Cobra Kai season 4 needs to give Samatha LaRusso (Mary Mouser) a storyline that isn't based around her romantic entanglements or overcoming her fears. Since Cobra Kai season 1, Sam has been one of the series' main karate kids but she's been caught in between her two love interests, Miguel Diaz (Xolo Mariduena) and Robby Keene (Tanner Buchanan). Sam also has her own arch-rival, Tory Nichols (Peyton List).

As the daughter (and let's face it, favorite child) of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), Sam has been training in karate longer than any of the other teens in Cobra Kai. Samantha became Daniel's pupil when she was 8-years-old and she grew up with Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita) as her grandfather. Sam gave up karate in her early teens and wanted to become a normal, popular girl at West Valley High. However, Sam was already advanced in her Miyagi-Do training and she decided to become her dad's student again at the end of Cobra Kai season 1. LaRusso also dated both Miguel and Robby, and she ended up back with Miguel by the end of Cobra Kai season 3 as Miyagi-Do merged with Johnny Lawrence's (William Zabka) new dojo, Eagle Fang Karate, in order to take on John Kreese's (Martin Kove) Cobra Kai.

Related: Cobra Kai Theory: Sam Vs. Tory Won't End Like Daniel & Chozen (Or Johnny)

Samantha had an especially difficult path in Cobra Kai season 3; she was coping with PTSD from surviving the West Valley High brawl where she was targeted by Tory, who wanted to injure Sam if not outright kill her. Meanwhile, Sam felt the pressure of holding Miyagi-Do's students together while Daniel was in Okinawa, and that only caused her further problems that fed her trauma. But Sam had heroic moments too; she made peace and rekindled her romance with Miguel, who left Cobra Kai and recovered from his spinal injuries. Together, Sam and Miguel saved the All Valley Under 18 Karate Tournament from being canceled in 2019 and they held off a home invasion by Cobra Kai, who attacked the LaRussos' house. In that climactic fight, Sam finally overcame her fear of Tory and stood her ground, although their fight isn't over by any means. But Sam still deserves a better story and the same kind of focus that Miguel and Robby receive.

Cobra Kai Sam LaRusso Training

Sam has always been a heroic and sympathetic character - she would never turn to the 'dark side' and join Cobra Kai - but her main story in all three seasons have revolved around who she's dating. Even Tory has a more complex backstory because of her difficult home life. Sam's issues with Tory actually revolve around Miguel and Nichols' jealousy over their mutual attraction. To be fair, this is intended to reflect how Daniel and Johnny's 35-year rivalry started over Ali Mills (Elisabeth Shue), but Cobra Kai can and should do better by Sam than winking to longtime Karate Kid fans by having her repeat Daniel's patterns when he was a teenager.

It's also clear that Samantha is one of the best fighters in Cobra Kai, but Robby, Miguel, and even Tory are given more focus in that regard. In fact, Sam voiced how hard it is to be a female karate student and still be respected the way the boys are, which was a crucial and fascinating perspective. However, Sam - not Robby - ranks as Daniel's best student who embodies the philosophy behind Miyagi-Do. The reason why Sam doesn't get the props the others do for her karate is beause her best victories have been in multi-person brawls; Sam did beat Tory at West Valley High but it was overshadowed by Miguel's horrible fall. Meanwhile, Sam's fight with Tory at the climax of Cobra Kai season 3 ended in a stalemate.

Now that she's past being afraid of Tory, Cobra Kai season 4 needs to let Samantha really show her stuff as the best karate kid and the All Valley Tournament is the ideal place for this. In this environment, Sam can face both the male and female Cobra Kai students and really exhibit her skills. Sam could potentially win the whole tourney, just her dad did in 1984 and 1985. But most importantly, Samantha LaRusso needs a new kind of story in Cobra Kai season 3 that lets her be empowered and doesn't revolve around wanting to be popular, who her boyfriend is, or who she's afraid of.

Next: Cobra Kai: Predicting Who Win Will Season 4's All Valley Tournament (& Who Won't)