Cobra Kai has done an excellent job of bringing back characters we knew and loved from The Karate Kid. Moving forward, the show has more than just the first movie to pull from. There are three other movies in the franchise (four if you include the remake), full of characters that could make a return in Cobra Kai.
As the show incorporates more of the franchise’s older characters, we list 10 characters we’d like to see make an appearance. The list will only include characters who aren’t confirmed for an appearance, so we won’t be including Ali Mills as a result.
TERRY SILVER
Terry Silver was the over-the-top villain of The Karate Kid III. In that film, he put aside all his business just to try and get even with Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi. It turns out that Silver was the person who really owned Cobra Kai. As such, he worked with John Kreese to try and get the dojo running again.
With John Kreese back and ready to put Cobra Kai back on the top, it’s possible that Terry Silver could make an appearance as well. There was a flashback in Season 2 where Daniel is seen training with Silver from the third movie.
MIKE BARNES
Mike Barnes was the cocky bully in The Karate Kid III, essentially filling the role that Johnny Lawrence had in the first film. He was also the one who fought Daniel at the All-Valley Tournament and lost just like Lawrence.
If Mike Barnes were to return, it could serve as a way for Johnny to realize what he could’ve easily turned into had he chosen to continue the path started by Cobra Kai. It would also lead to a wonderful confrontation between him and Daniel LaRusso, seeing who would really come out on top in a rematch. He was corny, but we’d love to see him again.
DUTCH
All of Johnny Lawrence’s friends from The Karate Kid made an appearance in Cobra Kai Season 2 except for one: Dutch. When the friends talked about why Dutch wasn’t there, there was a small remark made about how he was doing time for the foreseeable future.
It’s possible that the show could still get Chad McQueen to make an appearance, but without the support of Johnny’s other Cobra Kai friends, it would be hard to justify. Still, the gang didn’t quite feel complete without Dutch there to round out the numbers. Johnny’s going to need everyone he can get, after all.
CHOZEN
In The Karate Kid Part II, Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi travel to Okinawa, where there is a bitter rivalry between Miyagi and his brother. On top of that, there was also a rival for Daniel LaRusso in the form of Chozen. While Miyagi and his brother seemed to reach a mutual agreement, in the end, Chozen still harbored some ill-feeling toward Daniel.
By the end of the film, it’s unclear where he went (or if he even survived the events). With Cobra Kai already bringing back John Kreese from the dead, it would be all too easy to bring back Chozen for another round or two.
KUMIKO
Ali Mills wasn’t the only girl interested in Daniel LaRusso. As a matter of fact, she only played a role in the first film. In The Karate Kid Part II, Daniel became close with Kumiko, the niece of Mr. Miyagi’s old girlfriend. Kumiko played a similar role to Ali in the film, as a supporting love interest.
For that reason, she might not have a lot of reason to show up in Cobra Kai, as Ali is already set to return. That said, it would make for a nice nod to the second Karate Kid film, which hasn’t gotten a lot of love in Cobra Kai.
JESSICA ANDREWS
Jessica Andrews is the third love interest in Daniel LaRusso’s life, as seen in The Karate Kid III. By the end of the film, she is set to move back to her hometown of Columbus, Ohio, leaving Daniel behind. The two even have a falling out after Daniel lets his rage get the best of him and breaks somebody’s nose. This violence essentially split their romantic relationship apart.
The two left the movie as friends, though. Jessica Andrews could be a good choice for a returning character, because she could potentially remind Daniel of how he turned away from the violence that Cobra Kai taught.
JULIE PIERCE
What some people forget is that, after Karate Kid III, there was a third movie called The Next Karate Kid. It followed the rebellious Julie Pierce as she was begrudgingly placed in Mr. Miyagi’s care. She learned karate and got over her own inhibitions. Unfortunately, the movie was notorious for being a blight on an already dying franchise.
That said, Cobra Kai has seemingly embraced all sides of The Karate Kid’s past, so it would be a great nod to have Julie Pierce return. Seeing her meet Daniel LaRusso could be a chance for them to reminisce about Mr. Miyagi.
FREDDY FERNANDEZ
When Daniel LaRusso and his mother first moved into their new apartment in The Karate Kid, Daniel is met by a neighbor named Freddy Fernandez. Freddy didn’t play a big role in the film, though he did show up at the All-Valley Tournament to support Daniel fighting Cobra Kai (after making fun of him at the beach).
Freddy is a minor character, but so were Johnny’s Cobra Kai friends. If they could come back for a small arc, who’s to say that Freddy wouldn’t be allowed to show up? The show could even present it as Daniel having lunch with an old friend from his past.
COLONEL DUGAN
In The Next Karate Kid, it’s not John Kreese who’s stirring up trouble. Instead, the villain of the film is Colonel Dugan, who applies very similar principles to Kreese. Instead of running a karate dojo, though, Colonel Dugan puts together a law enforcement group and encourages his students to show no mercy.
It’s a bit extreme and over the top, but so were most movies made around the time. If Daniel and Johnny team up to take down Kreese, it could be an opportunity for Kreese to call in the cavalry, and Colonel Dugan would be just the man for the job.
SOMEONE FROM THE REMAKE
After The Karate Kid franchise was down and out, a revival was attempted in 2010 in the form of (you guessed it) The Karate Kid (starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan). It changed a lot of larger details from the original while keeping its thematic elements.
However, it was criticized for its low production, poor acting, and retreading of old territory. Because of this, we don’t expect it to get any serious acknowledgment from Cobra Kai, but it’s possible that there could be a brief appearance from one of the characters. With the Karate Kid movies taking place in different parts of the world, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to suggest that they existed in the same universe.
