Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Cobra Kai season 3.
Karate Kid franchise since the start. He later returned at the end of Cobra Kai season 1. Since then, he's waged further war on Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and been a thorn in the side of former protege, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). Equally, he reclaimed control of the titular dojo and sought to corrupt a new generation of teenagers.
That Kreese was a veteran of the Vietnam War had been long established. In Cobra Kai season 3, however, fans were gifted a direct glimpse at what he'd experienced. Played by Barrett Carnahan, a younger Kreese signed up to the army in the wake of his mother's suicide. There he met and bonded with two other soldiers, nicknamed Ponytail (Seth Kemp) and Twig (Nick Marini). Eagle-eyed viewers and hardcore Karate Kid fans eagerly pointed at the former: Ponytail and Thomas Ian Griffith's cult-favorite villain shared a signature look, confidence, and way of saying "Johnny." As such, it was understandable to believe they were one and the same.
That fact made it all the more shocking when Ponytail was shot dead. In the immediate aftermath, Twig became hysterical with guilt and fear. On the verge of breaking down completely, Twig was yelled at by his captain and addressed by his actual surname: Silver. Although it has not technically been confirmed yet — and Cobra Kai loves to subvert expectations — the implication is that this young soldier is Terry Silver. The move continued Cobra Kai's trend of not only subverting expectations but also using fans' familiarity against them. It was already known that Terry Silver had been war buddies with Kreese, and owed him a huge debt. The bait-and-switch, however, served to realize that relationship on-screen in a much more dynamic fashion. It was similar to the tease of Miguel's out-of-state surgeon — only for it to be revealed as nobody of note and the return of Ali Mills (Elisabeth Shue) serving an arguably even bigger function later in the season.
It also served to make Terry Silver even more of a fascinating enigma. Throughout the flashbacks, he was depicted as fearful and prone to panic attacks. It proved a far cry from the gleeful, arrogant megalomaniac that once led Daniel LaRusso astray in Karate Kid Part III. However, it also equally shed a light on some of Silver's established modus operandi. In the film, he went to great lengths to immerse himself in a new persona — one that would engender trust from Daniel and even Mr. Miyagi. Kreese's flashbacks indicated that Silver may have adopted an even more deranged version of this, following his deeply traumatic experiences. Potentially out of extreme survivor's guilt, it would appear that Silver turned himself into a version of his fallen comrade in a twisted tribute.
Throughout those aforementioned experiences, Silver was also incapable of assisting fellow captives and ensuring his own survival. Instead, Kreese had to fight on Silver's behalf and protect him. That sense of inadequacy and subsequent hero-worship would've likely fuelled Silver following in Kreese's newly merciless footsteps. As such, the flashbacks gave early insight into what set Silver towards being the villain that fans know him to be. Rather than making him sympathetic, however, it has potentially made him even more terrifying — with deep psychological issues rooted at his core.
Those issues have likely only gotten more pronounced over the decades since. Therefore, whether or not the theory that Terry Silver is Miguel's dad pans out, he would make for an extremely dangerous adversary. The new details would also offer another reflection of the new generation's own journeys and darkly demonstrate how some could end up if their cycles aren't properly broken. Based on Kreese's final phone call, Silver's present-day introduction could be imminent. If that turns out to be the case, it'll be interesting to see if Silver's past and transformation is further explored — and how the Cobra Kai season 4 will have him clash with the established characters.