The following contains spoilers for Karate Kid: Legends, now playing in theatersKarate Kid: Legends introduces a modern successor to the Crane Kick with the Tiger Trap. Karate Kid: Legends is a legacy sequel to the overarching Karate Kid franchise, bringing in elements from the original 1984 film, the 2010 remake of the same name, and the six-season TV spin-off, Cobra Kai. The film’s lead, Li, develops his skills under the tutelage of both Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Han, giving him a unique approach to martial arts that reflects both men’s different interpretations of combat. Karate Kid: Legends is very much rooted in the legacy of the series.

This is perhaps best seen in Karate Kid: Legends‘ ending, where Li deploys a unique technique that is the culmination of his own personal story arc, his training under Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Han, and a quietly perfect thematic tribute to one of the most iconic elements of the original film. Here is how Karate Kid: Legends introduces a new special technique that wins the climatic tournament, how it’s different from the Crane Kick, and why it’s such an effective culmination of the whole series.

The Tiger Trap Move & Backstory In Karate Kid: Legends

Why The Tiger Trap Is Important To Li And Builds Off The Legacy Of The Crane Kick

The Tiger Trap is the secret technique that wins Li the Five Boroughs Tournament in Karate Kid: Legends, serving as a fitting successor to the Crane Kick in the narrative arc. The Tiger Trap is a unique move developed by Li and his mentors, Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso, ahead of his bout with the brutal city champion, Conor. The move is derived from a flying kick that Li’s deceased brother perfected. Li spends much of the film trying to master it himself, but his attempt to use it on Conor early in the film gets him taken down.

After seeing Li practicing the move and learning how Conor saw right through it, his mentors suggest modifying the move to play on their previous battle. Because Conor knows the kick and how to counter it, they refashion the move into a trap. When Conor goes to counter the flying kick he thinks he can see coming, Li can slide underneath and land a decisive blow to his back. It doesn’t just win Li the match and the tournament, but it catches Conor by such surprise that he tries to attack Li from behind after falling for it.

It’s a great little bit of plot and character development in Karate Kid: Legends, providing both levity during the training and emotional heft in the execution. This is one of the key comedic sequences in the film, infusing some classic Jackie Chan energy into Li’s repeated (and painful) attempts to slide under a subway turnstile. It’s also a good emotional escalation of the Crane Kick in The Karate Kid, as the legacy of the technique gives Li a way to honor his brother while adjusting it in a way that can defeat a skilled opponent.

The Tiger Trap Is Karate Kid: Legends’ Replacement For The Crane Kick

Both Karate Kid Heroes Win Their Final Fight With A Tricky Kick

In terms of the narrative, the Tiger Trap is effectively the new Crane Kick in the Karate Kid franchise. The Crane Kick was one of the techniques Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel, their beachside training session gradually becoming one of the most iconic visuals ᴀssociated with the film and that era of movies. Both are powerful moves that can only work in certain situations, as they rely on luring the opponent into a false sense of security. Both are also deeply reflective of their mentor’s influence on the protagonist.

For Daniel, the Crane Kick is representative of Mr. Miyagi’s techniques as a form of control and balance in a challenging world. The Crane Kick, performed when Daniel is already injured, overcomes his apparent limitations and gives him the ability to strike at just the right moment to earn victory. It even has some slight similarities with the Snake Stance that Mr. Han’s student Dre uses in the climax of the 2010 version of The Karate Kid, deploying a fast twist and kick strike on the opponent similar to the surprising speed of the Tiger Trap.

The Tiger Trap is a unique martial arts technique that builds on the entire history of the series. It’s a technique that combines Li’s history, Daniel’s crafty approach to combat, and Mr. Han’s focus on graceful movement. It’s a move that has the same ulterior meaning as the Crane Kick (and the Serpent Style, for that matter), focusing on the perseverance of a tired and injured protagonist using their secret technique to win the day. It’s interesting to see how the new film, itself something of a tribute to the whole franchise, filters all those influences into that movie.

The Tiger Trap Is A Completely Different Move Than The Crane Kick

The Defensive Counter Of The Crane Kick Is Way Different From The Flashy Tiger Trap

All those thematic connections also don’t necessarily reflect the technique itself, which is a far different kind of martial arts move. The Crane Kick in The Karate Kid is a defensive feint, luring the opponent in for an attack before striking with a precise blow. The technique, although iconic, has been parodied and critiqued for decades. Cobra Kai even commented on the move’s specific use, as it can really only be relied on if the opponent’s aggression sends them running headlong into a feint. The Tiger Trap is a more difficult and showy move.

The Tiger Trap relies on the user taking a flashy jump kick. However, the real trick behind the move is the way it can force a clever opponent to move to counter — in turn leaving them open for a quick move and actual attack. While the Crane Kick relies on the opponent’s aggression, the Tiger Trap uses aggression as a feint for the real attack. Both moves are almost tailored to their opponent. The Crane Kick uses Johnny’s anger to lure him in, while the Tiger Trap tricks Conor into setting himself up a strike from the back.

Even though both moves have the same function in the movie’s climax as a tricky technique designed to fool their opponent, their actual movement and use are far different. The stationary Crane Kick is far more static than the high-flying Tiger Trap, the patient precision of the former standing in stark contrast to the graceful movement of the latter. However, they are reflections of the same story beat made manifest in Karate Kid: Legends, serving as a fitting but fresh evolution of one of the first film’s most iconic elements.