Nobody thought Cobra Kai would become a thing when it was first streamed on YouTube Premium, 34 years since the Karate Kid movie series ended. And when it migrated to Netflix in 2021, the TV series garnered a wider audience and more fans.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably one of the fans who got curious about who is the most likable among the characters. To satisfy your curiosity, here are the Cobra Kai characters ranked by likability.
Top 15 Cobra Kai Characters Ranked By Likability
1. Johnny Lawrence
Believe it or not, Johnny Lawrence has successfully redeemed himself in the new Cobra Kai series. He used to be a hateful villain during his teenage years in Karate Kid movies. However, he finally achieved one of the best personality developments in the series.
Johnny slowly changed from a villain to someone who tried (and still tries) to make things right. His sensei, Kreese, may have corrupted his young mind, but he finally learned to accept his flaws and conquests as an adult. He managed to applaud Daniel for beating him when he tasted his first All-Valley defeat in the past season.
When he took Miguel Diaz under his wing and made him a confident, formidable warrior, he got a second chance to revive his broken dreams. He also founded Eagle Fang.
2. Miguel Diaz
Miguel Diaz was once a friendly teenager who never liked the idea of hurting other people, not even in self-defense, no matter how hard he was bullied. However, Miguel made a huge character development when Johnny Lawrence, his unlikeable neighbor, taught him to fight for himself and instilled the Cobra Kai philosophy.
Miguel may have a few breakdowns where he could not control his emotions, but he never really dwelled on staying in the dark for long. Miguel is one of the best fighters, a protagonist/hero, where the writers painted him to be that “likable” boy from the beginning, and hopefully, until the end of the series. But, who is Miguel's father?
3. Daniel LaRusso
Daniel LaRusso captured the hearts of many fans from Karate Kid Part I to III. Being the Cobra Kai series protagonist/hero, it’s not surprising to learn that he still has that good-natured personality as an adult.
LaRusso remains a cordial person, where he overcomes his apprehensions like an adult–wiser and bolder. When he was younger, Miyagi used to help him control his emotions and clear his clouded mind. Now, he has Amanda, his wife, to help him give better judgment and become more confident.
4. Tory Nichols
Tory Nichols is one of the most hated cast. However, she has a massive fan base, too. Sorry, Tory haters, but this troubled teen captured the hearts of many fans through her renegade and bold personality.
Tory Nichols led a very tough life, being the only non-disabled member of her family. She grew up strong to fight for everything just to live by, including their food to eat and shelter to live in.
She may have a lot of insecurities, but she has this “troubled child” aura that makes everyone seem to think she’s just off-track. Her story was too tragic that most fans think she only needed a chance to improve herself.
5. Samantha Larusso
Sam LaRusso is genuinely amiable, just like her dad, Daniel LaRusso. Sam grew up in a quite healthy family where her basic needs were provided–food, shelter, and love from her family. However, being the daughter of someone like Daniel was too much for the budding martial artist.
Sam’s father wanted her to stay on the Miyagi Do path. However, Sam LaRusso wants to achieve her own fighting style and not just stay under her father’s shadow. Sam finally achieved it in the All-Valley Tournament in Season 4.
Read: Miyagi Do vs Cobra Kai
6. Robby Keene
Like Johnny, Robby Keene is also a troubled teen, fighting his own demons, trapped in an emotional rollercoaster. He befriended Daniel to infuriate his estranged dad, who never really became a father to him. Robby joined Miyagi Do to learn karate from his father’s old rival in Season 1. Miyagi Do karate helped him achieve inner peace.
However, one of Robby’s mistakes was when he lied to Daniel and Sam, whom he started dating, that his father was Johnny. His lies and intentional deception made the LaRussos angry, making Robby return to his dark, old path. Once again, the boy who tried so hard to change became ruthless.
Shop The Cobra Kai Collection Now7. Aisha Robinson
Aisha Robinson is a very likable character because she is very caring, intelligent, and confident. She showed her compassionate heart and never lost her core kindness from start to finish. Some may call her a people-pleaser, but her obsession with getting along with everyone is beneficial.
She’s the best friend of Sam, but she always makes sure to stand up for Cobra Kai. She thinks fighting with one another is unhealthy.
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8. Eli Moskowitz (Hawk)
Eli “Hawk” Moskowitz was once bullied because of his medical condition. However, his character made a 360 turn when the once bullied teenager became the aggressor himself. Using the fighting style he learned in Cobra Kai in the past, he bullies other students for no apparent reason.
Hawk discarded everything he once was, every hint of being his “old self,” because he couldn’t stand to remember his past. He wants to become the strong “Hawk” to prove he’s worthy. Hawk became too self-absorbed when he finally tasted the delight of people recognizing his full potential as an excellent fighter.
But when Hawk broke his best friend Demetri’s arm in Season 3, he reverted to being Eli. Amidst his mistakes, he retained his hard-earned confidence and continued to fight.
9. Demetri Alexopoulos
Demetri is one of Daniel’s proteges. He earned his self-confidence through the Miyagi Do philosophy and under his sensei’s guidance. He used to be very pessimistic because he wanted to protect himself from being hurt, like how his bullies used to do.
He guarded his heart by building a wall of negativity and distrust of other people around him. He was once a lonely teenage boy who had no friends. However, no matter how hard his life was, he overcame those hardships through Daniel-san.
10. Mr. Miyagi
Mr. Miyagi was the sensei of the once bullied Daniel LaRusso, teaching him life lessons and martial arts to protect himself [1]. He shaped Daniel into an honorable man who always promotes a fair fight. His impact on Daniel was lifelong. He gave his protege wise and impactful teachings he could never forget.
Aside from Daniel, Mr. Miyagi also shaped another legendary Karate Kid, Julie Pierce. He taught her self-control and guided Pierce through a difficult time in her life. Although he passed away at eighty-six, he left a legacy with his impactful teachings.
11. Amanda LaRusso
Amanda LaRusso is Daniel LaRusso’s confident and very capable wife. She runs their company, LaRusso Auto Group, as its CEO. She is more level-headed than Daniel, and she often gives him great pieces of advice throughout the series.
However, her husband tends not to take them, as shown in almost every Cobra Kai season. Amanda also acts like a referee between the rivals Johnny and Daniel, constantly telling the karate experts to forget bout their past. She’s an excellent mother to Sam, Anthony, and Johnny’s son, Robby.
12. Kenny Payne
Kenny Payne is the youngest Cobra Kai character. This new guy only appeared in Season 4, but he has already made a huge impact on most fans. He’s the younger brother of Shawn Payne, Robby Keene’s friend and juvenile detention cellmate. How old is Kenny, though?
Like Miguel, learning karate and martial arts made Shawn’s little brother an excellent fighter who was once a bullied child. One of his greatest bullies is Anthony LaRusso and his friends.
13. Anthony LaRusso
Anthony LaRusso is the black sheep of the respected LaRusso family. While his whole family has the best personalities in the series, he was an evil bully. He and his friends constantly bullied the younger Payne, who became a strong Cobra Kai student and an excellent fighter.
14. Terry Silver
Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) is one of the most hated characters in the Cobra Kai series. He occasionally does heinous crimes, from The Karate Kid series to the new Cobra Kai franchise.
Although he is one of the best fighters, Terry has manic behavior, probably because of his excessive cocaine usage. He tends to hurt people, so he’ll get whatever he wants, like how he has hurt (and almost killed) his old friend Stingray.
15. John Kreese
Nobody could take the crown off John Kreese as one of the most hated characters in the series. He’s also an outright murderer with distorted vision and extremely violent tendencies. He lost his capacity for mercy during the Vietnam war.
He literally has no mercy - fighters or not. Just like Silver, he kills people to achieve what he wants. He once tried to kill Johnny, one of his star students in Cobra Kai dojo.
FAQs
Who is the evilest character in Cobra Kai?
John Kreese is the evilest character in Cobra Kai. He has the most distorted mind, always thinking of harming other people to achieve his dreams. He also has an overpowering hunger for fame and recognition.
Who is the strongest Cobra Kai character?
Our team picks Johnny Lawrence as the strongest Cobra Kai character. This may sound controversial to some because he succumbed to Daniel; however, Johnny still managed to become a threat 34 years later. He can fight with Daniel and Kreese even when he stops training in modern times, making him a stronger fighter.
In Conclusion
Ranking the Cobra Kai characters is very subjective, as we may see things differently than how other fans see these characters. However, our ranking was also influenced by other people’s choices. We conducted a quick survey from our friends and other fans who constantly watch the series to get these results.
How did you find our ranking? Who’s your favorite character? Tell us in the comment section below!
Also, if you love Cobra Kai, don’t forget to check out Toynk for our awesome Cobra Kai collectibles and costumes for avid fans!
Shop The Cobra Kai Collection NowReference:
- https://thekaratekid.fandom.com/wiki/Mr._Miyagi
