Although it may not be the story Cobra Kai originally promised for Tory, I’m actually glad to see her on Kreese’s side again. After the Cobra Kai season 5 finale, Tory Nichols seemed to be on track for a whole new role in The Karate Kid sequel series. No longer aligned with Kreese and with her beef with Sam behind her, the stage appeared to be set for Tory to join Miyagi-do in an official capacity.
Ultimately, that’s exactly what happened. The show even allowed Sam and Tory to become friends. But to my surprise, this shift in their dynamic didn’t last long. By the end of Cobra Kai season 6 part 1, Tory was already at odds with her new friends. What’s more, she’s back to being Kreese’s “champion,” a distinction once thought to be a thing of the past. For some, this may come across as an unwelcome step backward after everything the show has set up. But, the way I see it, Tory and Kreese teaming up is a great move for the show.
Like It Or Not, Kreese Is Right: Tory Has Always Been His Student
In Cobra Kai season 6, episode 5, Kreese tried to appeal to Tory with the claim, “I am your sensei, and you are my champion.” For all of Kreese’s flaws as an individual and as a leader of kids, he’s not wrong about his connection to Tory. She was originally recruited to Cobra Kai when it was under Johnny’s leadership, but it was always Kreese who had the most influence over her, even then. Kreese worked closely with Tory, particularly during seasons 3 and 4. Terry Silver took over as her sensei, but she only stayed there due to Kreese’s orders. Since she wasn’t there to learn, she never took Kim Da-Eun or Silver’s lessons to heart.
Because of all that, neither Johnny nor Terry Silver can be given much credit for Tory’s development as a fighter. It was Kreese who was responsible for that; he turned her into the fighter that she is in Cobra Kai, so I couldn’t disagree with Kreese when he took ownership of that role in season 6. I also understand his reaction to Tory calling Johnny and Daniel her “senseis.” As her previous fights in the series have proven, Tory was an accomplished and well-trained student long before she donned the Miyagi-do gi. With Tory joining the dojo, the pair gained the massive advantage of having an already-developed fighter on the side.
Even in Cobra Kai season 6 when they were preparing for the Sekai Taikai tournament, I continued to see Kreese as Tory’s true mentor. There were theories that she would be taken under the wing of Chozen or form bonds with Johnny or Daniel, but none of these scenarios came to pass. Even though she became their students, there weren’t really any moments in Cobra Kai season 6 where those characters were seen trying to actively develop Tory. They didn’t connect with her, leaving Tory without a proper replacement for Kreese.
Tory Was Never A Good Fit For Miyagi-do
The alternative to Tory joining Kreese – staying with Miyagi-do – has been doomed to end in disaster since the first episode of the season. I think any chance of it working out ended when Johnny gave up Eagle Fang and embraced Miyagi-do. I could imagine Tory as an Eagle Fang student, as the basic principles of the dojo (aside from “No Mercy”) are similar to Kreese’s Cobra Kai mantra. Miyagi-do, on the hand, is built on concepts that are completely contrary to Tory’s inherently aggressive style.
With Johnny’s decision, all of his pupils effectively became official Miyagi-do students. Now, they all have to abide by the rules and lifestyle that govern Daniel in Cobra Kai. As the falling out between Daniel and Johnny has already demonstrated, this merger isn’t great for everyone. Johnny has tried to follow the ways of Miyagi-do, but ultimately still does things his way. That’s because Miyagi-do just doesn’t fit with Johnny’s ideas, and if he was unwilling to fully adapt, it’s highly likely that Tory wouldn’t have succeeded in this either.
Why Tory Joining Kreese’s Team Makes So Much Sense For Season 6
The heavy hand Kreese has taken in Tory’s training in Cobra Kai underscores how appropriate season 6’s twist is for the story. While it was good to see Tory making friends and properly evolving into one of the show’s protagonists, I thought that this storyline wasn’t going far enough to honor Kreese’s influence on her life. Although a lot can be said about the negative impact he’s had on kids, it’s worth noting that Kreese has done good things for Tory as well; he saved her from a horrible situation with her neighbor in season 3 and stopped Silver from convincing her to fight dirty in season 4’s tournament.
For much of the series, their dynamic has been crucial to both characters’ stories. To forget about that and permanently shoehorn Tory into Johnny and Daniel’s dojo would be a disservice to their respective arcs. Rather, it makes much more sense for Cobra Kai to continue the Kreese-Tory relationship by having them advance to the Sekai Taikai tournament together. To take this route is a much more meaningful culmination of Tory’s story in the series.
Can Tory Redeem Kreese In Cobra Kai?
Kreese and Tory being on the same side again also reinforces my hopes for a redemptive ending for Kreese. Not giving to his normal impulses and encouraging Tory to walk her own path in the season 4 finale was a promising moment for the character, which are admittedly rare in the series. The fact that it happened with Tory is a sign that she could be the key to Kreese gaining redemption in Cobra Kai’s ending.
If the scene in the cave is any indication, Johnny is no longer Kreese’s “weakness,” which could be all the more important for Tory to reach him. A seemingly genuine fondness for Tory got him to do the right thing in season 4, and could theoretically have a similar impact in Cobra Kai season 6. Such a development could easily happen, especially if there’s a situation in the Sekai Taikai where Kreese has to choose between furthering his own goals and acting in Tory’s best interests. If he makes the same choice that he did in season 4, we could see a truly satisfying conclusion to Kreese’s story to end the series.
