Season three finds Daniel's daughter Sam dealing with all kinds of trauma from the face-off against Cobra Kai at the end of season two. She is especially terrified of Tory, dealing with a claw scar from the fight, and a fear of railings. She questions if Miyagi-Do are the good guys after all, and continues to feel isolated and unlike herself throughout the season. Her father Daniel is a constant comfort to her, inspiring her to face her problems head-on and confront her fears. She starts by showing off her scar and devises a plan to fight Cobra Kai at P.E., but an impromptu battle at an abandoned laser arcade shows she's still traumatized by Tory.
Sam finds herself falling for Miguel, giving him a love note at the hospital and taking their relationship further once he's healed. A fishing trip and more help from her father finally push Sam to feel like herself again, and she goes back to being a no-holds-barred fighter like before. Her relationship with Robby sours after he finds out about her and Miguel, further highlighting the division between Robby and Cobra Kai, and the rest of the Miyagi-Do/Eagle Fang group. At the end of the season, Sam finally faces off against Tory in her house, giving it her all and winning the fight.