The end ofCobra Kaiseason 6, episode 6 came with a tribute to actor Chad McQueen, aThe Karate Kidstar who unfortunately passed away earlier in 2024. The Netflix series has consistently paid homage to the classic 1980s film series, with a variety of actors brought back to the screen to reprise their roles. McQueen was not among those who joined the cast ofCobra Kai, but the spinoff has never forgotten what this actor brought toThe Karate Kid’s Cobra Kai gang. Now,the mid-season premiere of season 6 has paid tribute to McQueen’s lifeand career.
McQueen played Dutch inThe Karate Kid(1984), a particularly nasty member of Johnny Lawrence’s gang at Cobra Kai dojo. In addition to this, McQueen was known for his roles in action movies likeMartial LawandDead Line. His final acting role was in 2001’sThe Fall, at which point he shifted his focus to his racing career, a passion McQueen shared with his famed father, Steven McQueen. The memorableKarate Kidstareventually started his own racing company, McQueen Racing, LLC, which kept him from ever returning toCobra Kai.
McQueen passed away on August 11, 2025. His death was announced via his wife, Jeanie, and children in a statement toVariety, which emphasized the man’s commitment to his family and life filled with “love and dedication.” ThoughMcQueen never appeared inCobra Kai, Netflix included its own tribute to the actor and racer at the end of season 6, episode 6, “Benvingust a Barcelona,” which was released on the streaming platform on June 17, 2025.The tribute featured an image of McQueen as Dutch, along with the touching line “Cobra Kai never dies.”
Cobra Kaihas featured a great manyThe Karate Kidactors, and the majority of Johnny Lawrence’s old dojo friends appeared in earlier seasons. While McQueen’s Dutch was mentioned, it was revealed that the character was serving a prison sentence, which explained why he wasn’t part of the Cobra Kai gang’s reunion. According to showrunner Jon Hurwitz (viaX), hope had been maintained for years that McQueen would get a cameo at some point in the series. Hurwitz even met with McQueen to plan this, andthe actor was reportedly excited and eager to appear inCobra Kaiseason 6.
Hurwitz revealed that an episode featuring McQueen’s Butch was written forCobra Kaiseason 6, part 2, which is why the character was mentioned in part 1.
Unfortunately, McQueen was ultimately unable to join the cast ofCobra Kaiwhen the time came to shoot his episode. Hurwitz said that “at the end of the day, it wasn’t meant to be.“McQeen’s schedule was consumed by his true passion, and though he quit racing back in 2006, his energy in his final years was spent on his company in the industry.
Though McQueen was never able to join the cast ofCorba Kai, it’s clear that his legacy had a lasting impact. Hurwitz’s tribute onXnoted that, during the show’s early days of conception,Dutch’s character was used as a reference point for Cobra Kai dojo’s nastiness. He went on to say that McQueen and his character would “always be remembered as the badass' badass in the Miyagiverse,” a sentiment shared by another star ofThe Karate KidandCobra Kaiwith whom the late actor worked.
“He marched to the beat of his own drum and always made me laugh,” Zabka said, ending his post with “RIP Chadwick — my dear friend & Cobra Kai brother 4 ever.”
It seems the star who was the closest to McQueen was William Zabka, who playsJohnny inCobra Kai. Zabka took toInstagramto pay his respects to McQueen, whom he said he had reconnected with in recent years. “He marched to the beat of his own drum and always made me laugh,” Zabka said, ending his post with “RIP Chadwick — my dear friend & Cobra Kai brother 4 ever.” It’s clear that McQueen was an important figure to those working within theKarate KidandCobra Kaifranchise, as evidenced by the touching tribute included in season 6, memorializing his performance as Dutch forever.
Cobra Kai
Cast
Cobra Kai is a sequel series continuing the narrative of the Karate Kid saga, set 30 years after the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament. It focuses on Johnny Lawrence seeking redemption by reopening the Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with Daniel LaRusso, who strives to maintain balance in his life.
