Cobra Kai: Every Miyagi-Do Karate Student Daniel Taught (So Far)

Through the first two seasons of Cobra Kai, Daniel LaRusso has spread the teachings of Miyagi-Do karate to a number of promising young students. With John Kreese having taken full control of the “no mercy” dojo in season 3, Daniel’s students will have their work cut out for them facing off against an even more brutal breed of Cobra Kais going forward. And now that Robby has been seduced to the dark side, some other Miyagi-Do students will have to step up to the plate.

While the main appeal of Cobra Kai through its first two seasons has been the reprised arcs of past Karate Kid characters like Johnny, Daniel and Kreese, the show has also introduced a great ensemble of new young karate practitioners. Miguel, Aisha, Robby, Sam, Hawk, and the rest of teens who make up the rival dojos have developed into distinct characters with compelling struggles and storylines all their own. That multigenerational nature of Cobra Kai’s narrative has helped it succeed both as an extension of The Karate Kid franchise, and as a new, independent series.

Daniel’s dojo may not have grown as quickly as Johnny’s, but by the middle of Cobra Kai’s second season he managed to assemble a squad of promising young prospects. His style of nonaggressive, self-defense-oriented karate attracted a number of Cobra Kai students who were unsettled by Kreese’s extreme tactics. Now that Johnny and Daniel are properly teaming up against Kreese’s manipulative tyranny, the new Miyagi-Do can look forward to getting a few lessons from Sensei Lawrence’s unique brand of teaching, in addition to the strictures of Mr. Miyagi. Whatever happens, it will be interesting to see how Daniel’s dojo continues to grow. These are all the Miyagi-Do students so far.

Robby Keene

As the first official student of Daniel’s dojo, Robby largely rekindles the Miyagi-Do rivalry with Cobra Kai. He comes to the teachings of Mr. Miyagi much like Daniel himself did – through a string of poor circumstances that leave him feeling down and out. In some ways though, Robby’s path in Cobra Kai is even more complicated. His work with Daniel is initially meant simply to spite his father, Johnny Lawrence, but it turns into a much more honest relationship very quickly. Daniel offers a mentoring hand that Robby has lacked in his life, and the peaceful nature of Miyagi-Do gives him respite from the tumultuous life he’s been forced to live.

Robby’s also one of the most promising young karate practitioners in the whole show. His duel with Miguel at the All-Valley Tournament ends in defeat, but only after a serious of cheap blows to preexisting injuries. Robby takes to the style of Miyagi-Do incredibly quickly, even managing to pull off some moves Daniel himself had trouble with. Though his anger has gotten the better of him lately and sent him to join Kreese, Robby could still have a chance for redemption in Cobra Kai season 4.

Samantha LaRusso

Though she joins the dojo after Robby, Samantha is technically Daniel’s first karate student. As his daughter, she trained with him for years as a young girl, though she later fell away from practicing. After the events of Cobra Kai season 1 and the in-school turmoil caused by Cobra Kai’s emergence, Sam decides to take up her gi and belt once more, properly becoming a student of Miyagi-Do alongside Robby.

Sam is easily one of the most skilled fighters in the whole series. She has far more experience in karate than nearly any of her peers because of her upbringing, and it doesn’t take her long to get back to full strength. She successfully battles off a number of talented foes in Cobra Kai seasons 2 and 3, including Tory, and her abilities should only continue growing as the show moves forward.

Demetri

The third student of Daniel’s dojo and the last to join up before the great exodus from Cobra Kai, Demetri doesn’t take to the lessons quite as quickly as Robby and Sam. He comes to Miyagi-Do largely out of frustration with what Cobra Kai has done to his friend Eli (Hawk) and to learn how to defend himself from bullies. Over time, the teachings of Miyagi-Do begin to make sense to him, culminating in a victory over Hawk during the climactic school brawl at the end of season 2. As one of the show’s moral centers, Demetri’s role in the dojo will likely only expand going forward, and his much-improved confidence and skill in season 3 is a testament to that growth.

Chris

After Daniel reveals Kreese’s underhanded tactics in the Cobra Kai dojo, several students decide to leave and begin training in Miyagi-Do instead. Chris is one of those students. He originally signs up with Cobra Kai after seeing Miguel’s cafeteria fight, but the more brutal aspects of the dojo seem to unsettle him from the beginning. He’s part of the group that tries to beat up Demetri after he joins Daniel’s dojo, though again, Chris is hesitant of his comrades’ aggressive behavior and tries to discourage it. While he remains more of a side character in seasons 2 and 3, his role will likely grow as Daniel and Johnny continue his training in preparation for their All-Valley showdown with Kreese and Cobra Kai.

Nathaniel

Like Chris, Nathaniel defects from the Cobra Kai dojo to Miyagi-Do after Daniel reveals Kreese’s true nature. He serves mostly as a background character, though he does play a notable role in the school brawl, earning a victory over Cobra Kai’s Bert in a one-on-one. With a personal stake against the more mean-spirited members of Cobra Kai, Nathaniel should continue to play a prominent role in the duel between the dojos. Hopefully, a proper spotlight duel will be in the cards for Nathaniel at the next All-Valley Tournament.

Other Miyagi-Do Karate Students

In addition to the named and featured students of Daniel’s dojo, there are a number of other teens who transfer over after leaving Cobra Kai. These characters exits mostly as extras in the background, but they’ll only become more important as the war with Cobra Kai heats up. Plus, the union of Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang Karate means many new opportunities to share the lessons of Mr. Miyagi with Johnny’s students as well. With Daniel finally having gathered a sizable class of students and officially joining forces with Johnny, Miyagi-Do looks to be in good shape as Cobra Kai moves forward.

About The Author

Rick Stevenson
(1221 Articles Published)

Rick Stevenson is a writer, editor and performer based in Brooklyn, NY. He’s written on TV, film and games for over six years, in addition to assorted stints in bookselling, carpentry, and TV production. Rick studied writing at the College of William & Mary and Oxford University, and can report with some authority that they are both old. He lives and dies for Avatar: The Last Airbender.

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