Sam could only watch as Midoriya was isolated like a leper. But then he saw Uraraka ask to join him.
'She likes him.'
Then he saw another interesting face ask to join him.
'The jetpack girl? That's good. He's gonna try and ask for Iida, isn't he?'
Sam predicted it—and, just like he thought, he saw Midoriya and Uraraka explain their plan to Iida.
'I'm sure it would be a swell plan, but it looks like Iida's ready to fight.'
Iida joined Todoroki's team.
Sam remembered U.S.J.—when he found Momo and Kaminari, Kaminari had just used his electric attack, and Momo—who had briefly flashed him—had covered both herself and Jiro in an insulating blanket. He immediately understood what she had done. She had deliberately allowed Kaminari to go all out with his electricity without harming his allies.
So having her and Kaminari on the same team was not bad.
Finally, the choosing ended, and Sam saw Midoriya pick Tokoyami.
'I wonder how this will go?'
Sam watched as Midnight allowed them to start and immediately saw everyone aim for Midoriya.
'With Uraraka and that jetpack, he should be able to keep himself away from the ground for a bit. But in the air, he has to worry about—'
"DEKU, YOU BASTARD!!!"
'An angry Chihuahua.'
Sam watched Bakugo aim for Izuku with furious, scathing intent. He also saw Todoroki waiting.
'He's waiting for the right moment to strike.'
Sam suddenly felt the scar on his face—and some of the scars on his back—ache.
'Yeah… just like him…'
Sam shook his head and kept watching.
Midoriya did a great job of keeping everyone away and even noticed some other interesting characters. Class 1-B was going after the other teams, and so was the indigo boy. Sam noticed that those chosen by the indigo boy had lifeless eyes.
'Is that his quirk?'
He saw Bakugo's headband get stolen by Monoma and watched Monoma taunt him.
'No. Don't egg on the idiot. He's so petty.'
Then he saw Monoma take Bakugo's quirk.
'That's his quirk?'
Sam's blood ran cold.
'That's a dangerous power… almost like that man.'
Sam recoiled in terror just thinking of him. He shook his head and forced himself to keep watching.
As expected, Bakugo immediately went after Monoma.
Eventually, Todoroki finally began his attack on Izuku. Sam watched Todoroki box himself in with him. Tokoyami took advantage of Todoroki's refusal to use his fire side, staying close to that half.
Suddenly, Sam heard a revving engine.
'Iida?'
Just as he suspected, Iida had been planning something.
One moment they were in front of Izuku. The next, they were behind him. To an amateur eye, it would have looked like teleportation.
Sam saw it clearly.
Iida blasted his entire team forward, allowing Todoroki to grab Izuku's headband.
'It seems Iida can't use it more than once.'
Bakugo returned to the fight. Midoriya went after Todoroki again and nearly grabbed the headband—but Todoroki used his fire side, forcing him back.
Sam narrowed his eyes.
'He's shaking.'
Todoroki's body had reacted on instinct.
'It felt a threat and moved to protect him.'
Bakugo and Midoriya made one final push—but failed.
Bakugo face-planted into the ground.
"Hahaha! A faceplanting Chihuahua!"
Sam froze.
He had laughed.
Actually laughed.
'Maybe they are changing me.'
With that, the second stage was over.