Bobby Brown

"It isn't fair. But you gotta remember you don't do the right thing because it always works out. You do the right thing because it's the right thing to do."

―Bobby Brown to Johnny Lawrence^[src]

Robert "Bobby" Brown is an antagonist turned anti-hero of the original Karate Kid film, a minor character in The Karate Kid Part II and a supporting character in Cobra Kai.

As a teenager, Bobby was the second strongest student in the Cobra Kai Dojo and a member of Johnny's gang. However, despite being a bully, he was also the most compassionate person among Johnny's gang.

Thirty-four years later, Bobby became a pastor but remained close to his former high school friends, Tommy, Jimmy, Dutch, and Johnny Lawrence. Bobby still held a grudge against his former Cobra Kai sensei John Kreese. He blamed Kreese for instilling his "no mercy mentality" on him and his impressionable friends when they were younger.

Biography[]

Bobby joined the dojo at some point and befriended students Johnny Lawrence, Dutch, Tommy and Jimmy, all of whom attended West Valley High School alongside him. In the 1983 All Valley Karate Tournament, Bobby beat Darryl Vidal for third place.

Film Series[]

The Karate Kid[]

Bobby is Kreese's second-best student. He is a member of Johnny's gang that takes part in bullying new kid Daniel LaRusso. He attempts to stop Johnny from confronting his ex-girlfriend Ali at the beach, but Johnny proceeds anyway. He then witness Johnny beating up Daniel and while he does smile, he also shows concern. Bobby trips Daniel at the first day of school soccer tryouts and then mocks him, prompting Daniel to ground-and-pound Bobby, thus getting Daniel kicked out of the tryouts. On one night, Bobby and his friends knock Daniel down a hill, due to the latter attempting to join Cobra Kai earlier. He attends the Halloween dance dressed in identical skeleton costumes as the others in his group. He tries to stop his friends when they go too far in their beatings to Daniel, though the other four rebuke and brush off Bobby's wishes. However, they are all then attacked and beat up by Mr. Miyagi.

Bobby participates in the All Valley Karate Tournament, where he defeats several opponents and makes it to the semifinals. However, just before his semifinals match against Daniel begins, Kreese orders him to put Daniel "out of commission". A shocked Bobby insists he can beat him, and that he'd be disqualified, but Kreese brow-beats Bobby into obedience. During the fight, Bobby lands a kick to Daniel's knee, injuring his opponent. Bobby drops down and profusely apologizes to a pain-stricken Daniel, before being pulled off by Mr. Miyagi. Bobby is later disqualified for the unethical kick. After being disqualified Bobby removes his belt and throws it in front of Kreese, indicating that he quits the dojo. Despite Bobby's actions, Daniel recovers and goes on to defeat Johnny to win the tournament.

The Karate Kid Part II[]

In the parking lot confrontation following the tournament, Bobby defends Johnny from an angry Kreese, as does Tommy, who states that Johnny has apologized for his performance. When Kreese chokes Johnny from behind, Bobby and Tommy both attempt to intervene, but are assaulted by Kreese. Fortunately, Mr. Miyagi saves Johnny by defeating Kreese.

Interim Years[]

It is implied that Bobby, along with the rest of the students, left Cobra Kai following Kreese's assault on Johnny in the parking lot, and seeing Kreese and his teachings for what they were. Bobby would continue at West Valley High School and graduate along with his friends in 1985. He would continue to be part of Johnny's circle of friends, well into the 1990's. Johnny has cited incidents in Reno, Nevada involving a bunch of soccer moms at the Hyatt; a spring break trip down to Cabo; and claimed Bobby's drinking, fighting, partying and being a 'bad ass' , indicating that he was still part of Johnny's antics at least as recently as the mid 1990's.

Later on, Bobby was ordained as a pastor in a Christian church, which reflects his retention of morality, ultimately rejecting Kreese's ruthless lessons. He apparently is prominent enough in his community that he has some sway with judges and such. Bobby also wears a wedding ring, implying that he was ordained in a religion that allows for both matrimony and holy orders.

Cobra Kai[]

Season 1[]

Bobby is shown in flashbacks when Johnny reminisces his time at Cobra Kai as a student.

Season 2[]

In the summer of 2018, Bobby along with Johnny, Jimmy and Tommy spend one more night together before the passing of Tommy. Like Jimmy and Tommy, Bobby is shocked when Johnny informs them that he not only reopened Cobra Kai but welcomed Kreese back into his life, which the three disapprove of. Bobby has no clue to why Johnny would do such a thing, only for Johnny to retort that in Bobby's job there is a "book that preaches a lot about forgiveness". While Bobby agrees that his career has been based on the Bible, he has his reservations that Kreese may double-cross Johnny at some point. He also indicates he has been writing Dutch during his incarceration for whatever unnamed crimes he committed. The following morning Bobby desperately tries to get Tommy to wake up, only to start crying along with Jimmy when it is revealed that he is dead (Tommy passed away in his sleep).

Season 3[]

During Bobby's sermon with the congregation at the church, a drunken Johnny disturbs his sermon and Bobby uses his karate skills on him to get himself up, much to the shock of the congregation. Bobby learns from Johnny that he cannot meet his son Robby Keene in juvie by himself because he is on probation for his bar fight. Johnny also thanks Bobby for having enough clout with the judge to get Johnny out of that legal incident with just probation. Bobby tells Johnny he will go with him to juvie to see Robby, and that the church can make a donation for Miguel's surgery. He also tells him to be there for both Miguel and Robby even if it doesn't work out. Unfortunately, the plan to visit Robby fails, as instead of going, Johnny stays in the hospital to be there with Miguel for his surgery turnout, which angers Robby. Bobby tries to get Robby to talk and tell him what's going on, as he notices his bruises near his eye, he could pass it on to Johnny, but Robby then leaves instead. Bobby isn't seen after this, but Johnny apologizes to him over the phone. Later on, when Robby is doing research on Kreese, an article about a 1983 all valley tournament he finds states that Bobby beat Vidal in the third place match.

Personality[]

Similar to the Cobra Kai, Bobby bullies and harasses Daniel. However, unlike his other fellow Cobra members especially Johnny and Dutch, he is the most compassionate, and knows when to draw the line. He frequently has to tell his group, particularity Johnny to relax whenever things are going too far, and he shows remorse when he performs an unethical action, such as putting Daniel out of commission during the tournament. He seems to not partake in harassing Daniel that much.

34 years later Bobby is a pastor and spends a lot of time praying. Ever since his former Cobra Kai friend Tommy has been diagnosed with most likely some form of cancer, he has been praying more. When Johnny reveals that he has reopened the Cobra Kai dojo and Kreese is back, Bobby voices his concern and reminds him of what Kreese and Cobra Kai did to them, showing that Bobby still hasn't gotten over Kreese's unethical teachings and does not trust him. Bobby warns Johnny that Kreese will eventually betray him again. He still has his fighting skills as he is able to help Johnny fight against a group of guys causing trouble. He is distraught when Tommy dies.

When Johnny comes to Bobby, following Miguel's severe injury and Robby going to prison, Bobby comforts Johnny by telling him not to blame himself and that he needs to be there for Miguel and Robby. He also agrees to come with him to see Robby in juvie. This situation may imply that Johnny trusts Bobby the most among all his friends. It also shows that Bobby's actions as a member of the clergy has him with some clout in the community, which he uses to help get Johnny a better legal deal when he is charged with assaulting two men outside of a bar early in Season 3.

His attitude seems to be dryer than the other Cobras. When first being reunited, Johnny remarks how Bobby has gone bald and figured all that praying should have made him regain the long hair he had when they first met. Bobby chuckles and remarks "God does not work that way".

Despite changing for the better the most among his Cobra Kai friends, he hasn't completely shed his teenage self, as he does help Johnny and his friends fight off a group of guys causing trouble in a bar, and he himself kicks Johnny for showing up at his church drunk during his sermon with the congregation at the church. He also still holds a grudge against Kreese for the way he treated himself and the other Cobra Kai's when they were teenagers.

Fighting Style[]

"But sensei, I can beat this guy."

―Bobby to Kreese^[src]

Back in the 80's Bobby was one of the best students at the Cobra Kai Dojo, during the all valley tournament he demonstrates his prowess by giving some strong and effective kicks as wells as sweeps that he used to knock some opponents to the ground. Bobby was so confident on his skills that he believed that he could defeat Daniel if sensei Kreese hadn't told him about to put him out of commission, even then, Bobby delivered a great kick to Daniel's knee which LaRusso couldn't block or see coming at all.

By adulthood and despite seemingly stopping practicing karate (at least regularly), Bobby remains a very competent fighter, being able to deliver some strong kicks during a fight at a bar and even sweep his friend Johnny when he interrupted one of his sermons at the church.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

Ron Thomas humorously reprised his role as Bobby on an episode of Tosh.0, along with Martin Kove reprising his role as John Kreese.
Bobby's actor Ron Thomas is also a motivational speaker and martial arts instructor in real life.
During a 30th anniversary screening of The Karate Kid, Ron Thomas, by then a black belt, received instructions from his agent not to reveal at his audition his background in martial arts in order to prove his acting ability. Stunt choreographer Pat Johnson allowed Thomas to use his own moves in the tournament scene, indicating Bobby's individual skills outside Kreese's training.
Bobby is the only other original Cobra Kai member that Kreese refers to by name.
Prior to Bobby's match with Daniel in the original film, the announcer stated that Bobby was the runner up to Johnny in the 1983 All Valley, but in an article about the 1983 All Valley during season 3 of Cobra Kai states that Tommy lost to Johnny in the finals, and Bobby beat Darryl Vidal in the 3rd place match.
A deleted scene from the first film reveals that after he injured Daniel in the semifinals, he went up to Kreese and took off his belt, quitting Cobra Kai.^[1]
Since Johnny mentions his mother's maiden name is Brown^[2], it may be reasoned that he and Bobby may be related in some way.