When Cobra Kai made its debut as part of YouTube's original lineup, the focus was largely on the nostalgia that fans of the Karate Kid movie would experience. Heavy on flashbacks and highlighting the high school rivalry of Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso, it was easy to think Cobra Kai would only be their show and that the teenage characters could get pushed to the side. That’s not the case, however, as the new generation’s stories are just as entangled in the rivalry as the old generation, especially as the show moved to Netflix for its third season.
Between the multiple forms of karate taught in the series, there are multiple rivalries between specific teens. Tory Nichols, introduced in the second season, fuels one of them. Played by former Disney Channel star Peyton List, the character is an unapologetic fighter. Tory has grown up in a world that requires her to fight for everything she has, making her take an aggressive approach in life and on the mat. She becomes a huge asset to Cobra Kai, but also is often placed in the role of villain. That doesn’t mean she is one.
Tory Steals Season 2 From The Main Cast
While the first season does see Miguel Diaz overcome his bullies, it’s Season 2 that really takes off for the next generation of karate students. Tory is introduced early in the season as a new girl in town - and only the second female student to attempt to join Cobra Kai. She impresses Aisha Robinson with her aggressive approach, and the two become fast friends. That instant friendship gets under Samantha LaRusso’s skin, who has had a hard time reconnecting with her old friend.
Tory’s presence goes a little farther though as she starts dating Miguel and making friends with the other Cobra Kai students. Her firm stance on striking first on the show, and her powerhouse fighting, makes her a huge presence. When she leads the fight at the high school at the end of the season, she cements herself as the character to watch. Tory doesn’t hold back, and most characters end up taking a backseat to her when she’s in a scene.
Her Rivalry With Sam Takes Over The Show
Miguel and Robby might have their differences, and Hawk might turn his back on Demetri for a while, but it’s Sam and Tory that become the rivalry driving much of the show. As students switch sides and learn new karate styles, Tory remains loyal to Cobra Kai. Sam might learn some Eagle Fang moves, but she’s never tempted to join Cobra Kai, just as Tory is never tempted to leave it. Unlike everyone else who can ally when they need to, they are firmly opposing sides.
Interestingly, though Tory starts the war between them by targeting Sam at school, it’s Sam who cannot let it go. Sam is the one who continually brings up Tory dating the same people as her, and it’s Sam who doesn’t want Tory to be able to move on with her life when Tory wants to come back to school.
It makes sense considering the fight with Tory has left Sam with a lot of scars - both physical and emotional. As someone who began karate firmly following her father’s rules, the idea that Tory would use a weapon against her in a fight shakes her on its own. Sam spends a long time getting the courage to walk by the spot where Tory injured her and Miguel fell from the second floor. Flashbacks to the fight haunt her throughout Season 3 until Sam finds the courage to face Tory unprompted in Season 4.
Seasons 3 And 4 Highlight Tory’s Vulnerabilities
With Tory going so hard against Sam, it might be difficult to think that Tory could be redeemed or become a hero in her own right. The audience can see it, however, because Tory’s vulnerabilities are shown just as much as her strengths - especially in Cobra Kai's Seasons 3 and 4.
The audience discovers that Tory is the soul provider for her family. Her father is long gone, her mother is severely ill, and Tory has to make sure she and her little brother are taken care of. That leaves her as the one paying the rent and putting food on the table, something that’s put in jeopardy when she causes the fight at school, and when her aunt shows up threatening to take her to court to get custody of her little brother.
The glimpses into Tory’s home life show the audience exactly why she’s become such a fierce fighter. She’s aggressive because people keep trying to take advantage of her. She’s angry because the world keeps taking things from her. Tory wants a chance to be happy, and the world keeps moving that away from her. When she turns to Amanda LaRusso for help, despite the conflict between her and her family, that’s the moment Tory’s path in the show could have started to shift.
Can Tory Become A Cobra Kai Hero
With the earlier seasons placing Tory front and center for the stories, Tory is already primed to have her own spotlighted character arc. If Tory is going to become one of the heroes of Cobra Kai, like Sam and Miguel, she’s seeing her slow hero’s journey start to play out in Season 4. Tory freely admits to Robby that she’s a little tired of the fighting, just as he admits to Johnny at the end of the season. Tory’s also taken the first step in finding an ally in seeking out Amanda. She even sought out Sam at school to attempt to put everything behind them. Tory has also seen the one mentor she trusts - John Kreese - taken from her. Set up by Terry Silver to take the fall for an assault, Kreese is going to start Season 5 in jail.
Tory, however, is the only person to know that Terry Silver bribed the referee at the All Valley Tournament to let her beat Sam. Tory, who wanted that win desperately to prove that she was good at something that was just for her, found out she didn’t win fair and square. Even though she didn’t fight dirty, and even though she promised Amanda she wouldn’t injure Sam during the match, Tory still finds out that the sensei who is supposed to have her back didn’t believe in her abilities.
That might be enough to finish pushing Tory onto the hero’s path and turning away from Cobra Kai completely. Characters like Miguel, Demetri, and Hawk, all walked away from Cobra Kai when it became clear to them that the dojo was pushing the wrong values on them. Some of them might have realized that sooner than others, but Tory could easily be the next one out. For all her anger and aggression, Tory isn’t a “bad person,” and her turn is coming. She could be exactly the hero the show needs in Season 5 as Terry Silver becomes the true villain of the series.
Cobra Kai is currently streaming on Netflix.