From the explosive confrontation between Terry Silver and John Kreese to returning characters from The Karate Kid movies on the show.

Sadly, Cobra Kai had to say farewell to some of its beloved cast and crew who died during the making of the series. Over the course of Cobra Kai’s six seasons, the show has paid tribute to some of the important people who made the Karate Kid spinoff possible. Just as Cobra Kai paid homage to the franchise that defined a generation, it also took the time to honor those who contributed to its success.

Rob Garrison (1960-2019)

Tribute - Season 3, Episode 1: “Aftermath”

Born in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1960, Rob Garrison went to Ohio University to study theater in 1982. Two years later, he was cast as Tommy, one of the students in the Cobra Kai dojo, in The Karate Kid movie. Many die-hard fans of the film will Tommy’s iconic line: “Get him a body bag! Yeah!” which he shouted during the exciting final scene of the film, when Daniel goes head-to-head with Johnny in the final bout of the karate championship.

Years later, Garrison told Sports Illustrated how his famous line from the movie came about.

“My famous line, I never said that while filming. I looped that in two months later. I was in the recording booth with [director John G. Alvidson] and he said he needed two seconds of something. I said, ‘Get him a body bag!’ on the first try. John said, ‘That’s going to be a classic. You’ll never be forgotten because of that line.’”

Following his role in The Karate Kid, Garrison acted in several movies and TV shows in the 1980s and ‘90s, including the film Iron Eagle and shows like MacGyver, Coach, and St. Elsewhere. When Garrison’s health began to decline, he stepped back from a professional acting career, and instead did local theater in his hometown, Wheeling (via The Intelligencer).

During season 2 of Cobra Kai, Garrison reprised his role as Tommy in episode 6, “Take a Right.” Though he is terminally ill, Tommy breaks out of the hospital and s Johnny and his old Cobra Kai pals for a wild night out. The character dies that night while they are out camping in the mountains, ranking as one of the most tragic deaths in Cobra Kai.

On September 27, 2019, Garrison died at the age of 59 in the hospital due to kidney and liver issues. The next day, Johnny Lawrence actor William Zabka paid a personal tribute to his friend with an Instagram post.

“Yesterday the world lost a beautiful soul and an incredibly gifted actor, and I lost one of my dearest friends,” the actor wrote, later adding: “Rob was a true thespian — an ‘actors actor.’ Working with him was always natural and effortless. He elevated every scene and moment inside of them. Outside of acting, he was one of the most selfless and wonderful human beings I’ve ever known and I will miss him immensely.

Co-star Ralph Maccio also made a statement at the time of Garrison’s death, saying (via People) :

“This is a sad day for the Karate Kid / Cobra Kai family. Rob Garrison was a kind gentleman from the first day I met him to the last day we spoke. I am so glad he had the opportunity to show his range and genuine heart with his performance last season on Cobra Kai.”

Jeff Kay (1965-2021)

Tribute - Season 5, Episode 3: “Playing With Fire”

Born in Los Angeles, California, in 1965, Jeff Kay was involved in the TV and film industry for decades before ing the crew of Cobra Kai as a first assistant director. In the 1990s, Kay worked on the films Gettysburg and Courage Under Fire as a second assistant director. He also contributed his talent to several TV shows, such as Entourage, Num3ers, NCIS: Los Angeles, Rizzoli & Isles, and American Housewife. He is credited as first A.D. in two episodes of Cobra Kai season 5: “Playing with Fire” and “Extreme Measures.”

Kay died from a heart attack on October 17, 2021 at the age of 56. Besides Cobra Kai’s touching tribute to Jeff Kay at the end of the episode “Playing with Fire,” other friends of the A.D. expressed their sadness on social media. Actor Diedrich Bader, who worked with Kay on American Housewife, wrote on X:

“My friend Jeff Kay the longtime AD on @AmericanWifeABC died today He was a beautiful joyful ebullient ray of light and brought nothing but joy to every second and the world is a dimmer place without him & everyone who ever had the chance to know him is better off bc of it RIP”

Fellow American Housewife actor Meg Donnelly posted a video with Kay on X, along with a caption which read, “Our family is mourning this huge loss. His bright energy was so contagious and never ever failed to make us all laugh.”

Chad McQueen (1960-2024)

Tribute - Season 6, Episode 6: “Benvinguts A Barcelona”

Actor and racer Chad McQueen was the son of Steve McQueen, the iconic movie star of the 1960s and ‘70s. Chad played Dutch in The Karate Kid, a student of the Cobra Kai dojo, and also acted in several low-profile movies throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s. His final film appearance was in 2001’s Fall: The Price of Silence, playing gangster Manny Carlotti.

Even with an acting career that spanned decades, McQueen’s other ion was professional auto racing. His fascination began at a young age, when he visited the set of the 1971 motorsport film Le Mans, with his father Steve McQueen as the star. Chad described the experience once to The Telegraph, saying:

“It was probably the defining moment of my life. The G-force, the sound of the motor… It was violent, it was lovely, it was something that I had to have again. I sat on his lap, I put my hands on the inside of the wheel and he let me steer for a little bit. I was only 10 years old, but I knew then that I’d be driving race cars no matter what."

Chad would later go on to participate in many pro racing events, although he was forced to retire following an injury he suffered in 2006, when he was in a serious crash at Daytona International Speedway. This didn’t deter his love for the sport, however, and he went on to found his own team, McQueen Racing, in 2010.

On September 12, 2024, McQueen died from organ failure. The Cobra Kai series paid tribute to Chad McQueen in episode 6 of season 6, with a caption that read: "Cobra Kai never dies." His children also paid tribute to him on Instagram, stating:

“His remarkable journey as a loving father to us, along with his unwavering commitment to our mother, truly exemplified a life filled with love and dedication. His ion for racing not only highlighted his exceptional talent, but also served as a way to honor his father’s legacy, a testament to the values instilled in him. He ed his ion, knowledge and dedication down to us and we will continue not only his legacy but our grandfathers as well.”

Cobra Kai creator Jon Hurwitz also paid tribute to McQueen on X, recounting that they had once tried to get him to reprise his role as Dutch on the Netflix series, but without success. “We always wanted Chad McQueen to appear on the show,” Hurwitz wrote. “And it almost happened a couple of times. Chad was torn. His racing injuries limited his capabilities, but he loved the idea of playing again with his pal, [William Zabka]. They had so much fun together while making Karate Kid.”