Why Cobra Kai Fans Have Questions About Johnny And Robby's Relationship

During Season 1, Johnny befriends and ultimately mentors Miguel, who lives with his mother in the apartment adjacent to Johnny's. As easy as it is to love the Johnny/Miguel bond, this does make things seem a bit complicated once we learn about Robby in Season 2, Episode 2 titled "Strike First."

It could be said that Johnny is subconsciously trying to repair his failed parental responsibilities through Miguel. There was, after all, that telling Miguel scene during Season 4, Episode 8 where a drunken Johnny calls Miguel "Robby." Miguel then breaks down in tears at the sight of seeing and hearing Johnny's pain at being a failed father.

Redditor u/mossstalgia wrote that "Miguel has never demanded Johnny stay away from Robby," which is a good point since Miguel and Robby are enemies and rivals for most of the series. Even he does not want to deprive or get in the way of Johnny repairing his relationship with Robby. Perhaps William Zabka said it best in a 2021 interview with GoldDerby by describing how "[Robby's] the empty piece that got away and he is trying to figure out ... to get that kid back in ... in the meantime, he found Miguel who becomes a father figure to and he is in love with this kid, too. These kids are what he is about."