An online Cobra Kai theory suggests that Tory Nichols could be the daughter of The Karate Kid Part III's Terry Silver, but is there any evidence to support the idea? Portrayed by Peyton List, Tory first appeared in season 2 and quickly aligned herself with Cobra Kai. She then started a school brawl, which became the source of unresolved conflict throughout the third installment. Since Cobra Kai season 3 heavily implies that Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) will be the villain of season 4, it's been theorized that he and Tory may somehow be connected by blood, even if they don't realize it.
Cobra Kai is well-known for its narrative misdirection and movie franchise callbacks, so the Nichols-Silver theory is certainly valid. After three seasons, all that's known about List's character is that she comes from a humble background and that she's not afraid to address conflict. In Cobra Kai season 2, she rightfully confronts Samantha LaRusso (Mary Mouser) about drunkenly kissing her boyfriend, Miguel Diaz (Xolo Maridueña), but ultimately shows incredibly poor judgment and reckless behavior by choosing violence over a healthy conversation. As a character, Tory seems right at home within the Cobra Kai dojo, which was financed by none other than Terry Silver, as revealed in The Karate Kid Part III. Because both characters are part of a karate family, it's been speculated that their connection is much deeper.
The Nichols-Silver theory gained momentum after Cobra Kai season 2. Fans theorized that Tory would undoubtedly be punished for her role in the school brawl; however, producer Hayden Schlossberg noted on Twitter that she would be out of juvenile detention in the third installment, only he didn't explain why. Schlossberg also revealed that Terry Silver is his favorite franchise character, and so YouTubers began theorizing that Cobra Kai's mysterious financier is not only Tory's father, but may have used his money and power to ensure her freedom. Beyond that, there's no hard evidence to support the Nichols-Silver theory, aside from similarities in the characters' personalities, their appearances, and their names ("silver" can be linked to "nickels" or "Nichols"). After various theory videos were posted online, Cobra Kai season 3 ultimately revealed that Tory was expelled from West Valley High School and given probation because she's responsible for taking care of her mother. The third installment doesn't provide any strong evidence that she's related to Terry Silver, though she does become especially devoted to Kreese.
In Cobra Kai season 3, Kreese's storyline can be used to support the Nichols-Silver theory. Flashback sequences reveal that he was part of an elite special ops unit during the Vietnam War and that his experiences inspired the foundation of Cobra Kai. He also saved the life of a fellow soldier named "Silver," who is reportedly the person that Kreese calls in the final moments of season 3. It's been theorized that the Cobra Kai screenwriters are preparing for [Terry] Silver's return, and the fact that List has been promoted to a series regular implies that she'll be incredibly tight with Kreese, and thus tight with Silver, during their on-going karate war with Miyagi-Do. As of now, it's possible that Nichols and Silver have been plotting together all along as daughter and father, however that theory doesn't hold up especially well when considering that List's character has been struggling to get by in the Netflix series. If Tory is colluding with her wealthy father, she'd have a more comfortable life in Cobra Kai.
Despite the lack of hard evidence to support the Nichols-Silver theory, the characters could still be related. A wealthy playboy like Silver may have unknowingly fathered Tory. As for Kreese, he may know the truth and has been secretly looking after Tory for that reason alone. Given Cobra Kai's history of narrative misdirection, however, it seems most likely that Netflix is positioning Tory and Terry as Kreese's top comrades for an upcoming war in season 4. They may seem like father and daughter because of their personalities and appearances, but the connection is probably symbolic because they represent the same ideals, despite having significantly different backgrounds. If Terry Silver becomes somewhat of a karate godfather in Cobra Kai season 4 and Kreese is the top boss, then Tory is the second in command, the underboss. Together, they are a conceptual family.