Here’s every character from The Karate Kid who appears in Cobra Kai. The sequel and continuation of the 1984 cult classic became a hit series on YouTube and it returns for season 3 in 2020. Reuniting Ralph Macchio and William Zabka as arch-rivals Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, Cobra Kai reignited their high school karate feud, which poured over into a new generation.
In Cobra Kai season 1, the students of Johnny and Daniel’s respective dojos, Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do Karate, picked up their senseis’ rivalry and turned it into their own. By the end of Cobra Kai season 2, full-fledged gang warfare erupted between the high school students, led by Johnny’s prized pupils, Miguel (Xolo Maridueña), Tory (Peyton List), and Hawk (Jacob Bertrand) against Daniel’s protege Robby (Tanner Buchanan), who is Johnny’s son, and Daniel’s daughter Sam (Mary Mouser). The chaos was instigated by John Kreese (Martin Kove), the original Cobra Kai sensei who stole the dojo and its students from Johnny.
Cobra Kai hit the sweet spot of updating the Karate Kid saga for the 21st-century while cleverly weaving callbacks to the original movie. Cobra Kai season 1 even had an episode where Johnny hilariously narrated the events of The Karate Kid to Miguel, painting Daniel as the villain and himself as the beleaguered hero. Thus far, however, Cobra Kai has mostly kept its references to the first movie with only a brief callback to one of the sequels. But Cobra Kai season 3 will take Daniel to Okinawa (Mr. Miyagi’s hometown) and link to The Karate Kid Part II. Meanwhile, here’s everyone Cobra Kai has brought back from 1984’s The Karate Kid.
Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio)
Daniel LaRusso emerged from the Karate Kid movies as a happily married family man and the owner of a very successful car dealership - until Johnny rebooted Cobra Kai and forced Daniel to counter its influence in the San Fernando Valley. At his best, Daniel maturely integrates Mr. Miyagi’s teachings with his modern values and heart, but he is still hot-tempered and makes huge, costly judgment errors.
Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka)
Johnny Lawrence is still largely trapped in his early-1980s glory years but he found a new purpose when he restarted Cobra Kai and began teaching his students his brand of “bad-ass” karate. Johnny still resents Daniel after all these years but Cobra Kai has tested their rivalry, especially after Johnny’s son Robby became Daniel’s student. Despite his many faults, Johnny proved to be an excellent karate teacher and he genuinely cares for Miguel and his Cobra Kai students.
John Kreese (Martin Kove)
John Kreese reappeared at the end of Cobra Kai season 1 and took his place as the villain of season 2. At first posing as a down-on-his-luck vagrant, Kreese won Johnny’s trust back but it was all part of his plan to steal the Cobra Kai dojo away from Johnny and poison his students with his twisted karate philosophy.
Lucille LaRusso (Randee Heller)
Daniel’s mother Lucille, who now lives out of state, occasionally drops in for family gatherings. Lucille still fondly remembers Mr. Miyagi and loves her grandchildren but she gets on the nerves of Daniel’s wife Amanda (Courtney Henggeler).
The Original Cobra Kai Students
The Cobra Kai class of 1984, Tommy (Rob Garrison), Bobby (Ron Thomas), and Jimmy (Tony O’Dell), all appeared in Cobra Kai season 2, episode 6, “Take a Right”. Tommy was dying of cancer and the original Cobra Kai students reunited to give him one last night out.
Other Karate Kid Characters Mentioned In Cobra Kai
Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita) is consistently referenced. In fact, Cobra Kai season 1, episode 5, “Counterbalance”, was a tribute to the wise and beloved sensei. Daniel rebuilt Miyagi’s house as his dojo and he often asks his late teacher’s spirit for guidance.
Ali Mills Schwarber (Elisabeth Shue) is ’the one who got away’ from both Johnny and Daniel. In fact, Johnny still pines for his high school girlfriend and she accepted his Facebook friend request, teasing that Elisabeth Shue might appear in Cobra Kai season 3.
Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) is briefly seen in archival footage. Silver was Kreese’s benefactor and he was the villain who briefly turned Daniel against Miyagi in The Karate Kid Part III.
Next: What To Expect From Cobra Kai Season 3
