Sam and Dani sharing leadership gives the New Mutants two people who won't always approach a problem the same way.

Sam and Dani sharing leadership gives the New Mutants two people who won't always approach a problem the same way. Dani can be more confrontational. Sam is often trying to keep everybody together and work out what responsibility he has to them. Neither one gets to solve every argument just by being the leader. That becomes harder when Xavier leaves and Magneto takes over. Sam has heard plenty of reasons not to trust Magneto, and now this is the man who's supposed to teach and protect them. New Mutants #35 puts that new arrangement directly in front of the kids. Being enrolled at Xavier's school no longer means Xavier will be there to handle whatever happens. Sam's role keeps expanding because somebody has to pay attention to the team when the adults aren't providing simple answers. His concern for the others is part of why he stays. It also gives him reasons to question their teachers rather than assuming that being in charge makes somebody right.