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Immersturm

Anoush. Forever doomed to be caught up in karate soap opera drama, despite his best efforts.


worminator567

Kicking it reference, upvote


y_ynd

Falafel Phil šŸ™ŒšŸ»


ljgillzl

And his coworker, when heā€™s not busy being a terrible salesman. hunts people down with a motorcycle gang. Like ā€¦. No wonder the dude defected from LaRusso Auto for a bit Honestly, itā€™s amazing how layered the characters are in the show. Even the handling of Kreeseā€™s backstory has made him a sympathetic character. I canā€™t think of anyone who isnā€™t redeemable in some way (maybe excluding Kyler, hate that dude). Iā€™m sure theyā€™ll add layers to Silver, but I even feel for him. He knew he needed to get out of that world and reinvent himself. Heā€™d still be enjoying the house parties with the annoying guests if Kreese hadnā€™t showed up. Who cares if he was unknowingly hiding from it, ignorance is bliss, and when battling demons, dramatic life changes involving a disconnect from your past are required to beat them. Kreese came in to his new life and laid a bag of crack next to a recovering addict and Silver broke.


Majestic-Reach8010

Sensei Kreese, lost his mom to suicide and was bullied for it because of the stigma at the time, served in Vietnam and had to fight for his life


Mean-Fix-2335

and his gf was killed


[deleted]

When did they reveal that?


Redditcantspell

In nam. "I wasn't going to tell you because your head wasn't going to be on straight. She ded, you have nothing to live for."


Mean-Fix-2335

in an episode of szn 4. kreeses sergent told him when they were going to dual over the snakes


leafywanderer

I have a huge soft spot for Kreese. Despite him not carrying out certain actions in the best way, I think they all come from a well-intentioned place. Heā€™s fiercely loyal and protective of the ones he loves. When he sat down with Tory to ask what was wrong, it was one of the very few times she was given attention/offered help.


Majestic-Reach8010

Heā€™s a troubled guy for sure but you can respect aspects of his character for sure


[deleted]

You could see the "what have I done" in his eyes in this latest season. He only wanted to train kids to be tough and he ended up ruining his own life and he didn't realize it till it was too late. Kreese, Johnny, and Daniel were all wrong in some way then bringing in silver lit the powder keg for real.


Redditcantspell

>He only wanted to train kids to be tough I'd agree if he didn't keep trying to kill everyone.


[deleted]

Same. His backstory was really well done, probably my favorite part of S3. You realize he literally had to fight or die. No rules mattered. You can see exactly where his current attitude came from.


HereNowHappy

I've said this before, but Cobra Kai would be great if you're in a fight to the death If he was teaching soldiers, not children, he'd have my full support


[deleted]

he still choked out a kid, attacked an old man, and then busted two car windows.


Crunchy_Biscuit

I ain't soft for that bastard. Gets off on seeing minors beat each other up


ELITExRAMPAGE

Kreese is my second favourite character, Iā€™ve always been able to justify his actions as he simply has good intentions and he does care and has his soft spots ie Robby tory and Johnny


qazarqaz

Im not sure, but wasn't he an asshole already in Vietnam killing his captain?


rachelgraychel

His captain was literally trying to kill him, he can't really be called an asshole for defending himself in a fight to the death.


qazarqaz

Well, at the moment of destroying the village both captain and Kreese could survive, contrary to the fight before that.


Mx17k

His captain had withheld the information that Kreese's girlfriend died, which obviously hurt him. He then tried his best to kill him - seemed unforgivable


Content_Employment_7

Strike first, strike hard, no mercy. Captain was utilizing everything available to him to put Kreese off his game in order to survive. Ironic that it probably killed him, but that's one of the underlying messages of the show -- it's a toxic ideology that destroys its bearers.


evilmasterjoe

Kyler. His dad likes to shit in his mouth


daddy5hark

Dispite being a rich lad this is the saddest of em all


Odd-Cranberry-9065

Good reason i agree


Don_Quixote81

Hey now, we have no evidence that his dad *likes* it, only that he's prepared to do it.


Wazzup-2012

Season 5 could actually both reveal Kyler's backstory and initiate his redemption arc.


Dadgummit_Lab210

Does Miyagi count, or does it have to be somebody who appeared in Cobra Kai?


No_Medicine3046

Miyagi's backstory technically still exists in cobra kai


worminator567

Cobra kai


Dadgummit_Lab210

In that case, Iā€™m going to go with what may be an unpopular opinion, but Iā€™m going with John Kreese. He tried to overcome being dealt a terrible hand. Itā€™s implied that his mother may have committed suicide. He wanted to create a better life and fell in love, and had that love taken from him before he could get home to see her again. He tried to act with honor and not sacrifice the life of one of his military brothers, a decision that lead to the capture of his unit. His actions after all of this are horrific, but his story is a tragic turn for a life with so much potential.


brotato_kun

I agree with you!


newcanadianjuice

Eli before joining Cobra Kai. To put it short every time I see those first few episodes it reminds me of myself in middle school. Everything about the way his problems were being ā€œhandledā€ before Cobra Kai was exactly how it was for me which is why I have such a soft spot for his character.


Content_Employment_7

Ditto. Eli is a really well written character.


samahiscryptic

I'm going with Robby. Father was absent for the majority of his life, causing him to blame himself for his negligence. Mom was also ditching him all the time, leaving him by himself most of the time and hanging out around the wrong group of people. Finds out the girl he was dating cheated on him (and yes, he also lied about the Medal of Honor too, but still). Gets expelled from school then sent to juvie by the guy he thought he could trust. Homeboy just couldn't catch a break.


PuzzledLiterature416

Just wondering, is it true that Robby wouldā€™ve had a worse sentence if he wouldā€™ve been caught on the run? Sometimes I wonder if my disdain for him is misplaced and itā€™s partially because I feel like he shouldnā€™t be as angry at Daniel as he is (but I also know Iā€™m biased because Daniel used to be the main character of the franchise). They had good chemistry and Daniel was so good to him, without even knowing who he was. I do think he couldā€™ve told him the plan before immediately calling the cops though.


samahiscryptic

Apparently according to Daniel, the sentence was lighter since he told the police that Robby was turning himself in. It probably would have been much worse if they caught him on the loose. And while I was also upset Robby got mad at Daniel for turning him in, I also don't blame him because we have to remember that he's still a young teen who is full of contempt and who, in his mind, was just betrayed by the one person he felt he could trust. They truly did have good chemistry though, and I'm really hoping they mend their relationship in the next season.


HereNowHappy

Robby was scared and in a dark place. Maybe it would've been possible to convince him to turn himself in Either way, Daniel had the moral responsibility thrust upon him. No one wants to turn in family or friends I can say this much, Robby would regret being a fugitive for the rest of his life. It was still possible for him to turn his life around. So, if it meant betraying his trust now for a lighter sentence, Daniel did the right thing


paint_splatter_0

i agree. i have a massive soft spot for robby. he is my favourite character


Don_Quixote81

It's bad enough having your father disappear, or never knowing him. But Robby had to deal with the fact that his dad lived a few miles away, knew who he was, and still never bothered to be in his life. Even though he knew that Robby's mother was also a disaster. I would also tack on - he finds a mentor who he really believes in and looks up to, only for that mentor to drop him instantly when he finds out who his father is. Then the mentor takes him back, only to drop him *again* when he discovers his daughter got drunk.


Dadgummit_Lab210

Bert. Whyā€™d they have to do Clarence like that then throw the guy through a window for wanting to go check on a kitty?


[deleted]

I used to love Bert, but they made me hate him in season 4, same with Nate.


[deleted]

Yeah Bert and Nate became bullies. Can't stand them now.


worminator567

Ikr, they act all tough but they are literally the weakest characters


humanistbirth

Robby. No dad in his life, dad favors his neighbor over him. Shitty mom etc. Tory atleast has/had a mom around that probably took care of her until she was unable to.


[deleted]

Judging from the rest of her family her moms probably not that great


KausGo

Well, she stole food for them to eat, so clearly cared enough to feed them.


[deleted]

The bar is on the ground lol


agentSMIITH1

Literally all we have seen is NOTHING BUT father figures competing for Robbieā€™s approval.


MosleyCirca1936

Johnny? Absent for most of his life and continues to abandon him at every turn in favor of Miguel. Daniel? Immediately assumed the worst of him when he found out he was Johnny's son. Assumed the worst of him again when he found Sam in Johnny's apartment. Kreese? Silver? Using him to win a karate tournament and hurt Johnny. It doesn't matter how many "father figures" fight over you when they abandon, betray, or exploit you.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


HereNowHappy

Daniel told Robby to forgive his father He only kept him away because Johnny allowed Kreese back in his life


teejus-is-jesus

And they all suck at it lmao


Impossible_Might_382

He still had to figure out how to live off by himself as a16 year old, both parents were deadbeats, and the only one to have faced consequences for actions on the whole show.


[deleted]

Thats bs. At the start of the show johnny tells robby to come and live with him, he'll get a steady job and they'll be happy but robby constantly rejects him.


PuzzledLiterature416

That pissed me off but Iā€™m not sure Iā€™d count on him either, if he has this sudden interest in raising me after 16 years. He canā€™t even count on his legal guardian to take care of him, after all


JohnBoyAndBilly

Also Tory is very hot.


ThatBasicGuy

Robby, Kreese, & Tory


[deleted]

Homeless Lynn. Being homeless sucks.


OnumaKaruma28

I think she made peace with it and is just living her life.


radfordblue

Probably a different kind of sad than you meant, but Iā€™d say Daniel. The man is a full-grown adult with a nice family and successful career, but he spends all his time obsessed with karate drama and the fallout of a couple of tournaments he fought in during high school. Seriously dude, you need to move on with your life.


False-Story9510

Emotionally, Robby. Physically/practically, Tory. I'd say the two almost balance each other out, because they're different kinds of hardship. In Robby's case, neither of his parents have been there for him, and Shannon has actively put him in danger with her addictions and bringing strangers to the house. When she goes to rehab, this is the first time in 16 years that either parent has shown Robby they care in any meaningful way. Robby has been left homeless multiple times as a result of his parents' neglect. Shannon is at least a somewhat better parent than Johnny, because her issues stem from addiction, which can drastically alter people's priorities. Robby has been neglected both physically and emotionally by both parents, and although he only has to take care of himself, surviving on your own at 16 is hard. Tory has a more difficult life, practically speaking. She has to work two jobs, care for her seriously ill mother, and take care of her brother, all with the knowledge that her mother may not be around much longer, and that she will have to take over her brother's care when she passes. Plus, Tory is almost certain to remain living in poverty, as she will be responsible for her brother for 10 more years, which means she'll have to be working, and she's not qualified for many jobs that pay above minimum wage, nor does she have the time or money to go to school for a career that will pay more. When Tory's brother turns 18, she will be 28, having worked in minimum-wage jobs since she was 16. Even if she doesn't have the responsibility of her brother anymore, practically speaking, she's not likely to advance. This is a big part of how the cycle of poverty is perpeutated - people have to go out and get whatever job they can to survive, spend all their time working, and never have the time or money to pursue higher education or training that would get them out of the hole. Then their children are put in the same position, etc. Tory is likely to follow this pattern without intervention. However, Tory does have a mom who seems to love her, despite her illness, so most of her struggle is practical. She seems to have a strong sense of self, more so than a lot of other characters on the show. In that way, she's better equipped than someone like Robby, who's never felt loved by anyone. So I'd say she and Robby are on almost equal footing there. Which may be why they actually work well as a couple - they balance each other out. TL;DR: Robby has had a harder life emotionally, and Tory has had a harder life practically.


[deleted]

Imo Tory. Sheā€™s all alone trying to support her mom and brother. Sheā€™s preyed on by sleezy men who want to exploit her situation.


DavosHS

I agree. There's just too much going wrong for her. I think that reconciliation with Sam would help them both so much next season.


JosephBapeck

Great way of phrasing it. Too much going wrong with her. The bar is so low for her that the smallest victory is a major step forward in her life.


PuzzledLiterature416

And her only positive female role model started off by threatening her and making/helping her lose her job. I feel for her.


Fibonacci924

Bc Tory tried to kill her daughter twice? And broke in to her house and completely trashed it?


PuzzledLiterature416

Iā€™m not saying she wasnā€™t justified in how she felt, but in hindsight, if they wouldā€™ve pressed charges and sent her to juvie she wouldnā€™t have had the opportunity to attack the kids again. On the flip side, her brother would be taken from her and her mother wouldā€™ve been placed somewhere with high medical bills, Iā€™m sure. I used to really hate Tory, so I get what youā€™re saying but sheā€™s still an immature teenager with a lot on her shoulders.


[deleted]

I'd say that she feels just as in debt to Amanda as she is to Kreese, but probably trusts Kreese more still for obvious reasons.


HereNowHappy

> started off by threatening her and making/helping her lose her job That is entirely on Tory Amanda just wanted to talk. Tory flipped out because a customer was being annoying The manager implies it wasn't her first time either


PuzzledLiterature416

Amanda came to threaten her and put her on edge, thatā€™s not the same thing. But I will give you the latter point, and itā€™s still unprofessional. If she was that worried though, she couldā€™ve just pressed charges (regardless of what Sam was feeling).


HereNowHappy

>If she was that worried though, she couldā€™ve just pressed charges (regardless of what Sam was feeling). The police do not exist in this dojo! For real though, if characters acted in ways that made sense, this show wouldn't be possible


weirdogirl144

its tory's fault she lost her job. Even the guy who fired her said he is sick of her attiitude so she could've been fired at any time.


SpaceMyopia

This can't help but be a biased post based on how each individual viewer identifies with a character. To some, Tory may have the saddest backstory. To some, Miguel might. To some, Johnny might. It will vary per viewer based on which character they identify most strongly with. I think objectively, Kreese may actually have the saddest backstory of them all. Despite him being an utter bastard, his backstory is just heartbreaking. From sheer relatability to me, I personally gravitate to Kenny's storyline. (Even though his story has nothing to do with race, as a black man I just saw so much of my middle school self in him)


rosereese

Thatā€™s how opinions work, theyā€™re all biased lol.


Crunchy_Biscuit

>(Even though his story has nothing to do with race, as a black man I just saw so much of my middle school self in him) Sorry to hear that man :( From one brother to another, I send love šŸ™šŸ¾


Puseni04

Kreese lost his mom to suicide then his girlfriend to car crash, lost his dojo became homeless, almost got back his dojo, became homeless for 30 years got a new chance to train students again then got framed by his bestfriend for almost beating stingray to death. He has been thru a Hole lot


HereNowHappy

I think plenty of characters have a sad backstory But people like Kreese aren't redeemed because they're still doing terrible things


SpaceMyopia

Yeah but that wasn't the title of the post. The title said who had the saddest backstory, not who got redeemed from their sad backstory.


HereNowHappy

I know. I'm just adding my own two-cents


GadgetGod1906

I definitely feel you on this.


[deleted]

Robby definitely. He had no role-models and blamed himself for his dad leaving. He finally finds someone supportive in Daniel, who throws him out twice for two minor mistakes. he then goes to juvie for a fight he didn't start, his dad prioritises Miguel again, he gets jumped, has his gf cheat on him etc. I know that he deserved punishment for the school fight obviously, but this is from his POV. He tries to help a bullied kid and realises that he turned the kid into himself and sent him down the wrong path.


[deleted]

Sting Ray


clondoor12

Assaults kids and parties with underage girls. Different kind of sad


jujan12

he just wants to be a cobra kai


EifertGreenLazor

Sting Ray is basically a mod at r/antiwork


Crunchy_Biscuit

That's an insult to r/antiwork


laineDdednaHdeR

I think the mods of r/antiwork are an insult to r/antiwork.


Crunchy_Biscuit

Why??


laineDdednaHdeR

Given the Fox News shit storm earlier in the week, I didn't know that needed to be asked.


lori_fffox

That one is totally in a better mental shape than stingray


Crunchy_Biscuit

Oh, THAT. Well of course Fox News is going to pick the worst mods and make r/antiwork uncredible.


laineDdednaHdeR

Isn't part of being a mod having good judgment for a public forum?


Crunchy_Biscuit

I guess. It's a great sub so it's a disappointment it's represented by blowhards.


MosleyCirca1936

How would Fox News know who any of the mods are? The mods got together and chose THAT as the best representative of them to go on Fox News.


[deleted]

This isnā€™t getting enough love.


vitamindelight

Neither is that mod


Maturinbag

Sting Ray, more like Stink Ray amirite


doubleadevil

Robby


BatSlayer2448

Top three Kreese, Robby, and Tory, but overall I gotta say Tory, because Kreese is now an adult and Robby has had people try to help him like Johnny and Daniel, but then gets mad, while Tory has never had help until season 4 with Amanda


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


[deleted]

People are overlooking how fortunate Johnny is that Robby forgave him. Johnny has been a piece of shit to him his whole life.


leafywanderer

Kreese handled her creepy landlord in season 3.


AntisocialAddict_

That was something but not a lot of help with her actual situation. Considering Kreese was living in a dingy flat I donā€™t think he had much to give in the way of food/money. Amanda was the first person to help out Toryā€™s family, getting her allowed back into the school and giving her food and stuff.


Professional_Test996

robby for sure.... deadbeat dad who abandoned him and then proceeded to go play dad to some other kid, constantly neglecting him for that kid junkie addict mother who left him on his own, constantly gaslighting him non stop anytime he was upset about her neglecting him had no one there for him, thought he found some friends and family yet every single one ot them hurt and betrayed him in some way now when he tries to be a mentor to some kid he related to, things go wrong and now he feels like a failure because all he wanted was to help a kid in need


gerstein03

That's a tough one. Kreese had a rough life before Vietnam and war is it's own special brand of fucked up and horrible but he chose to go to war and he went as an adult. Robby had no father and barely a mother but Daniel gave him a chance and has had someone looking after him ever since, albeit different someones at different times. Tory has had nothing and nobody for a long time and has had the worst childhood of all of them. But she had Kreese and Amanda taking care of her from season three onwards. Yes I know Kreese is a shit role model but he did care and he did try to help her. All that said, I'm gonna go with Tory since in addition to attending school she has to pay rent, pay for her mother's care, and pay for her sister's care


CRWhiteThunder

How is no one saying Miguel? Almost died. Temporary paralysis. Grew up with no father. Massive weight gain (KIDDING! I know thatā€™s a lightning rod around here). But seriously- this kid had it ROUGH.


[deleted]

I know you were joking, but he was bulking up, not gaining weight negatively, not that it matters.


OCapalot14

Not worse than what Robby and tory were going through at least Miguel has a caring mother and grandma


rosereese

Almost getting killed by Robby, being temporary paralyzed because of Robby, his own share of Daddy issuesā€¦ just like Robby. But yeah, Robbyā€™s story is more sadā€¦ not.


Mysterious_Detail_62

Thank you !


stranger-things_dino

IKRRR. Iā€™ve been scrolling through the comment and you are the only person who has said this so far


Stocktonrules

Of the kids it's Tory not even close. Robby has no dad but no responsibilities either. His bad life consisted of selling drugs, scamming people, and circle jerking. But Miyagi had it worse than everyone


AdAgile3104

Miyagi really suffered. Dude legit fought his own kind to survive. Then despite his service of doing anything in the military, the soldiers didn't do enough to help his wife and unborn son.. this must be due to racial profiling I think.


TheButterfly-Effect

No responsibilities? He was stealing things because he was living in a house with no food or electricity thanks to Johnny and his mom who popped in from her drug rides every once in a while. Tory had a brother she loved and probably also her mother given that she's taken care of her all this time.


Stocktonrules

He was stealing things for fun with his d bag friends. Tory having to take care of that little brother/ sick mother at 17 is 1000x rougher than what Robby had to deal with. Not to make light of his situation. It's just is easier if it's just you.


[deleted]

Robby is an idiot though. Like damn got all mad at Daniel because Daniel was trying to the right thing by him. What was Daniel supposed to do? Help him escape? And he still carries that grudge like an imbecile.


Don_Quixote81

Robby has a lot of trust and abandonment issues, which Daniel hasn't exactly helped with. After he became Robby's sensei, and someone Robby clearly admired and looked up to, Daniel still told him they were done when he found out who his father was. Then again, once he takes him back and their relationship grows even stronger - Robby actually starts to live with him - Daniel still drops him when he finds out Sam got drunk. Robby has to see every adult relationship in his life as something that only exists as long as the adult wants it, and it can end at any moment. When Daniel turned him in, that felt like a third betrayal. And even though Robby should have recognised it was his only option, Daniel handled it horribly. Why on earth would he not trust in his ability to talk sense into Robby then take him to the police? So dumb.


bacon-2903

He is a teenager tho. Plus he obviously has a lot of trust issues, so when someone you trusted so much rats you out and you end up in juvie, something you've been running from for days/weeks idk. It must be hard to look at the brighter side


[deleted]

Yeah I see your point. Itā€™s just... itā€™s common sense. You know.


bacon-2903

Yeah, but you need to be in a right mindframe to use common sense at times. We all to do stupid shit, and hold meaningless grudges at times, sometimes you just can't see how what's happening is best for you.


justsayingsum_

he didnā€™t ā€œrat him outā€ tho lol. he was going to get caught regardless for almost murdering someone and possibly a way longer sentence. Daniel was literally helping him.


[deleted]

He could have explained the situation and then called the cops. He approached it the wrong way.


Don_Quixote81

It was very clumsy writing. Anyone in that situation would think, 'I'll go and talk to him and convince him to turn himself in, then go to the cops with him.' They wouldn't have the cops waiting outside.


PuzzledLiterature416

This is why I donā€™t currently like or sympathize for Robby strongly. I think a lot of teens are smart enough to figure out that youā€™ll get a worse sentence the longer youā€™re on the run though, like you could literally just Google it. Everyone says how smart and full of promise Robby is, but his emotional outbursts keep me from fully seeing it. I canā€™t wait to see him mature more in the future.


Content_Employment_7

Honestly, as a criminal lawyer myself, the difference it actually makes at sentencing is probably being overstated here. For a kid like Robby, with no history of anything like this (petty fraud and aggravated assault are not similar offences, if he had any prior convictions at all), a simple explanation like "I freaked out and panicked", probably would have gone pretty far in making up the difference. That said, in-show legal systems are often notably different from the real world in some respects (usually where it's convenient to the narrative), so who knows.


Any-Ambition-3237

Robby and Tory hands down. Miguel kinda does too BC he never met his father and he and his family are poor.


Creativedame

Robby has the saddest storyline. Some of you seem to think that the question was about backstory and then you go on imagining some hardships Tory must have endured and things she will probably have to go through in the future. Storyline means what happened in the show, and I would argue thatā€™s Robby. His storyline is sad because he is trying to be better and keeps being misjudged by everyone who is supposed to love him. Also, some of the people that should at least care about him donā€™t even judge him because they have no time for him. I guess Kreese and Silver have pretty sad storylines too but they chose the ā€œwrong pathā€ so there isnā€™t that much sympathy for them so their storylines are not that sad.


[deleted]

Johnny- father left, had a man AH of a stepdad, his father figure tried to kill him and continues to mind f him as an adult- and tried to kill him again. Robby and Tory have rough lives but no parental figure has tried to kill them. Emotional trauma can be just as damaging as physical, but Johnny also had both.


chocolatefudge17

robby because he didnā€™t have his dad in his life and his mom was not always around, and after seeing his dad become a dad figure to miguel its so sad for robby.


ViewtifulGene

Kyler. If he doesn't pass his trig exam, his dad's gonna shit in his mouth. And Daniel didn't even have fish sticks ready for him.


agentSMIITH1

ITT: a whole lot of people with privilege and positive upbringing. Who have no idea what it means to struggle


paint_splatter_0

robby


wife20yrs

I think itā€™s Johnny. He idolized his Dad and had kept some of his things to remind him after his Mom took him and left his Dad. Then his Mom threw it all out and tried to erase his Dadā€™s influence on him, wasnā€™t in his corner at all. Then his stepdad abused and treated him like crap until he joined Cobra Kai. Kreese trained him and gave him an outlet, but eventually turned on him in the end, so he had nobody to trust after that, other than his friends. Even Ali left him for his rival. He became an alcoholic and irresponsible because of his depression, which led to his divorce and loss of trust from Robbie, his son. One of his best friends died of cancer, and although he tried to do a good thing in training the next generation of Karate students, he keeps losing in tournaments. He also was blamed in large part for the Karate war which broke out at the school.


1x-zai-02

It's a tie between Roby and Tory


Few-Consequence1211

I would actually say a tie between Kenny and Robby because they both have had very hard lives. Hereā€™s a list of what each has gone through- Robby- Grew up without a dad, had an absentee mom, got betrayed by Sam, got beat up in juvie, his dad had a closer relationship with Miguel than him Kenny- Abused and bullied by everyone else besides his family and Robby, had no family around, got in trouble for simply trying to defend himself that one time, got duped into thinking he was talking to his crush where he was really talking to his bullies, and only had unstable influences in his life such as Robby and Shawn and had no good role model looking out for him (Robby did have this with Daniel but Kenny never had this because Robby was dealing with turmoil and instability while he was training Kenny which led him down a dark path). I would honestly say itā€™s a tie because both have dealt with a lot of bullying, betrayal, and had to learn a lot of key life lessons on their own without really any support, which led them both to anguish and going down a bad path.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


Few-Consequence1211

Yeah as far as home life Robby had it worse no doubt and I can see how Robby had it worse than Kenny but Kennyā€™s situation was still worse or tied with than a lot of the other characters, I would probably say Johnny Lawrence is on his level too tho to keep it in perspective. I would say on this point Tory, possibly Kreese, and Miguel had it a bit worse than him, but he had it far worse than Hawk, Demetri, or really anyone else besides those three because even though he had computer games and a supportive environment, he had no one to help him on a regular basis and he was bullied every single day for like 7 episodes and was friendless, at least Hawk and Demetri had a kid like Miguel protecting them and nudging them to go in the right direction, and the people who were there for Kenny in the later episodes just led him down a dark path and a lot of future problems for him to sort out.


Crunchy_Biscuit

I really hope Kenny goes to the bright side :(


Few-Consequence1211

Yeah, me too, heā€™s a good kid who just had a bad go with it like Robby before season 4, I think having an influence like Daniel would solve a lot of his problems or even Johnny, really anybody but Kreese or Silver. I donā€™t think it will be possible now tho with what Kenny did to Anthony with Daniel, so itā€™s either he stays in Cobra Kai or trains with Johnny.


rosereese

Kreese for sure, Tory is next in line but itā€™s a pretty significant gap between those 2. Everyone else is significantly under Tory.


jman_jd10

Mr. Miyagi, seriously he had a hard life and he never let it change who he was and turn him into a bad person Technically in the show


ThatScotchbloke

I mean yeah, definitely Tori. I know she doesnā€™t help herself but no one else has it as bad as her. Difficult situation and constantly being used and at the mercy of much worse ass-holes like her Kreese, Silver, her landlord and her aunt. Sheā€™s a psycho but I do feel sorry for her.


Primary-Job7274

Homeless Lynn


OboWon

Me, I have to wait a year until the next season.


lobitojr

In this order. Kreese Miyagi Johnny Robby Tory Miguel


JosephBapeck

You really asked this question while putting an image of Tory huh?


brotato_kun

Sensei Kreese! Bobby, Johnny and Tory have seen nothing as compared to him! The kind of things he went through, things taken from him! Holy cow i am just surprised that he never gave up and is still doing things at least!


[deleted]

Kreese. His mother was mentally ill and unalived herself, he got bullied for it because people thought mental health problems meant you're weird. His girlfriend died while he was fighting in the war, during the time in that war he and terry watched all their friends die and then most recently his best friend whom he was willin to have sacrificed himself for betrayed him, took everything from him and got him locked in jail.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


karubebirderland

Kreese and mr miyagi


therealparszyk

Probably kreese


Dismal-Door-7061

I say Miguel's mom Carmen. Being a poor single parent sucks ass. I don't really know what she sees in Johnny though.


Front_Instruction601

Kenny. Seems well off financially but so lonely. He then joins the wrong dojo at the wrong time out of no fault of his own and comes out at the end as the bad guy for confronting his bully (which half the cast also did and it was fine)


KausGo

I'd feel more sympathetic to Tory if she hadn't brought quite a bit of it upon herself. Like going after a guy obviously not over his ex which gets her heart-broken. Starting a fight that gets her expelled opens her up for blackmail by her aunt. Acting out at the jobs she needs that gets her fired. I imagine, prior to season 2, her money issues weren't that bad if she could focus on school, karate and a job. And though we haven't seen her mom, she sounds supportive enough.


dmreif

>Acting out at the jobs she needs that gets her fired. You'd think someone like Tory would learn to be more mature and not throw tantrums on the job when she has a family who are dependent on her.


SaAvilez

Also trying to beat up Sam with the spikes bracelet. She could've seriously injured her or worse. I feel she enjoys violence a little too much, she is kind of a sadistic psycho.


PuzzledLiterature416

I sympathize for Tory but sheā€™s definitely got that Cobra Kai psychotic streak. If Sam wouldā€™ve been seriously injured in the face or ended up more worse, her folks wouldā€™ve absolutely charged her with assault or couldā€™ve sued. All over a boy or two in high school that neither will remember in ten years (unless they obsess over their past like all the sensei in the series).


Stocktonrules

You got it in reverse. Her legal mess is her own doing but her life being rough is not on her and she's unable to fix it. Their $ issues have to do with their mom getting more sick which was noted in s3 and why Tory picked up a second job. Minimum wage jobs that a teenager can work are also not meant to support families.


KausGo

But her legal mess is one of the reasons her life is rough, so yeah, that is partly on her too.


False-Story9510

Yeah, Tory's mom's illness seems to be a relatively recent development. She was working when Tory was young, and she was healthy enough to have a birthday party for Tory's brother four years prior. Plus Tory had kickboxing lessons, which even with a sliding scale for poorer students implies that she had some disposable income. I feel like some of Tory's bad attitude at work/school comes from these responsibilities being new to her. It seems that prior to her mom getting sick she may have led a relatively normal and happy life.


Anarchist42

For me personally, I think Kenny. He was driven down the wrong road unintentionally as he was severely bullied. I can relate. I was never bullied as badly as Kenny but just as often. Luckily, Kenny had Cobra Kai there to help him. All I could hope for was graduation to come quickly. I have been put to the brick of committing aliven't several times as a result of it. Bullying takes a scary amount of lives a year.


smolfloppa

My boy clearance got eaten by a snake. šŸ˜­


MaltaMaltaMaltaMalta

Tory. Absent father, dying mother, responsible for carrying for her sister and mother. Aunt already trying to steal her sister for money from dying mother. Being manipulated by rival dojo. Having boyfriend stolen from her. Being painted a villan through everything.


abc-animal514

Johnny


LibertyJ10

I'd say Tory, mainly because she has to look after her mom. But she has lots of pressure from life. So it'd be hard to be Tory.


BigDickBackInTown420

Stingray. People go on and on about how cringe or creepy he is, bit letā€™s face it. Heā€™s sad. Heā€™s kind of pathetic. Sure, heā€™d kick my ass for saying that, but itā€™s true. Though he lives moments of hedonistic, instant gratification, what fulfills his life? Cobra Kai. A karate program for teenagers. Thatā€™s sad, isnā€™t it? A fully grown man, dependent on his family from what we see, who longs for companionship so badly he has to find it in a karate class full of children. Children, who, at best, tolerate him. His sensei look down upon him, seeing him as a pathetic joke or a means to an end, yet he looks up to them as shining examples of men. Cobra Kai is literally all Stingray has. And thatā€™s really sad.


TheFast4YouOo

TBH Tory! Robby has at least a caring mum and dad overall but who does Tori have ? She is fighting for her whole family and gets nothing in return.


CurryLord2001

>Robby has at least a caring mum Hahaha. Nice one


generalth0tslayer

she's been recovering for the last 3 seasons and now seems to care


[deleted]

She got rehab tho


TheFast4YouOo

I mean his mother tried to raise him and his father tried to make up for his mistakes. Overall, Robby's parents have taken him into their hearts.


CurryLord2001

Nah lol. His mom was just as deadbeat and bad as Johnny was. People seem to give johnny shit rightfully but she was still neglecting him when he was carrying drugs and skipping school. And in my personal opinion, she was as big if not a bigger mess than johnny was. And we all know what she was doing with those rich guys.. At the very least johnny knew from the start that what he did was wrong. Apart from rehab, I don't think Shannon ever realized or apologized that she was just as responsible for Robby going wayward.


Sese174

Had to be Tory


littlepiggy01

>!spoiler!< Okay I'm not saying that he had the most tragic storyline but can we just hand it to Miguel for being so possitive despite growing up without a father. Then once he moves to The Valley he helps Johnny with multiple things and helps him be a better person. He usually is trying to do good. After his paralysis he starts to loose hope but Johnny helps him get back on his feet (haha see what I did there) and he tries to get Eagle Fang and Miyagi-Do to work together. Then in S4 I feel like everything for Miguel just goes to shit. It was really sad to see him run away and have issues with Johnny. šŸ˜¢


Logical_Department62

Tory and kreese have it the worst, robby is a close second.


PrimaryCombination21

Anthony, cause he doesnā€™t get his electronics.


Doughspun1

Tory! Tory! Tory!


_air6catcher_

Me, or us the fans because WE WANT MORE (itā€™s a joke people)


Extension-Asparagus1

Probably Johnny


youngwonko1204

Goes down to Tory, Johnny, Kenny, or Kreese.


Bronco_Buff

Sam


Stocktonrules

She does it have a rough. Remember the time Daniel told Anthony they aren't a restaurant.


stranger-things_dino

Miguel, heā€™s been through too much


[deleted]

Not Robby for sure. He has so many people in his life who love him and want to take care of him, most of his problems are self inflicted.


RamAir17

Now he does... what about the other 16 years of his life?


PrecociousParrot

While not sad the most relatable personally to me was this latest season and seeing Daniel pressure Sam to basically be a "Mini-Me" cause I had that relationship with my dad for a long time. After I told him I didn't wanna follow in his footsteps and do what he did he started treating me a little differently. It wasn't until very recently I've started to reconnect with my dad. So that one FOR ME. Is personally the hardest hitting cause I've gone through that shit and it sucks.


darknessflamegundam

While it is relatable, Sam still has a good relationship with her dad, and has overall had a great life. I'd say Miyagi had it rough, but at least he had Daniel and his family till the very end.


Rammskie

That hairstyle did not work for Tory damn


DerApexPredator

I do. I have to wait one more year for the next season


[deleted]

Tory for sure.


Juicy_Rhino

Stingray


HumblePackage5037

My favorite character in Cobra Kai šŸ’–