The Big Bang Theory ended not with a bang but with a tear, which the show needed to satisfy the massive fanbase who followed it for 12 seasons. Kicking off in 2007, The Big Bang Theory followed the lives of a gang of four (eventually seven) friends based in Pasadena, all stereotypical ‘nerds’ and scientists at CalTech. But what they lack in social skills, they make up for in terms of intellect and love for anything geeky. Over the years, the crew went through ups and downs, professionally and personally, but remained intact (partly because six of them married each other).
With the one-hour finale devoted to Sheldon and Amy’s bid for the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work on Super Asymmetry, the rest of the gang goes through their lives and supports the Coopers as they reach their academic success. With so much history riding on its final two episodes, pressure mounted on the writers to deliver a satisfying ending. By the end of the popular series, most of the characters achieved their deserved finale.
Sheldon & Amy Win The Nobel Prize
The Win Is A Struggle For Sheldon To Cope With, Because Of So Many Changes
The first half of The Big Bang Theory finale, titled “Change Constant,” was mainly devoted to the Nobel Prize subplot. It was finally revealed that Sheldon and Amy won — supposedly a cause for celebration, especially for the former, who has worked relentlessly all his life for this goal. But what he had long been longing for wasn’t exactly what he expected it to be.
Overwhelmed by the string of big changes happening by the minute, Sheldon slowly descends into paranoia. The same is true for Amy, who was stressed by the press hounding her (and commenting on her appearance) after enjoying the initial wave of interest. Looking for help, she turns to Raj, who suggests that she undergo a makeover. Everyone loves it except her husband, who sees it as one more unexpected change.
Penny takes a shaken Sheldon to The Cheesecake Factory to prepare him for his significantly changed life, reminiscent of their unlikely friendship in The Big Bang Theory’s early seasons. They talk about how far they’ve come separately, providing a great retrospective of more than a decades-worth of adventures for both characters. Elsewhere, Howard and Bernadette are being interviewed by CNN, and both tell reporters that they’re best friends with the Coopers.
The Elevator Is Fixed & Leonard Changes The Apartment
Long-Gestating Changes Come To Fruition
After Sheldon’s outburst about Amy’s new looks, one of The Big Bang Theory’s biggest plot threads was resolved: as Leonard tries to talk some sense into Sheldon in the hallway, Penny steps out of the functional elevatory saying, “can you believe it? They finally fixed the elevator?” This leads to a humorous bit where Sheldon tries to run away from the Hofstadters downstairs, but Penny is already waiting for him, thanks to the fully-working lift.
That’s not the only change. Back in the apartment, Leonard, motivated by his newfound self-confidence, decides to re-arrange the whole place — something that never happened in the show’s history because Sheldon didn’t want to. During his biggest rebellious act over his best friend’s controlling ways, Leonard touches and moves the molecular model that Sheldon forbade him to lay his hands on.
As it turns out, there was a reason why it was best to leave it alone. The moment Leonard touched it, all the little balls fell off. The episode ends with Penny and Sheldon riding the elevator upstairs, with the latter exclaiming the experience was “wild.”
Penny Is Pregnant
This Resolves Penny & Leonard’s Season 12 Arc
Two months later, The Big Bang Theory’s final episode, “The Stockholm Syndrome,” picked up with Sheldon saying that it’s been a great 139.5 hours, having just finished rebuilding the molecular model with Leonard. He’s acclimated to his new status and is as excited as the whole gang to fly to Stockholm for the Nobel award ceremony. Howard and Bernadette are worried, as it is their first time leaving Halley and Michael, even with Stuart staying behind and watching the kids.
Raj also needed a sitter for Cinnamon – fortunately, Bert is available to care for his beloved pet while he’s away. Because of all the commotion from the upcoming trip, Leonard and Penny keep a big secret tightly under wraps: Penny is pregnant. They conceived the night of Penny and Sheldon’s trip to the Cheesecake Factory. Subtle clues are peppered throughout this episode, but everyone is so focused on their affairs that they easily miss it.
What’s not revealed is Penny’s initial reaction to discovering her pregnancy. She had been adamant about not wanting to have kids, which was the root of her and Leonard’s conflict for most of The Big Bang Theory season 12. She now seems very excited about becoming a mother – a little odd considering how much of her character in the past was against it. This became one of the most contentious parts of the finale, as it seemed to undermine her established position – and no time was given to her showing how her mind changed.
The Big Bang Theory Gang Almost Split
However, Sheldon Learns To Respect Them
The discovery of Penny’s pregnancy could have had better timing, however. Due to the pressure of the Nobel, Sheldon shrugged it off after Leonard came clean during their tumultuous flight to Stockholm. Angry about his best bud’s nonchalance about this big news, the gang’s time in Sweden starts on the wrong foot, but the situation goes from bad to worse with a series of mishaps in their first few hours in the country capped off with Penny’s weird craving for pickled herring and salted cod.
Things aren’t looking up for the Wolowitz household either, with Howard and Bernadette learning from Stuart that Halley lost a tooth while falling down the stairs, and he lost Michael while playing hide-and-seek. Understandably worried about their kids, the couple decides they will fly home and miss the award ceremony. But Sheldon doesn’t seem bothered by the news, further motivating Howard to leave. Leonard also decides he’s had enough, and he and Penny are returning home.
Left by their friends, Amy confronts Sheldon about his behavior, bluntly telling him they have tolerated him all this time because he never means to be unnecessarily mean to them. While the Coopers deal with the fallout of their trip, the Hofstadters and Wolowitzes decide to stay; by the time Amy and Sheldon are awarded, the whole gang is in the audience, genuinely proud of the two.
Once Sheldon steps on the podium, he sees the gang in the crowd, causing him to ditch his pre-written speech.
In her speech, Amy encourages young girls to never give up on their dreams — a great nod to her arc just a couple of episodes earlier, where she felt immense pressure to win the academic accolade after learning that only a few women had won it. Once Sheldon steps on the podium, he sees the gang in the crowd, causing him to ditch his pre-written speech and instead deliver one that comes from the heart.
He first thanked his family and his friends, and then Sheldon’s speech became more earnest as he cited how his friends stuck with him all these years despite his quirks. Thinking about all the other times Sheldon spoke in front of an audience, he eloquently expressed how grateful he is to his friends without embarrassing himself. He finally acknowledges Howard’s stint as an astronaut and calls Penny and Leonard his “two dearest friends in the world,” recalling the first day the couple met 12 years ago.
After the glitzy ceremony, we see the gang back home – in Apartment 4A’s living room, eating Chinese food.
Raj Is Now Dating Sarah Michelle-Gellar?
The Two Seemed To Connect On A Flight – But It May Not Be For Keeps
It’s not as grand as the rest of the plot, but Raj also gets a happy ending in The Big Bang Theory finale. During his speech, Sheldon spots Sarah Michelle-Gellar (the actress playing herself) beside Raj after the two meet on the plane, causing him to blurt out: “Is that Buffy the Vampire Slayer?” Unless this is returned to in a potential sequel, it would seem that Raj ends up with the star – although she does say that it’s not a date.
The Big Bang Theory finale was a touching ending; it pretty much ticked all the boxes for a happy-ever-after. Still, like much of the final season, the narrative was too Sheldon-centric, with some plot turns disregarding what’s come before. It would’ve played better if the show’s writers mapped out a clear final season leading to the series finale, allowing each character a proper payoff rather than feeling like support for the Coopers
Nevertheless, while it’s cliche and safe, it’s exactly what The Big Bang Theory fans wanted. Given the massive fanbase that relentlessly supported it in its 12-year run, it makes sense that satisfying the viewers was its top priority.
What Happened To The Characters After The Finale?
Young Sheldon Reveals Future Details, Including Leonard’s Potential Death
There isn’t much information about what happened to the characters after The Big Bang Theory finale. However, the Young Sheldon series finale offered some interesting information about four of the characters. A plot twist at the end of Young Sheldon explained the plot holes throughout the series based on what was revealed on TBBT. That entire spinoff series is what Sheldon Cooper has been writing about in his memoir about his life. He and Amy are still together and are still giving each other a hard time.
They don’t mention anything there about Raj or Howard, but Sheldon does mention Penny. In their cameo in that finale, while Sheldon is talking to Amy, they mention they named their son Leonard and that Penny babysits their son for them. However, they never mention Leonard, which seems funny since he was Sheldon’s best friend. This leads some to believe that Leonard has died since the end of Big Bang Theory, which would cast a harsh light on the show’s finale.
