We’re All Telling A Story

One of the smartest things about Cobra Kai is how it explores different perspectives on the shared events between families, friends, and enemies. The whole show is a reminder that everybody comes to every interaction with their own baggage.

In a different medium, Nora Ephron put it like this in Heartburn (Vera is her therapist):

Vera said: “Why do you feel you have to turn everything into a story?”So I told her why.Because if I tell the story, I control the version.Because if I tell the story, I can make you laugh, and I would rather have you laugh at me than feel sorry for me.Because if I tell the story, it doesn’t hurt as much.Because if I tell the story, I can get on with it.

And this is what we see over and over in Cobra Kai and our own lives. We tell OUR story so we can just “get on with it.” The thing is, whoever else is involved in any event tells their story so they can “get on with it” too. This is the hard truth. This is why we have to listen and pay attention.

Nobody is as one-dimensional as our guts would like us to believe. It takes a lot of hard work and personal confidence to acknowledge that.

The big (psychological) crane kick to the head moment from Cobra Kai Season 3: