Cobra Kai is a wildly popular spin-off series of the successful Karate Kid franchise. This sequel show includes many references to the film trilogy, through memorable quotes, original cast members, as well as a hefty dose of flashback scenes taken directly from the movies. The fandom especially enjoys the nostalgic trip certain characters bring as they reference various aspects of The Karate Kid.

That said, Cobra Kai continues to increase its viewer base by introducing a wide range of show-specific teen characters, almost all of them karate champions in their own right. Several decades have passed between The Karate Kid III and Cobra Kai, making fans wonder how old the returning characters, as well as the new additions, are.

Updated on February 9th 2024 by Sage Ashford: This list has been updated to reflect CBR's current editing standards. Though the sixth and final season of Cobra Kai was delayed for some time, it's still on the way. Of course, currently the show remains set within the timeline of season five, meaning the ages are still the same.

15 Born In 1967, Daniel LaRusso Is One Year Older Than Johnny Lawrence

Ralph Macchio reprises his role as Daniel LaRusso in Cobra Kai. More than three decades later, he's now a thriving business owner with a wife and two kids. Interestingly, at the time of the release of the first Karate Kid film, Macchio was 23 years old, whereas Daniel was 17 and in high school.

What's even more surprising is that Macchio is actually five months older than actor Thomas Ian Griffith, who played Terry Silver in the third Karate Kid movie, and reprises his role in Cobra Kai. That said, Daniel LaRusso is 53 years old in the show, and Macchio is 61.

14 Tory Nichols Renounces Terry Silver's Hateful Ideology In Season 4

Tory Nichols was initially on the dark side of the emotional tug-of-war between her and Sam. She has a hard life at home and a fiery temper that can be difficult to control. John Kreese convinces her to join Cobra Kai, which subsequently triggers her pent-up feelings. As a result of Kreese's belligerent teaching style, Tory attacks Sam at school.

If Karate Kid fans thought the members of the original Cobra Kai karate team were corrupted, Tory Nichols is going to take it to the next level. On a positive note, Tory renounces Terry Silver's hateful ideology and becomes a star in her own right. 24-year-old Peyton List plays the 17-year-old Tory.

13 Samantha LaRusso Has A Fluctuating Relationship With Karate

Samantha LaRusso, more popularly known as Sam, is one of the main characters in Cobra Kai. As Daniel's eldest child with his wife, Amanda, she remains disinterested in karate until the events of Season 1 force her to start training. However, Sam had already been somewhat of a karate buff due to her childhood interactions with Mr. Miyagi.

Although Samantha takes up karate once again, her fight with Tory Nichols shatters her confidence and causes her to abandon the martial art. Sam is 17 years old as of the fifth season, played by actress Mary Mouser who's currently 26.

12 Johnny Lawrence's Character Undergoes A Complete Transformation

William Zabka reprises his role as Johnny Lawrence, the antagonist in the original Karate Kid trilogy. Johnny was 16 years old in the first Karate Kid, born to Laura Lawrence and an absent father whose identity has never been revealed. Laura marries Sid Weinberg when Johnny is still very young. His new stepfather has a lot of money but not much love for his new stepson.

Flashforward to Cobra Kai and Johnny is on the path to redeeming himself. That said, Johnny goes through some rough patches now and again but always pulls through with Miguel, Carmen, and Daniel's help. He is currently 52 years old, played by the 57-year-old Zabka.

11 Eli Moskowitz Flips The Metaphorical Script To Become Hawk

Eli Moskowitz was once a reserved student and was tortured daily by high school bullies for a minor scar resulting from a cleft lip surgery. In a quest for revenge, Eli joins Cobra Kai and earns the nickname "Lip" from Sensei Johnny Lawrence, at least until the latter tells Eli to flip the script.

Eli rebrands himself as "Hawk" and gets a Mohawk hairstyle with a large tattoo of a hawk on his back. He is best friends with Demetri, but their friendship becomes strained due to Eli's violent obsession with karate. Jacob Bertrand, who plays 17-year-old Hawk on Cobra Kai, is currently 22.

10 Robby Keene Gets Smooth-Talked By Kreese Into Joining Cobra Kai

Robby Keene has had nothing short of a troubled childhood. His traumatic upbringing is a product of both his negligent father, Johnny, and his alcoholic mother. Daniel takes Robby under his wing as an employee at his car dealership and eventually convinces the boy to become his student at Miyagi-Do Karate.

However, Kreese later persuades the 17-year-old Robby to join Cobra Kai, after the latter spends time in a Juvenile Corrections Center for assaulting Miguel. Tanner Buchanan, also known for his role in He's All That, is currently 23 years old.

9 Johnny Lawrence Views Miguel Diaz As His Stand-In Son

As Johnny Lawrence's next-door neighbor, Miguel Diaz convinces the older man to train him in the art of karate. His family arrived in the United States from Ecuador before he was born. Although his father was unknown for the longest time, Miguel met him on a trip to Mexico, only to discover that his mother had been right all along.

While he suffers a spinal cord injury during the high school brawl, Miguel miraculously recovers complete control over his lower body, even after the doctors express their doubts. He is a student at both Eagle Fang and Miyagi-do karate. 21-year-old Xolo Maridueña plays 17-year-old Miguel.

8 John Kreese Is Back And More Ruthless Than Ever

Karate Kid fans can't picture John Kreese without stating the iconic line, "Sweep the leg." The villainous "no mercy" Cobra Kai sensei is back after 30+ years and having faked his death on more than one occasion. Viewers learn considerably more about his backstory, especially his experiences during the Vietnam War, which paints his character in an empathetic light.

Kreese recruits a familiar face, Terry Silver, to win the All-Valley Karate Tournament. He forces his star students Tory and Robby to comply with his extreme demands, gradually chipping away at their self-esteem. However, when Kreese rejects Terry's offer to create a Cobra Kai franchise, the latter coldly betrays him. 76-year-old Martin Kove reprises his role as John Kreese, who's around 73 in the show.

7 Despite His Nonviolent Philosophy, Demetri Is An Excellent Karate Fighter

Demetri Alexopoulos and Eli Moskowitz are both victims of bullying. However, when the pair join Cobra Kai, Demetri leaves because he refuses to tolerate the dojo's hostile environment. Eli and Demetri stop being friends for a while, particularly after Eli transforms into Hawk.

Demetri is currently a student at Miyagi-Do as well as Eagle Fang, learning the best of both fighting styles from Senseis Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence. That said, Demetri doesn't choose brutality in most situations, highlighting his nonviolent philosophy. 21-year-old Gianni DeCenzo plays Demetri, a 17-year-old high school student.

6 Amanda LaRusso Often Breaks Up Fights Between Johnny And Daniel

Amanda LaRusso is another new character added to the Miyagi-verse. She serves as a way to break up the constant bickering between Johnny and her husband, Daniel. Not much is known about Amanda's backstory until Season 5. Viewers eventually learn that Daniel's friend Jessica Andrews from The Karate Kid III is Amanda's cousin.

Interestingly, Amanda's childhood was rather similar to Tory's. Amanda plays a big role in her husband's life by running the auto dealership. She's also an incredible mother to both Sam and Anthony. Amanda's age is unknown, but 43-year-old actress Courtney Henggeler plays her.

5 Chozen Toguchi Plays An Important Role In Cobra Kai's Fifth Season

As the primary antagonist in The Karate Kid II, Chozen Toguchi torments Daniel during the latter's visit to Okinawa. He steals money, bamboozles the townspeople, and is a generally rude and impertinent teenager. Like Johnny Lawrence and Mike Barnes, however, Chozen mellowed significantly over time.

He plays an important role in Cobra Kai, helping Daniel in the fight against Terry Silver. He soon proves to be an accomplished karate fighter, surpassing even Terry Silver himself. Chozen's exact age isn't clear, but it can be assumed that he's around the same age as Daniel. He's portrayed by Yuji Okumoto, who's 63 years old.

4 Terry Silver Turns Out To Be As Malicious And Malevolent As Ever

Terry Silver's snake-like charisma is extremely effective, as seen when he deceives Daniel in The Karate Kid III. He returns in Cobra Kai upon Kreese's insistence, demonstrating just how much he still admires his wartime benefactor. Silver metamorphoses into a far worse creature than he was in the movie, wresting control of Cobra Kai from Kreese's hands.

Daniel, Johnny, Chozen, and Barnes team up to expose Silver's illicit activities in Season 5, but they would have failed miserably had it not been for Tory's last-minute change of heart. Although Silver is arrested, it's unlikely that he's ever going to see the inside of a prison cell. Silver may not be as old as Kreese, but he's at least 70 years old in the show.

3 Anthony LaRusso Eventually Seeks Redemption For Bulling Kenny

Anthony LaRusso has everything Daniel never had as a child. He's essentially a spoiled brat with a penchant for bullying those weaker than him, explaining why he earns Kenny Payne's undying hatred. Anthony consistently rejects his father's attempts to teach him karate but still acts like he rules the roost.

Vanessa LaRusso suggests that her nephew might have DMDD, or Disruptive Mood Regulation Disorder, asserting that Anthony's parents should pay more attention to their son's life. The 14-year-old Anthony is played by 16-year-old Griffin Santopietro.

2 Carmen Diaz Takes Care Of Both Miguel And Johnny

Carmen escaped a difficult life in Ecuador before finding her way to the United States, where she made a home for herself and her unborn son. As Miguel's primary caretaker, Carmen worries constantly about him, especially when he begins learning karate.

She eventually accepts Miguel's decision, demonstrating her strict but fair parenting style that fans have come to love. Carmen officially starts dating Johnny in Season 3 and announces her pregnancy in Season 5. Played by the 38-year-old Vanessa Rubio, Carmen is around 35 years old — considerably younger than her to-be husband.

1 Kenny Payne Slowly Turns Into A Savage Fighting Machine

14-year-old Kenny Payne was once a carefree teenager, but Anthony LaRusso and his friends viciously bully him on his very first day at school. Kenny's tormentors effectively traumatize him into silence, explaining why he's so submissive when he joins Cobra Kai.

Kreese and Silver mold this young boy into a savage fighting machine, sending Kenny down a path that ends in moral bankruptcy. He rejects Robby after the latter begs him to quit Cobra Kai, and remains tethered to Silver until Tory's exposé in the Season 5 finale. Kenny is played by Dallas Dupree Young, who's 16 years old.