Karate Kid Part III is the third film in The Karate Kid franchise, released in 1989. It continues the story of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and his mentor, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), who return to Los Angeles after their trip to Okinawa. <br /><br />The story picks up after the events of The Karate Kid Part II.<br />John Kreese (Martin Kove), humiliated after his defeat by Daniel and Mr. Miyagi, seeks revenge.<br /><br />He enlists the help of his wealthy and equally ruthless Vietnam War comrade, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), who sets out to sabotage Daniel's relationship with Mr. Miyagi and restore Cobra Kai to prominence.<br /><br />Silver manipulates Daniel by befriending him and offering to train him in Cobra Kai's aggressive style after Mr. Miyagi refuses to train him for the upcoming All-Valley Tournament, believing it to be about a "plastic trophy" and not "life and honor".<br /><br />Daniel eventually realizes Silver and Kreese's true intentions and reunites with Mr. Miyagi, who agrees to train him for the tournament.<br />Daniel ultimately defeats his opponents, including a vicious "ringer" hired by Silver, and triumphs in the tournament, restoring his honor and relationship with Miyagi. <br /><br />Key characters<br /><br />Daniel LaRusso: The "Karate Kid", now a seasoned karate practitioner, but still vulnerable to manipulation.<br /><br />Mr. Miyagi: Daniel's wise and spiritual mentor, who initially refuses to train Daniel for the tournament, but eventually steps in when his student is in peril.<br /><br />Terry Silver: The main antagonist, a wealthy and cunning businessman who masterminds the revenge plot against Daniel and Miyagi.<br /><br />John Kreese: The defeated Cobra Kai sensei, seeking revenge and playing a secondary role in the plot.<br /><br /><br />Mike Barnes: A ruthless karate champion hired by Silver to defeat and humiliate Daniel in the tournament.<br /><br />Jessica Andrews: A new female friend of Daniel's, who becomes a target of Silver and Barnes' torment. <br /><br /> Karate Kid Part III was met with generally negative reviews, with critics often citing a predictable plot and rehashing of elements from the previous films.<br /><br />Despite its initial reception, the film has found a renewed audience and has been recontextualized as an important part of the larger story within the universe of the Karate Kid franchise and its sequel series, Cobra Kai.<br /> <br />The events of Karate Kid Part III are considered canon in the Cobra Kai series, and several characters and plot points from the film are referenced or revisited. <br />
