Cobra Kai season 4 could bring back The Next Karate Kid star Hilary Swank and reveal Julie Pierce is Tory Nichols' mom. Through the first three seasons of Cobra Kai, the Karate Kid sequel series has explored the role karate continues to have in the Valley. The renewed rivalry between Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso reached a tipping point by the end of season 2, and their dynamic changed again by season 3's conclusion.
Johnny and Daniel agreed to combine Miyagi-do and Eagle Fang Karate's forces at the end of Cobra Kai season 3. Their union is only done to give them the best chance to defeat John Kreese and Cobra Kai at the next All-Valley Tournament. The end of the season also included a likely tease to Terry Silver from The Karate Kid Part III returning. This would make him one of many characters from the Miyagi-verse to return for a role in the show. Most recently, season 3 saw Elisabeth Shue return as Ali Mills and feature Chozen and Kamiko. These familiar faces are surely not the last Cobra Kai's showrunners plan to bring back as the series continues.
As fans look ahead to who could be included in Cobra Kai season 4, one of the more popular suggestions is Karate Kid 4's Julie Pierce. There has been a lot of debate about how the show could bring back another one of Miyagi's pupils. While Julie proved to be a capable fighter, becoming a karate teacher would be too similar to what Cobra Kai has done with its other former fighters. Instead of going down a potentially cliched story, there are other options for Julie's story to continue. One of them could be by revealing she is Tory's mom.
Cobra Kai Has Kept Tory's Mom's Identity A Secret
Tory Nichols joined Cobra Kai's story during season 2 when she tried out for a spot in the rebranded Cobra Kai. She quickly proved herself to be a great fighter and caught the eye of Miguel Diaz, as well as the disdain of Sam LaRusso. While most of her story so far has been tied up in her former romance with Miguel and ongoing rivalry with Sam, Tory became tied to some popular fan theories. Since Cobra Kai hasn't explored much of her past or family, one of the more popular theories heading into season 3 was that Tory is Ali Mills's daughter. However, season 3 showed that wasn't the case.
Without the revelation that Tory and Ali are related, that leaves the identity of Tory's mom open for all possibilities. Cobra Kai hasn't revealed a lot about Tory's mom, other than she used to be a waitress, and her treatment is what helped shape Tory's view of the world. Tory's home life is alluded to during season 3 again, with the landlord harassing her for rent as she tries to balance multiple jobs and karate. It is also revealed during the season that Tory's mother is sick, and she can be heard coughing from inside the apartment at one point. But, Cobra Kai doesn't show Tory's mom at all, which could be to preserve the reveal of a major character returning.
Theory: Karate Kid 4's Julie Pierce Is Tory's Mom
By only alluding to Tory's mom, Cobra Kai incites speculation that her identity is a big deal. The parents of several of the other kids have been included, making the lack of Tory's family all the more intriguing. Now that we know Ali Mills isn't Tory's mom, there are admittedly limited options from the Karate Kid franchise's past that could be the answer. Someone like The Karate Kid Part III's Jessica Andrews could be a solution, but Julie Pierce is the most prominent female character from the Miyagi-verse who has yet to appear. Cobra Kai might be playing this reveal so slowly to ensure Hilary Swank can return.
There is no information available on what happened to Julie Pierce after the end of The Next Karate Kid, which gives Cobra Kai plenty of freedom to make sense of the reveal that she is Tory's mom. Several years after the events of Karate Kid 4, Julie could've got married and started a family. This marriage can explain why Tory's last name is Nichols instead of Pierce. Julie being Tory's mom can also shed more light on her natural fighting abilities. Since her father taught Julie karate before he died, it wouldn't be too surprising if Julie passed on some lessons to her own children. Tory's interest in fighting and skills could be passed down from her mother.
The similarities between Julie and Tory can be taken a step further than just athleticism. Cobra Kai has made Tory an incredibly angry person and has let those emotions get the best of her on many occasions. In many ways, Tory's anger at the world is similar to what Julie felt when Miyagi started teaching her several decades ago. Julie was upset after her parents' deaths and later her grandfather's, and she often took out her anger on others as a result. This is quite similar to what Tory is going through now. And while Miyagi eventually was able to help Julie, Tory trying to do everything herself is familiar behavior.
Julie coming back as Tory's sick mom would also be a noticeably fresh way to include another past Karate Kid character. Julie's only connection to the current story is being a pupil of Miyagi's, just like Daniel, but her appearance can show the opposite side of his life. While Daniel grew up to achieve great success professionally and personally, it doesn't seem that the world has been as kind to Tory or her mom. It'd be fascinating to see another Miyagi student apply the same type of wisdom to less than desirable circumstances.
Could Julie Pierce Help Redeem Tory?
Although Tory has been more of a villain than a hero in Cobra Kai, the show has proven that a redemption story is still possible for just about everyone. It isn't outside the realm of possibility that the series will try and bring Tory to the light before everything is said and done either. She's so far been seduced by Cobra Kai's ways and has undeniably gone a step too far in some instances. However, if Hawk can seemingly be redeemed, so, too, could Tory, especially with her mother's help.
Julie doesn't need to be another Miyagi protégé teaching a younger generation about karate to make a difference. If her health is failing, showing Tory that someone cares for her and providing her with some of Miyagi's wisdom from time to time could be enough. Cobra Kai has allowed Daniel to do this throughout the show's run to varying levels of success. With Miyagi previously helping Julie overcome her anger, she could use the same wisdom and techniques to potentially help Tory see the error of her ways. But, if Tory is also intended to stay a "villain" for Cobra Kai's future, then Julie Pierce being her mother can also be used to show the failings or rejection of Miyagi's teachings.