwards, because I am your strength. I have been your strength ever since Vietnam.
Yes! There it is. I can always count on you playing the guilt card. How many times do you expect me to repay that debt before we're square?
[they notice the police arriving; to Silver] What did you do?
[flashback at the hospital]
DDetective
It's okay, Raymond. The man who did this can't hurt you anymore. Give me his name and I promise you I'll put him away for a long, long time.
Stingray
[remembers beatdown at the hands of Silver, who made him a certain deal] His name is Sensei... Kreese. John Kreese. [detective leaves; Stingray has an attack of conscience; weakly mutters] Fuck!
I'm shedding my weakness, Captain.
DDetective
John Kreese, you're under arrest for aggravated assault and attempted murder. You have the right to remain silent.
[feigned surprise] John, what did you do?
PPolice officer
Hands behind your back. Come on. [Kreese shoves him off but elbows another officer] Hey!
John, take it easy. Don't worry about a thing. I'm sure I can dig up an old friend or two to help out with Cobra Kai while you deal with your legal problems.
You're gonna regret this! I am Cobra Kai!
DDetective
Put him in the car!
And don't worry about Lawrence. I'll take good care of him too.
[Stingray appears at the Cobra Kai dojo]
There he is. The man himself. Joon-bee stance. [students stand at attention] An exemplar of everything Cobra Kai stands for. Loyalty. Discipline. Inner strength. After former Sensei Kreese's cowardly attack, most people would've crawled into a hole to hide. Not Stingray. He stood tall. Demanded justice. That's Cobra Kai. Let's give him the welcome he deserves. [everybody cheers] Nichols, take over class. I need a word with my guy here. [to Stingray] How's the new place? Settling in?
Stingray
Oh, yeah. Uh, yes, Sensei. Thank you. Nobody ever rented me an apartment before. I feel like a kept woman.
Not at all. I want my loyal soldier living in style. It's the least I could do in light of your sacrifice.
Stingray
Yeah.
And I tend to do more than the least. Got a little surprise for ya. [shows him a Dodge Challenger with Cobra Kai livery]
Stingray
Oh, whoa. Heavy! Sensei Lawrence, my ex-sensei, uh, used to, uh, have one just like it.
This was Sensei Lawrence's. My car guy found it at an impound auction. And now, [shows car keys] it's yours. Check the trunk.
Stingray
[opens trunk to reveal personalized Cobra Kai gi] Aw! That's... Dude, that's so cool.
[Sam, Eli/Hawk, Demitri, Bert, and Miguel crash Stingray's DnD session to ask him to come clean about his deal with Terry Silver, but he's too scared to do it]
Stingray
Okay, so I've been working on this new D&D campaign...
I don't think we have time for this.
EEli
Wait a minute. What happens in the campaign, Stingray?
Stingray
[picks up a piece and places in the field] Okay, so, once upon a time, there was a Dwarven monk, and he was a member of the most badass guild in all the land. Uh, he was banished for a time. You know, typical PC crap. But, um, once he paid his penance, he returned. Only by then, the guild was under new leadership. And the monk was denied reentry into the guild. And quite unceremoniously, might I add. What did the monk do? The monk, he made a pact with a silver-haired king who would usurp the leader. [places another piece near the monk piece] And it was early one morning, before any of the warriors had arrived, that the king struck the monk down. Again, and again, and again. It was then that they framed the leader for the assault, and the leader was put in chains, and the silver-haired king took over the guild.
DDemitri
And you were... The Dwarven monk was let back into the guild?
EEli
Yeah. With benefits.
Stingray
Aye. With benefits, yeah.
So why can't he just tell everyone what really happened?
Because he doesn't want to lose his benefits.
Stingray
No! No. I would... The-The monk would give it all back if he could, but the-the silver-haired king, you know, he... He almost killed the monk. He could have killed him. And why? To get power. So, yeah, the monk fears what that king would do to keep that power. I think the monk just... The monk just wanted reentry into the guild because he thought that he could be like a... Like a proud and noble warrior. Just like you, Hawk, Samantha, all you guys. But he's neither proud nor noble. Definitely not a warrior. He just sits around playing with them all day. The monk's just scared. I just can't. I'm sorry.
That's great. Thanks for nothing. [walks out]
Cobra Kai · 95 quotes
