Vanessa Rubio of ‘Cobra Kai’ hopes Miguel’s reunion with his father would be ‘healing’ for him and Carmen.
Miguel left at the end of season 4 of ‘Cobra Kai’ to find his father. Vanessa Rubio speaks with HL EXCLUSIVELY on Miguel’s journey and Carmen’s blossoming relationship with Johnny in Season 5.
Cobra Kai’s fourth season finished with a series of shocking scenes. Hawk defeated Robby at the All-Valley, Tory defeated Sam, and Miguel disappeared in the middle of the competition in search of his father. Carmen confessed that Miguel’s father is unaware of his existence. Miguel and Carmen are about to embark on an extremely emotional season as a result of this event.
Vanessa Rubio spoke with HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY about Miguel’s decision and what it means for the fifth season. She hopes that this does not harm Carmen’s connection with Miguel, but rather strengthens it. She’d like to see «healing» between Johnny and Robby so that Johnny and Carmen’s relationship and family can be completed. Take a look at our Q&A below:
Miguel departs for Mexico at the end of the season in search of his father. He still has unanswered questions about that aspect of his life. Is Carmen going to track him down? What will she do next?
Rubio, Vanessa: Well, I’m afraid I can’t say anything about that. She would go after him, as any mother would, to make sure he was okay. But I believe this opens up a lot of doors for them to heal. He’s maturing. He’s the one who makes the decisions. Based on how I’ve explored the character, I believe his abrupt conclusion helped her realize a lot of her own flaws and role in his decision.
I believe she, too, must come to terms with it. I can only hope that in Season 5, their relationship will be able to mature and strengthen. I hope it doesn’t go the other way and he becomes completely opposed to her, but I believe one of the more wonderful elements is how Johnny jumps in and volunteers to go after him. That can only be healthy for Carmen and Johnny’s relationship, in my opinion.
Is there a reasonable reason for Carmen not informing Miguel’s father that he has a son?
Rubio, Vanessa: I’m not sure how much I can say, but it was completely out of my control. It was up to the writers and producers to decide where the plot should go.
I may basically ask as many questions as I want and try to rationalize it with the character for my own needs. But where they decide to go with it is ultimately up to them, and I’ll have to do my best and go along for the ride in depicting it as realistically as possible. We’ll see in Season 5, and I’m hoping audiences will be satisfied.
You indicated that you hoped this would be a time for them to heal. Do you believe that this secret has the potential to separate Carmen and Miguel?
Rubio, Vanessa: This past season, I believe the fissures began to show. It’s one of those things, in my opinion, that is also quite realistic. It’s not like a full-fledged fight is the source of the relationship’s problems.
It’s more about what isn’t expressed or addressed. In terms of relationships, I believe that is really realistic and relatable. We must speak up for each other and be honest with each other, especially in parent-child relationships. So it’s fun to dig deeper into their relationship and see how realistic it is.
Isn’t Miguel going to show up again?
Rubio, Vanessa: We’ll run into him again. Miguel is a central character in the show and one of the characters we care about deeply. At the same time, I speak about these issues, almost as if I’m speaking for both the actor and myself. I’m a big admirer of the show, so he has to return.
Rosa, Carmen, and Miguel in ‘Cobra Kai’ season 4. (Netflix)
Will we see Miguel’s father in season 5? I’m sure you can’t say who it is.
Rubio, Vanessa: Oh wow, you’re really putting me to the test here. I believe that is unavoidable. This is one of those plots that need to be wrapped up.
When it comes to Johnny, he’s taken a big step forward. What are your expectations for their relationship? This past season, I believe they truly blossomed.
Rubio, Vanessa: They did, in fact. For these two, I believe we can only hope for the best. It all depends on the circumstances of the Valley’s karate conflict, as well as Johnny’s own maturation, which is a major plot arc in the program. I believe we’re all rooting for Johnny to mature in this manner in order to build a family unit, as Carmen has done for herself. I believe she has a strong desire for a stable family unit, which she has worked hard to achieve. She seems to have a good handle on her family. Johnny is the X-factor who is brought in.
We talked about Johnny and his friendship with Miguel for a while. In the future, Carmen could be able to assist Johnny in his relationship with Robby. There’s a lot for them to figure out as well.
Rubio, Vanessa: Totally. That is something I agree with. I think Carmen really wants a lot of that healing to happen because we can all feel it if it doesn’t. Without that resolution, Johnny isn’t whole. So I believe she’s game, and if that happens, it’ll be one step closer to all we want for the couple.
William Zabka and Vanessa Rubio as Johnny and Carmen. (Netflix)
I’m hoping for a dinner scene with the four of them at some point. I believe that seeing both sides fully healed would be a genuinely remarkable event.
Rubio, Vanessa: I completely agree. I believe that the conclusion to this plot is one that we all eagerly anticipate. First and foremost, we want to see the couple happy, and then seeing Johnny happy would be fantastic. It’d be incredible. It would make a lot of people happy, in my opinion.
I understand you can’t give too much away, but how do you think Cobra Kai season 5 compares to the other seasons?
Rubio, Vanessa: I’m not sure how to express it. It’s still hysterically funny as heck. There is still a karate war going on in the Valley. We won’t have a show if one doesn’t exist. I believe the audience will be pleased. There’s a lot of comedy in this film, as well as a number of personalities who come together. They’ll be content.
