Cobra Kai Actors Characters Ages Comparison
SUMMARY
Skill level doesn't always determine who will win a match in The Karate Kid franchise, as the underdog often comes out on top.
Cobra Kai introduced a new generation of fierce teenage fighters, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
The original Karate Kid movies showcased impressive fighters with different training styles, while Cobra Kai expands on their skills and rivalries.
The Karate Kid franchise, including Cobra Kai, is all about the power of teen fighters, with some being far more skilled than others. Of course, whether these characters are better at karate or kung fu doesn't necessarily dictate whether they will win a match. As seen with Daniel LaRusso, The Karate Kid often gives the edge to the underdog. Still, the more skillful the opponent, the more thrilling the match will be to watch.
Though the Karate Kid movies brought in several great teenage fighters, Cobra Kai really upped the number of fierce, young competitors. The Netflix series saw Johnny Lawrence reopen Cobra Kai, and after a few public fights, teens were clambering to learn karate as well. Across the series' five seasons (with Cobra Kai season 6 released in 2024), several great fighters have been introduced. Now, as the franchise continues beyond Cobra Kai and the original The Karate Kid movies, we can see how these teens stack up to one another regarding skill.
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16
Anthony LaRusso Has A Long Way To Go
Cobra Kai Seasons 1 - 5
Anthony LaRusso in the fourth season of Cobra Kai, holding his fists up.
Anthony started karate a little later than the other teenage characters of Cobra Kai, so he isn't entirely up to their level. At the start of the series, Daniel LaRusso's son was entirely disinterested in Miyagi-Do, preferring to spend his parent's money on video games and spend his time bullying kids at school. However, Anthony took a turn for the better in later seasons, gaining some remorse for his actions against Kenny Payne and learning karate to reconnect with his father. Still, the Corba Kai character has a long way to go.
15
Demetri Alexopoulos Has Really Begun To Grow
Cobra Kai Seasons 1 - 5
Demetri looking serious in Cobra Kai
Demetri is another Cobra Kai character who wasn't entirely interested in karate until later seasons of the Netflix series. He had very little tolerance for the pain of heavy exertion and was far too logical to get sucked into the karate-dojo rivalries. However, when Demetri's best friend Eli got morphed by the Cobra Kai mania, he decided to give karate another chance. Since then, he has actually managed to become rather skillful, thanks to the teachings of Miyagi-Do. Still, Demetri isn't quite to the level of those who have been at it longer.
14
Devon Lee's Dojo Troubles Have Been A Disadvantage
Cobra Kai Seasons 4 & 5
Oona O'Brien as Devon Lee on Cobra Kai.
Devon was first recruited by Johnny for Eagle Fang since he needed a female fighter. Since then, however, she has jumped dojos several times. As far as the queen cobras of Cobra Kai, she was considered second best, raised to be Terry Silver's female contestant after Tory Nichols ran out on the Sekai Taikai qualifying matches in Cobra Kai season 5. She put up quite a fight but ultimately lost to Miyagi-Do's Sam LaRusso. In all, the Netflix series hasn't given Devon as much attention as she deserves, so we haven't seen as much skill as she likely possesses.
13
Kenny Payne's Skill Developed Quickly
Cobra Kai Seasons 4 & 5
Kenny from Cobra Kai season 4, wearing a black uniform
What Kenny lacks in experience, he makes up for in pure determination. He started as a sweet character in Cobra Kai, whom Robby took under his wing, but after being bullied relentlessly, Kenny decided to go all in with Cobra Kai's ideas of "no mercy." Under Terry Silver and Sensei Kim's instruction, he has learned several powerful skills that make him a formidable fighter (and allowed him to beat Hawk at the Sekai Taikai qualifier). However, Kenny still hasn't won a match without significant cheating or fighting dirty.
12
Julie Pierce Didn't Get Great Choreography
The Next Karate Kid (1994)
Pat Morita and Hilary Swank in The Next Karate Kid
Julie was The Next Karate Kid's titular fighter, and her film is typically regarded as the least popular movie in the franchise. This installment lacked the fun fight choreography of the other movies or Cobra Kai, so ranking Julie among the others is challenging. Still, she demonstrated impressive raw strength and ability throughout her story. Perhaps her most remarkable feat was fighting Ned Randall while blinded, trusting her instincts to lead the way. This, paired with her carefully controlled rage (and the guidance of Mr. Miyagi), makes Julie a pretty frightening opponent.
11
Samantha LaRusso Has Been Doing Karate Since Childhood
Cobra Kai Seasons 1 - 5
Samantha has been practicing karate the longest out of any of the teenage Cobra Kai characters, and she is the only one to have trained under Mr. Miyagi like her father. Ultimately, this gives Samantha a significant edge. She has excellent mental and physical balance, and her competitiveness and determination mean she will always give her all in a fight. However, she is slightly more jaded against karate than her fellow teenage Cobra Kai characters. Where others want nothing more than to learn new skills, Samantha seems to do so out of necessity, making her less successful in the long run.
10
Tory Nichols' Determination Gives Her An Edge
Cobra Kai Season 2 - 5
Tory is pretty evenly matched with Samantha but has a slight edge thanks to her determination. Tory wants nothing more than to win, which has gotten her into a lot of trouble throughout Cobra Kai. However, she has learned to balance out her anger, ultimately making her an even better fighter. Tory's greatest asset is her fearlessness—she isn't afraid of hurting herself, so she doesn't hold back. This has made learning complicated techniques possible since she isn't as concerned about the personal consequences.
Eli Moskowitz Is An All-Valley Champion
Cobra Kai Seasons 1 - 5
Eli wins the tournament in Cobra Kai
Eli quickly became a great fighter in Cobra Kai, and his mercilessness early in the series made him a formidable foe. However, this was also a weakness, in a sense, since he depended more on cheating and playing dirty instead of actually winning based on technique. This all changed when Eli—AKA Hawk—switched to Miyagi-Do. Once he figured out how to combine Johnny, Kreese, and Daniel's karate styles, he became an even better fighter. This allowed him and Robby to have one of the best fights of Cobra Kai season 4, which was full of exciting moves and excellent content.
Robby Keene's Miyagi-Do Training Has Been An Asset
Cobra Kai Seasons 1 - 5
Robby is another Cobra Kai character who has had the benefit of studying under multiple sensei. He started working with Daniel at Miyagi-Do and eventually switched to Cobra Kai before switching back again. He's a naturally powerful and intuitive fighter with a great sense of that classic Miyagi-Do balance. His fights are often full of excellent blocks, followed by quick and powerful attacks that take his opponent off guard. Though he lost his battle against Eli in Cobra Kai season 4, this was only because he was distracted by the realization that he was setting a horrible example for Kenny Payne.
Miguel Diaz Is Cobra Kai's Karate Kid
Cobra Kai Seasons 1 - 5
The events of Cobra Kai season 5 proved that Miguel and Robby are pretty evenly matched when it comes to skill level, but as the Netflix series' version of the underdog hero, Miguel has the edge. He has only ever worked under Johnny Lawrence (aside from when his sensei joined forces with Daniel and Chozen), and though this limits his technique, it also means he has a more streamlined approach to karate. He is a lot like Johnny in how he approaches a match, depending on instinct to get the job done. This ultimately means that Miguel's fights look downright effortless.
Cheng's Moves Were The Most Impressive Visually
The Karate Kid (2010)
Cheng-The-Karate-Kid-2010
Cheng was the central antagonist of the 2010 The Karate Kid, serving as the primary rival against Jaden Smith's Dre. He had been training in kung fu his entire life by the film's start, which showed in his technique. The choreography for the 2010 reboot of the Karate Kid movie was entirely different than what we had seen before and was even far showier than that of Cobra Kai. The kinds of moves that Cheng did in the film are beyond what many of the Cobra Kai teens had ever done, so it can be assumed that if he were to face off against them, he would have the edge.
Dre Parker Kung Fu Lessons Were Far More Extensive
The Karate Kid (2010)
Jackie Chan as Mr. Han and Jaden Smith as Dre Parker training above the Great Wall of China in The Karate Kid 2010
Dre was the titular character of 2010 The Karate Kid and was, therefore, reasonably new to martial arts. Jackie Chan's Mr. Han had a teaching style similar to Mr. Miyagi's, using muscle memory to pass on the basic techniques of kung fu. However, he took things much further than Miyagi did for Daniel. The training Dre went through in a short time was outrageously extensive, and the result was a tournament fight with Cheng full of moves the Cobra Kai teens could only dream of. Still, since Dre only had one Karate Kid film, it's hard to put him at the same level as teenage Daniel.
Daniel LaRusso Coul Take An Enemy Down With One Move
The Karate Kid (1984), The Kid Part 2 (1986), The Karate Kid Part 3 (1989)
Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morito) and Daniel (Ralph Macchio) smiling in The Karate Kid
Teen Daniel LaRusso appeared in three Karate Kid movies and will forever be remembered as the original underdog karate hero. The moves he pulls off across all three films aren't quite as showy as what is seen from the teens of Cobra Kai, but they are far more effective. Daniel efficiently ends his fights with a single, well-struck blow. He can do this no matter how injured he is, proving that his intense focus can get him through just about anything. Ultimately, Daniel won battles against those who were far more skilled than him, proving that his unique technique can't be underestimated.
Johnny Lawrence Was The Better Fighter In Karate Kid
The Karate Kid (1984)
Daniel and Johnny are pretty evenly matched by the events of Cobra Kai, but that wasn't the case when they were teenagers. In the first The Karate Kid movie, Daniel was a karate newcomer, while Johnny had been studying for years. He knew several powerful techniques, and given his home situation, karate was the primary way the teen could keep the father-like attention of John Kreese. In the end, Johnny only lost at the All-Valley Tournament because of Daniel's surprise crane kick, not because he was less skilled.
Chozen Toguchi Knew Deadly Karate Skills
The Karate Kid Part 2 (1986)
Karate-Kid-Part-2-Chozen
Like Johnny, Chozen was taught karate in a way that centered on violence and was led to feel deep resentment toward Mr. Miyagi. He was also highly dishonest as a teenager, which ultimately led to his being disowned by Master Sato. Ultimately, this rage only made Chozen more powerful. He was regarded as Sato's star student, and his willingness to fight to the death for his honor made him the most challenging foe Daniel had faced yet. The weaker karate kid only secured his win in The Karate Kid Part 2 because Chozen's rage tipped the scales toward recklessness.
Mike Barnes Was a Professional Fighter
The Karate Kid Part 3 (1989)
Mike-Barnes-Karate-Kid-Part-3
The Karate Kid Part 3 is the least popular of the original trilogy, but that isn't to say that Mike Barnes wasn't a powerful villain. Unlike Daniel's past enemies, Barnes was a professional fighter and had mastered skills that were way beyond his opponents at the All-Valley Tournament. It was a miracle that Daniel won the match, and it was only possible because Silver had instructed Barnes to keep things tied up until the very end. In truth, Daniel only managed one real hit on Barnes, and he remained traumatized by the event going all the way into Cobra Kai when he and the most skilled fighter of the franchise finally made amends.
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