John Kreese

John Kreese is a fictional character and the main antagonist of The Karate Kid media franchise, portrayed by Martin Kove. He is introduced in The Karate Kid (1984) and returns in its sequels The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989). 29 years later, Kove began to reprise the role in the sequel television series Cobra Kai (2018–present).

He is a Vietnam veteran and a deranged karate sensei who founded Cobra Kai alongside Terry Silver. He initially served as Johnny Lawrence's karate sensei, before going on to become his archenemy.