By featuring a team-up between Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso, Karate Kid: Legends is brilliantly honoring one of Mr. Miyagi’s most important karate lessons. No one ever expected Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Han to cross paths in a Karate Kid movie, let alone join forces to train one student. However, Karate Kid: Legends is defying all expectations by bringing together two karate universes from the franchise. As the movie’s trailer suggests, Daniel and Han’s martial arts heritage will help them find common ground and train their new student, Li Fong.

Both characters know Mr. Miyagi and hope to honor his legacy by pᴀssing on his life and karate lessons to the next generation. The trailer also establishes that, despite having similar motives, Han and Daniel will initially clash in their teaching styles and philosophies, reflecting their unique experiences in the martial arts world. However, their student, Li, might benefit from this because their unexpected collaboration serves as the perfect tribute to one wise Mr. Miyagi quote.

Daniel “Two Branches, One Tree” Karate Kid: Legends Quote Honors One Miyagi Lesson

It Is Similar To What Mr. Miyagi Said In The Karate Kid Part III

In a scene from Karate Kid: Legends‘ trailer, Daniel shows a bonsai tree to Li Fong and highlights how two branches make one tree. “Two branches, one tree,” he says, teaching how Fong can learn two distinct martial art styles from him and Mr. Han to eventually have his own unique approach to fighting. Daniel LaRusso’s lesson about building a strong foundation in martial arts by keeping an open mind and learning from different philosophies seems to be a perfect reference to what Mr. Miyagi taught him in The Karate Kid Part III:

“Ah. Only root karate come from Miyagi. Just like bonsai choose own way grow because root strong you choose own way do karate same reason.”

Daniel’s “two branches, one tree” quote and its similarities with Mr. Miyagi’s lesson about growing your way as a martial artist seem to perfectly align with Karate Kid: Legends‘ overarching theme. Two distinct martial artists, Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Han, are the mentors for the main character, Li Fong, in the upcoming movie.

As Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel, Fong, too, will build a strong martial arts foundation for himself by strengthening the roots of his skills with both Han and Daniel’s lessons. Ultimately, he will also choose his own way to grow like a bonsai tree and shape his path as a fighter.

Karate Kid: Legends’ Nod To Karate Kid 3’s Quote Proves It Is Unlike Any Other Movie In The Franchise

No Other Installment In The Franchise Has Truly Embraced The Miyagi Lesson

Towards the end of Cobra Kai, most new generation of characters had learned karate from both Daniel and Johnny’s dojo. While Daniel helped them strengthen their defense with Mr. Miyagi’s techniques, Johnny made them offensively strong by teaching them his “no mercy” karate. With this, all students eventually learned to embrace how they must choose their own way to grow like a bonsai tree instead of sticking to one form of fighting.

Despite highlighting the value of keeping an open mind and growing in one’s own way, Cobra Kai limited its exploration of hybrid styles to two dojos. Karate Kid: Legends, in contrast, is taking things further and truly embracing the essence of Mr. Miyagi’s lesson by showing how its main character will not just learn karate but kung fu as well. With lessons and philosophies from two powerful martial arts at his disposal, Karate Kid: Legends‘ Fong will likely become a more complete fighter than anyone from Cobra Kai will ever be, making the movie a distinct addition to the franchise.