MovieChat Forums > The Karate Kid Part III (1989) Discussion > Under 18 All Valley Tournament

Under 18 All Valley Tournament

posted 6 years ago by Tracer (29)
36 replies | jump to latest

In the first movie, the tournament is for under 18. How could Daniel, who's supposed to be in college or Mike Barnes, a hired karate expert, allowed to fight?

In the first movie, Daniel has a birthday right before the tournament, which he should turn 18 since he's a senior. If that is the case, the tournament could be 18 and under. If he is really young for a senior, he could have just turned 17. Then the under 18 could still apply (not 18 and under).

Either way, the following tournament against Mike Barnes, he should be either 18 or 19. Since Mike Barnes is a hired fighter, I would assume that he also is not in high school (also he lives with Terry Silver) and probably wouldn't be eligible either.

I would think that Daniel turned 18 in the first movie based on being a senior and the time of year. This would make the tournament really 18 and under. This would also make him ineligible for the next year.

[–] spiderduck1997 (68) 6 years ago

You know, I have thought about this too( not too often, but a fair amount). I always assumed that they called it "the Under 18 All Valley Tournament" instead of "the 18 and Under All Valley Tournament" because the former name is shorter. I'm guessing that the KKIII tournament took place before Daniel's 19th Birthday. Another possibility is that Daniel lied about his age in order to compete in the first tournament. Another possibility is that it wasn't really Daniel's Birthday yet and they were celebrating it a few days early because his mother was going to go out of town for something.

[–] janelsenor (2042) 6 years ago

That bothered me too the last time I watched the series. There's no way if the tournament is truly "under 18".

Maybe he got to compete one last time because he was still under 18 during the sign up process? I'm going with that loophole.

[–] NRC123 (2079) 6 years ago

Miyagi and Danielle never gave a sh-t about rules. They broke them at every turn.

[–] janelsenor (2042) 6 years ago

True. Daniel was probably 20 and just using a fake ID.

[–] strntz (10884) 6 years ago

My birthday is late September and I started college while still 17.

[–] strntz (10884) 6 years ago

[deleted]

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I've always thought of this too and this is what I've come up with: Back in the 80s (at least where I grew up) you were placed in the class with other kids born in the same calendar year. So someone born in December of 1970 would be in the same class as kids born in January of 1970. Somewhere along the way it was changed so it was kids born in the same school year (from September to August) but in 1984 it was likely the same calendar year. The date of the All Valley tournament was December 19th and Daniel's birthday was December 18th (unless I'm mistaken it was the day before). So with Daniel's birthday in mid-December, he was likely one of the youngest kids in his class.

Though not specifically stated, I assume he turned 17 the day before the tournament in the first film. My theory is that the tournament the following year was held on a slightly earlier date and took place just before Daniel's 18th birthday.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

You couldn't really trust Daniel to tell the truth about anything. So who knows? As for Mike Barnes, being Terry Silver's hired gun, he was probably the karate equivalent to one of those kids' sports teams that put a 20 year old man on the team in order to win.

[–] wearsalan (5554) 6 years ago

In part 3 it (the competition) has been retro'd to being the All Valley Karate Championships and not the under 18 championships.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

The banner on the wall during Part III's final fight clearly states it was the under 18 tournament.

[–] wearsalan (5554) 6 years ago

Then he shouldn't be in it.....simples.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

In the first one his birthday was the day before the tournament where I assume he turned 17. Part III is the following year's tournament so it's possible the tournament was held a little earlier than the previous year like a week or two before his 18th birthday. No date for the tournament was given in part III so it's the most logical explanation.

[–] wearsalan (5554) 6 years ago

I think it was a cock up on the writers part. I mean Daniel is actually invited to participate and then given a bye to the final. What competition would ever do this?
What makes me laugh is people are always commenting on LaRussos age, yet nobody seems to mention Barnes.
Barnes travels to California on his own and negotiates a deal with Terry silver. He also lives with this complete stranger until the competition. Does nobody think that's all a little bit strange for a 17 year old to be doing without a legal guardian?

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Barnes travels to California on his own and negotiates a deal with Terry silver. He also lives with this complete stranger until the competition. Does nobody think that's all a little bit strange for a 17 year old to be doing without a legal guardian?

But he's karate's bad boy.....

[–] wearsalan (5554) 6 years ago

Bad boy as in naughty then eh?

[–] Tracer (29) 6 years ago

I mentioned that about Barnes in the op. It doesn't make sense.

[–] Metalgazza (5) 6 years ago

I remember him getting his drivers license on his birthday. Is that 16 or 17 in America? 17 here in UK

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

You have to be 16 to get your license in California, but he was a senior in high school so I always assumed it was his 17th birthday.

[–] Juschill (781) 5 years ago

When is it mentioned he is a senior in high school? I can’t ever recall hearing he is a senior.

[–] Juschill (781) 5 years ago

He gets his drivers license on his birthday in the first one which makes him 16.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Well it makes him at least 16...he could've been older as well. Most people either turn 17 or 18 while they're a senior in high school so if he was just turning 16 he would've been very young for a senior.

I don't know about California but growing up in Massachusetts in the 80s, we could get our learners permit on our 16th birthday but couldn't get a drivers license until 16 and a half.

[–] Juschill (781) 5 years ago

I’m questioning that he was a senior. Prom is usually universally open to juniors and seniors. I don’t think he is a senior in part 1.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

After prom he goes to Okinawa with Mr. Miyagi (part2). Part 3 picks up with them returning from Okinawa wher Daniel is supposed to be going to college but instead opts to use his tuition money not to open a Banzai store with Mr. Miyagi. So part 3 which take some place a year after the events of part 1 has Daniel not in school.

[–] Juschill (781) 5 years ago

Didn’t Daniel just get his drivers license right before the tournament? If so this would make him 16 at the tournament in part one and 17 one year later (kayfabe) in part 3.

Are we ever told he is a senior? I never hear he is a senior, at least in the first two. We know Ally is going for a college guy but that doesn’t say anything about Daniel’s year in high school. I think people on this threat are incorrectly making the assumption that he was a senior when that was never stated (to my recollection) in the movie.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Part II fast forwards 6 months later and Daniel is returning from the senior prom (where Alli dumped him).

[–] Juschill (781) 5 years ago

I recall him going to the prom but don’t recall hearing “senior prom”. I personally attended prom as a junior.

[–] Tracer (29) 5 years ago

In part iii, he uses his college money for opening up the shop. The dialogue in a few scenes is about him not going to college and taking classes later.

[–] Juschill (781) 5 years ago

Ok. I’ll buy that. I haven’t seen part 3 in a long time.

[–] Tracer (29) 5 years ago

I think the writers were thinking of a different state, like NJ (where Daniel is from). Driving age is 17 there.

Mike Barnes throws a wrench into this because he's most likely not under 18. Silver is corrupt, so he could have gotten Barnes in, but I think we are giving too much credit to the story. I don't think the writers were planning on people analyzing this movie... But it's fun to do so.

[–] Juschill (781) 5 years ago

I think we can assume Daniel is a junior. He’s 16 evidenced by his getting his drivers license.

Johnny is 17. In Cobra Kai we know that Johnny is 12 in 1979 making him 17 in 1984 when it is stated that he is in fact a senior. Daniel being 16 while Johnny is 17 would imply (no not definitely) that he is a junior.

[–] Tracer (29) 5 years ago

Look at my previous reply. He's college age in part iii

[–] Master (1494) 5 years ago

he skipped a grade so now we know how he became a black belt so fast.

[–] Master (1494) 5 years ago

he was 15 and turned 16 Johnny was 17 the tournament was the one after the one in the first movie Karate Kid II takes place roughly six months after Karate Kid I and so Karate Kid II takes place over Daniel's summer so I always thought Karate Kid III is taking place right after Summer Break so in Karate Kid III it's 1985?

[–] Tracer (29) 5 years ago

Yes. But Daniel is college age in 1985 as per dialogue in the third movie as well as him being able to open up a shop and not having to attend high school classes. This would make his age being 16 inaccurate.

It's just an oversight after the first movie. Could be explained that he's a young high school graduate, 17. Doesn't really explain Barnes being able to participate though. Retroactively, we could say that Terry Silver helped bend the rules to get him allowed to fight, or even faked it.

[–] Master (1494) 5 years ago

guess it was hard to remember Daniel's age when Ralph was 27 playing the part and alot of people saying he's 18 in Karate Kid 3