Pastor Rob’s true feelings for Mary were exposed when he didn’t return in the Young Sheldon finale. After George’s unexpected death of a heart attack, showing the grieving period for the Coopers also allowed the show to bring in as many familiar faces back to the series before it officially ended. As the community gathered to rally for Mary and her kids amid such a devastating tragedy, the Young Sheldon finale brought even Reba McIntyre’s June Ballard. Still, there were some notable faces that remained missing up until the show’s end, with no update on their whereabouts.
Understandably, The Big Bang Theory prequel couldn’t recruit every single character from its past for its ending. George’s sister, Ruth, wasn’t even at his funeral, although there are theories that Lance Barber’s drag character may secretly be her. However, there were some expectations leading to the Young Sheldon finale that some more notable players would come back. People who made a mark on the show despite not being regulars, such as Paige Swanson and Pastor Rob. While the former’s absence will always be a question in The Big Bang Theory canon, the latter’s suggests his true motivations when approaching Mary.
The Big Bang Theory universe’s best episode was ironically only made possible by Young Sheldon creator’s biggest creative decision regret.
Pastor Rob’s Young Sheldon Role & Relationship To Mary Explained
Young Sheldon Season 5 Introduced Youth Pastor Rob, Amid The Coopers’ Most Chaotic Year
Introduced in Young Sheldon season 5, episode 2, “Snoopin’ Around and the Wonder Twins of Atheism,” Rob was brought in as the Youth Pastor in Pastor Jeff’s Sunday school. His arrival didn’t seem suspicious at first, but it became clear that he would create some issues in the Cooper household. Initially, Missy found herself smitten by him, although Pastor Rob didn’t show any special interest in her. Things became so much more complicated when Mary started daydreaming about him, although it’s worth noting that she never really acted on it. She even tried to spend less time with Pastor Rob.
Pastor Rob and Mary started spending more time together, although it started just as co-workers who eventually became friends. That said, things came to a head when Pastor Rob started dropping hints that he may also have feelings for Mary. This was at the point where George was spending a lot of time with Brenda in secret and was arguably the lowest point in Sheldon’s parents’ marriage. By then, the Coopers were also having family problems on the heels of the revelation that Georgie and Mandy were unexpectedly pregnant, which made the circumstance so much trickier to navigate.
Pastor Rob’s Absence In The Young Sheldon Finale Means He Truly Respected Mary
George’s Funeral Happened During The First Half Of The Young Sheldon Finale
The last time Pastor Rob was in Young Sheldon was when Baby Cece was born. At that point, Mary was no longer working at Pastor Jeff’s church, hence why she didn’t have many opportunities to spend with Pastor Rob. Somehow, separating Sheldon’s mother from the congregation made her more agreeable at home, highlighting that the church was Young Sheldon‘s overall villain. In a last attempt to see if there’s any chance of them having any kind of relationship, Pastor Rob told Mary that he was moving away, essentially asking if he should, considering their situation.
Since then, Rob never returned to The Big Bang Theory spinoff. It’s unclear whether he pushed through with his plans to move, but his absence at George’s funeral during the Young Sheldon finale offered an insight as to how he really felt about Mary. While there was an attraction between the pair, it wasn’t explicitly revealed if their feelings for each other were just infatuation or if they were fully in love. Considering Pastor Jeff and the church’s part in George’s funeral, it’s safe to say that the news of the Cooper patriarch’s death eventually reached Pastor Jeff, whether he eventually moved to Arkansas or remained in Texas.
Chuck Lorre is developing a new The Big Bang Theory spinoff, and his most tragic character actor is the best option for the show’s protagonist.
Pastor Rob not showing up on the heels of George’s death highlighted that despite his attraction to Mary, he respected her and her family enough to stay away. As annoying as he was to George, he didn’t go out of his way to wreck his marriage. It just so happened that he developed some feelings for her, but he was never going to force the issue if Mary didn’t make it clear that she wanted to be with him. Those who don’t have scruples would have used this opportunity to swoop in and take advantage of her vulnerability.
What Happened To Pastor Rob After Young Sheldon
The Big Bang Theory Didn’t Reveal Anything About Pastor Rob
As a prequel, several of the characters in Young Sheldon appeared in The Big Bang Theory. This is why despite the finale not giving Mary, Missy, and Meemaw their respective proper endings, the nerd-centric sitcom offered an idea about what will happen to them in the future. The same applies to Tam, Sheldon’s first best friend, who ended up visiting him in The Big Bang Theory season 12. However, since the flagship was done long before its prequel was even considered, it also ignored so many memorable characters in Young Sheldon. Unfortunately, one of them is Pastor Rob.
While Sheldon’s mom did date around, perhaps primarily for company, and even had something going with Leonard’s dad briefly, Mary kept her word about never remarrying.
For what it’s worth, it didn’t seem like Mary revisited whatever burgeoning relationship she and Pastor Rob had since he was never in all the times that she appeared in The Big Bang Theory. While Sheldon’s mom did date around, perhaps primarily for company, and even had something going with Leonard’s dad briefly, Mary kept her word about never remarrying. As such, it’s safe to say that no one else from the family knew in the family about her and Pastor Rob’s borderline affair.
Annie Potts, who played Meemaw in Young Sheldon, has been vocal against the show’s cancelation, and she is proven right by information from CBS.
Did Mary Really Love Pastor Rob In Young Sheldon?
Pastor Rob Came During The Lowest Point Of Mary And George’s Marriage
The Young Sheldon finale finally explained why Mary was so vile to George in The Big Bang Theory. During her funeral speech, she revealed that she was so mad at him, herself, and even God for her husband’s unexpected death. The severity of her grief highlighted how much she loved him, although it wasn’t always apparent. Because of this, it’s safe to say that whatever she felt about Pastor Rob was mostly a result of her predicament. He was new, young, and different from George, who wasn’t exactly a model husband during this time.
Ultimately, Mary was never going to choose Rob over George, partly because of her Christian values and primarily because of her love for the Cooper patriarch.
Ultimately, Mary was never going to choose Rob over George, partly because of her Christian values and primarily because of her love for the Cooper patriarch. He was a friend when she needed someone to listen to, but it’s a relief that she never mistook it for anything more than a fleeting attraction. Still, The Big Bang Theory canon established that nothing substantial came out of their time together, so it was for the better that Young Sheldon didn’t further pursue it.
