Karate Kid: Legends has proven that its new main character has already surpᴀssed Daniel LaRusso. Where Karate Kid: Legends‘ cast is concerned, the natural drawing power of Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio is hard to ignore. Mr. Han asking Daniel LaRusso for help is, expectedly, playing a big role in why the upcoming movie is so anticipated, as the cast of the original Karate Kid trilogy and the 2010 remake come together.

However, these two characters are acting as the Miyagi of this story, with the тιтular Karate Kid being Ben Wang’s Li Fong. The plot of Karate Kid: Legends will follow Li undergoing a similar journey that the likes of Daniel and Jaden Smith’s Dre Parker did in their movies, though undoubtedly with some twists. Daniel’s role in this story allows Karate Kid: Legends to connect to Cobra Kai, all while giving him another mentorship role to Li. However, if the most recent trailer is anything to go by, it seems Li’s base power level has already surpᴀssed Daniel’s from the original movies.

Li Fong Is Already A Trained Fighter At The Start Of Karate Kid: Legends

Li Has A Fighting Background

The reason as to why Li has already surpᴀssed where Daniel was in 1984’s The Karate Kid is that the former is already trained in fighting at the start of Karate Kid: Legends. The most recent trailer for the movie confirmed as much, with the story hinging on Li’s struggles not to fight. His mother, played by Ming-Na Wen, does not want Li to fight as his brother was a fighter, which seemingly ended badly for him.

At the onset of Karate Kid: Legends, this knowledge base is already there. It seems as though this primarily comes from Li’s training under Mr. Han, with his strength coming in the form of kung fu. At the beginning of the original The Karate Kid, Daniel had no trained fighting experience and was taught from the ground up by Mr. Miyagi, rendering Li a much more powerful protagonist than any film in the franchise has had thus far.

Li’s Kung Fu Background Means He Will Be Much Stronger Than Daniel

Especially By The Movie’s Conclusion

This history in kung fu training is one of the primary reasons why Li is stronger than Daniel was in The Karate Kid. Admittedly, Li is likely stronger at the beginning of Karate Kid: Legends than Daniel was at the end of The Karate Kid Part III, given that the entire trilogy takes place over the course of a few weeks. By the end of Karate Kid: Legends, Li’s fighting superiority will be confirmed beyond all doubt.

The trailer for the film wisely notes the difference between kung fu and karate, something that 2010’s The Karate Kid drew some confusion about. Li already knows kung fu, with Daniel being recruited to help him learn Miyagi-do karate. At the end of Karate Kid: Legends, Li will likely be an expert in both styles of fighting, truly proving that he surpᴀsses the previous Karate Kid.