Sam Guthrie is becoming the person other students expect to stay steady, which is a difficult job when he is still learning how to stay steady himself.

Sam Guthrie is becoming the person other students expect to stay steady, which is a difficult job when he is still learning how to stay steady himself. Karma's disappearance leaves a gap in the class, and Sam shares the leadership burden with Dani. He has the instincts of an older brother: look after the others, take responsibility, try to make sure nobody gets left behind. Those instincts are useful in a growing team. They also give him plenty of opportunities to feel that somebody else's trouble is his fault. His power has a beautifully simple shape. Once he starts blasting, the protective field lets him become a human projectile. In #20, he carries Illyana toward the Demon Bear so she can bring the Soulsword into the fight. His power gets another teammate into the position where hers can end the threat. Direction, timing and trust matter together. The expansion makes his leadership less straightforward. Amara is adjusting to a different society. Illyana understands dangers Sam has barely heard of. Doug's value cannot be measured by how hard he hits, and Warlock brings questions that the school's usual lessons weren't designed to answer. Sam has to make room for expertise he doesn't possess. His friendship with Roberto helps keep him recognizably young. They can be companions and classmates without every exchange becoming a command decision. Around Dani, he also has another leader who will argue back, rather than simply accept his judgment. This era leaves Sam in an interesting middle position. He is experienced enough for the newer arrivals to lean on him, but he has no comfortable adult distance from the danger. These are his friends. When the class goes somewhere frightening, he is going there with them.