Ryder: Puppet or Individual?

Like a lot of elements in Mass Effect Andromeda, Ryder is being well criticized by segments of the community.  

Opinions of Ryder tend to take three main thrusts:

1. Ryder is not Shepard. 
2. Ryder is a puppet and weak character and SAMs plaything. 
3. Ryder is a strong character in their own right.  

I cannot really speak to the first one.  If you do not like Ryder because they aren't SHepard then we all have our personal preferences.  

Yet its the difference between the other two which I think results in a misunderstanding.  Mainly people are misunderstanding the role of SAM in Ryder's life.  To those people who make argument 2. they view SAM as more of a parasitic relationship.  Someone who is a danger to Ryder and has taken an unhealthy position over Ryder.  AKA pretty much the Lexi approach.  

I, on the other hand tend to view their relationship not as one of parasite and host, but one of symbiosis.  Both of them has a role in creating the overall whole and making sure they are both successful.  SAM enhances, he advices, he gives Ryder certain abilities.  But he does not act.  He says it himself when a reluctant uncertain Ryder asks him in SAM node, "so the human is still the boss right?" And SAM replies in the affirmite.  In other words, SAM advices Ryder on his or her options Ryder decides how to do it and does the actual doing itself.  A perfect symbisis, there is no creator to rebel against.  

This casts the entire game, or at least the main plot, as being 'Ryder's story'.  Again proponents of number 2, as I have read, do not think Ryder did any 'growing' as a character throughout the events of the story...essentially because SAM robbed them of the chance.  This flies in the face of the facts of the game though.  Namely the ending.  The Ryder Protagonist loses contact with SAM.  Loses the ability to manipulate Remnant technology as effectively as they were before, so much so that it now is causing them physical harm if they do so.  Does Ryder wonder where SAM is?  Does Ryder shrivel up and fold into a corner somewhere and rock themselves to sleep?

No, they rise to the challenge, in their own way, and forge on.  Thus earning the title of Pathfinder given to them at the beginning of the game.  They use what they have learned throughout the narrative of the game to come up with solutions to their problems.  This is character growth, this is character development, this is what seperates Ryder from Shepard, that Shepard 'erned' the title of Spectre from the beginning because they were a 'bad ass', Ryder had to grow into it, and so they did.