Although The Big Bang Theory treated Sheldon’s fears about Penny’s potential infidelity as a joke, Young Sheldon proved that there was a tragic root in these unfounded suspicions. The Big Bang TheoryThe end of Sheldon showed that although the series was originally focused on Leonard and Penny’s romance, the sitcom ended up focusing on Sheldon. Jim Parsons’ irascible misfit won over audiences and became the series’ breakout character, as evidenced by The Big Bang Theoryfirst spin-off, Young Sheldon. Put Young SheldonIn Sheldon’s finale, Sheldon’s family became equally popular among the sitcom franchise’s fanbase.
Although The Big Bang TheoryThe upcoming spinoff will focus on the original show’s supporting stars, the fact that Young Sheldon was the first continuation of the program is revealing. Sheldon gradually became the main character of the series as it continued, particularly after Penny and Leonard settled down for good. As a result, Sheldon’s character development received more focus, and he soon proved to be a more complex figure than he initially appeared. This means that some previously funny stories have taken on a surprisingly dark shade upon rewatch. This phenomenon was summarized in Season 7 Episode 2, “The Deception Verification.”
The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon mistook Leonard’s return for cheating
Sheldon assumed Leonard would find him before his romantic partner
In “The Deception Verification”, Sheldon assumes that Penny’s distraction and obvious lies mean she is hiding her infidelity. What he didn’t realize was that Leonard had secretly completed a work project earlier and was visiting Penny before spending time with Sheldon as he missed her. Sheldon’s fear that Penny is cheating on Sheldon is much sadder considering he made the exact same mistake with his parentswhich was revealed in Young Sheldonlast season. Until Young Sheldon In Season 7, viewers thought Sheldon had traumatically caught his father cheating on his mother with another woman during his childhood.
His mother’s wig and her hasty exit caused Sheldon to misinterpret the situation, which in turn resulted in lifelong trust issues.
In The Big Bang Theory Season 10, Episode 5, “The Hot Tub Contamination,” Sheldon tells Penny that his habit of always knocking three times came about after he witnessed his father having an affair at age 13. Young Sheldon Season 7, Episode 4, Ants on a Log and a Rogue Flasher, the spinoff revealed that Sheldon had, in reality, walked in on his father and mother participating in a role play. His mother’s wig and her hasty exit caused Sheldon to misinterpret the situation, which in turn resulted in lifelong trust issues. This makes the story of the episode tragic in retrospect.
Sheldon made the same mistake in Young Sheldon Season 7
Sheldon mistook his mother and father’s reunion for George Sr.’s betrayal.
Although it seemed funny when Sheldon accused Penny of infidelity, Sheldon’s fear that Penny would cheat on Leonard was secretly deeply sad. He was projecting his traumatic childhood experience onto his two closest friends, and since Penny and Sheldon’s deaths The Big Bang Theory friendship was one of the closest relationships on the show, it’s no surprise he accused her of cheating. Although Sheldon has spoken of his father with restraint and disdain throughout The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon revealed that he was unexpectedly close to his surprisingly supportive father despite their lack of common interests during their childhood.
It appears that a combination of George Sr.’s sudden death and the betrayal Sheldon felt surrounding the case resulted in him belittling his father’s memory, but his admiration for George Sr. appeared occasionally. When Professor Proton died, a tearful Sheldon admitted that all his formative male mentors, his grandfather, his father and the children’s TV presenter, were gone. This makes Sheldon’s fear of Penny betraying Leonard all the sadder, as it’s clear he fears the prospect of being betrayed once again. The similarities between the two plots make this even more impressive.
The Big Bang Theory proves that young Sheldon’s history of betrayal left scars on Sheldon
Sheldon didn’t even trust Penny to stay faithful to Leonard
In both Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory, Leonard and Mary arrive home to surprise their romantic partners and Sheldon misinterprets this as infidelity on the part of Penny and George Sr. The fact that Sheldon doesn’t trust Penny to remain faithful proves how scarred the events of “Ants on a Log and a Cheating Flasher” have left him. The episode tries to play off the revelation of what really happened as a harmless misunderstanding, but viewers have already seen the impact the event had on Sheldon’s adult behavior. Even his relationship with Amy has been strained by this on occasion.
One of Sheldon’s sweetest moments with Amy was his unexpected proposal in Season 10 Episode 24, “The Long Distance Dissonance.” However, it is worth observing the background of this gesture. Sheldon flew across the country to propose immediately after his co-worker Ramona admitted she was attracted to him and kissed him. Sheldon’s romantic proposal was partially fueled by his guilt over this, although he did nothing to encourage Ramona and did not reciprocate her advances. Even in his most poignant moments, Sheldon was gripped by a deep fear of infidelity, rooted in his childhood experience.
Young Sheldon’s Ending Couldn’t Explain a Cheating Plot Hole
It’s unclear whether Sheldon ever learned the truth
One of the biggest The Big Bang Theory draw holes that Young Sheldon What was left unanswered was whether Sheldon ever discovered the truth about the alleged “Subject.” Sheldon’s older self narrates Young Sheldon and his appearance at the end of the show makes it clear that he has grown a lot since The Big Bang Theorythe end. However, it is not clear how much Young Sheldonit directly recalls the stories of the individual episodes and how much is only shown to the viewers. It’s possible the prequel will be lifted directly from Sheldon’s memoir, which raises an intriguing possibility.
It’s possible that Sheldon’s memories are a framing device for the narration and the events depicted on screen are not the story that Sheldon’s book tells.
If that’s the case, Sheldon’s mother Mary must have told him the truth about the so-called affair after The Big Bang Theory it ended. This would explain why the incident is treated as a light-hearted anecdote in Young Sheldon not a formative, life-altering trauma. However, this is never confirmed in the prequel itself. It’s also possible that Sheldon’s memories are just a framing device for the narration and the events depicted on screen are not necessarily the story that Sheldon’s book tells. If this is the case, The Big Bang Theorythe hero may never discover that he unknowingly misinterpreted one of the Young Sheldoncrucial moments.