Season 3 of 'Cobra Kai' Is Coming, but One Cast Member Isn't Returning

Netflix has been really good at serving us content that we binge, and then sit and wait for a new season to drop. The streaming platform has been upping their original content, and one of the fast favorites has been Cobra Kai.  

The show is a continuation of the nostalgic Karate Kid movie franchise and is about to drop its third season. But one key cast member isn't returning, so if you're wondering why Nichole Brown is leaving, here's what we know.  

The news broke in September 2019 that Nichole Brown, who plays Aisha on Cobra Kai, won't be returning for the third season. According to Digital Spy, the actress shared the news on Instagram, writing: "Officially NOT in Season 3 of #CobraKai … Unfortunate, but thank you for the opportunity and time I had on the show." 

The character was a hit with the audience, who loved to see her growth after being bullied. Aisha joined the Cobra Kai team, becoming the second official student of Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). Throughout the course of the two seasons, viewers cheered along as her confidence grew with her martial arts. After fighting hard to get Johnny to accept girls into the crew, she became one of the best fighters. 

However, neither the actress who plays Aisha or Aisha the character will return for Season 3. But, according to an interview with producer and showrunner Jon Hurwitz, although she's not returning for Season 3, we may still see her again.

"We love Aisha, and we love Nichole Brown," Jon told TV Line before saying that just because she's gone now doesn't mean she's written out completely. 

"Certain characters we loved in Season 1 didn't appear at all in Season 2, like Kyler, Yasmine and Louie," he explained. "Before the season, we told Nichole the same thing we told those actors: That just because a character doesn't appear for a period of time doesn't mean they've left the universe, that they can't return again. We love that character, and perhaps we'll see her again one day."

According to executive producer and co-showrunner Josh Heald, her storyline may continue, eventually. "We have a long story left to tell. We tend to look at the show in a very long view, where entrances and exits are impactful and important," he said. "Sometimes, people need to exit to make their [re-entry] a little bit different and bigger."

Jon said that although the character will be absent from all of Season 3, she's not just dropping without an explanation. Without giving away any spoilers, he confirmed to TV Line that the absence of Aisha would be addressed during the first episode of Season 3. 

At this time, it isn't clear why Nichole Brown didn't return for the show, but it appears it was a producer decision and not something that she wanted on her end. Hopefully, like the showrunners allude to, she will be back at some point. 

Cobra Kai Season 3 is set to hit Netflix on Jan. 1, 2021.