Summary
TheYoung Sheldonseries finale led to a theory thatThe Big Bang Theory’s Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) is dead, but if the"Leonard is dead" theoryproves to be true, it would break an unspoken golden rule about sitcoms.Young Sheldon’s series finalefeatured Jim Parsons reprising his role as the adult Sheldon Cooper, and not just for narration purposes, as he physically appeared alongside Mayim Bialik, who also reprised her role from the original sitcom as Amy Farrah Fowler.
In scenes that took place after the events ofThe Big Bang Theory’s series finale, Sheldon and Amy discussed their son, who is named Leonard, and their unnamed daughter. While Sheldon also mentioned Penny (Kaley Cuoco), the original Leonard was never acknowledged. This, along with other evidence, raised the possibility thatLeonard may have diedsince the conclusion ofThe Big Bang Theory, which could impact the existing series and the franchise’s other spinoffs that are currently in the works.
Young Sheldon’s Ending Fixed The Big Bang Theory’s Most Confusing Mary Plot Hole
Although Young Sheldon’s finale didn’t justify all The Big Bang Theory’s character details, it did explain Mary and Sheldon’s close relationship.
Main Characters In Hangout Sitcoms Aren’t Supposed To Die
The Core Group Of Friends Don’t Die In Seinfeld, How I Met Your Mother, New Girl, Friends, And Other Sitcoms
It is a generally accepted, albeit unspoken rule, that themain characters aren’t supposed to die in group sitcoms. Part of what defines these shows is the feeling of comfort and familiarity they evoke, making it accessible to dive into any given episode of the series. There is a sense of safety in knowing that all the characters are going to be fine, regardless of their relationship troubles, stresses of their jobs, and other troubles that they may be facing.
The Big Bang Theory’s Leonard dying would break the golden rule about main characters not dying far worse thanHow I Met Your Motherdid.
The group sitcomHow I Met Your Motherfeatured character deaths, including Marshall’s father and the titular Mother herself, Tracy McConnell, but the main characters were never killed. Despite her late introduction to the series and not being a main character, theMother’s death inHow I Met Your Motherproved to be highly divisive. The controversy would’ve been even worse if the series had killed Ted, Marshall, Lily, Barney, or Robin.The Big Bang Theory’s Leonard dying would break the golden rule about main characters not dying far worse thanHow I Met Your Motherdid.
Watching The Big Bang Theory Would Never Be The Same Again
Sitcoms don’t kill off their main characters because doing so would take away much of the comfort and familiarity that the genre has to offer. Even when rewatchingSeinfeld, whose humor was more mean-spirited than some other sitcoms, there is still that comfort in its rewatchability.If Phoebe died inFriendsor George died inSeinfeld, watching these sitcoms would never be the same again, as any scene with Phoebe or George, no matter how humorous, would be tainted by the knowledge and sadness of these characters' deaths.
The Big Bang Theorywould lose much of its comforting appeal and rewatchability if Leonard were dead. Moments like Leonard being the best man at Sheldon’s wedding and bringing Penny a perfectly preserved arctic snowflake when returning home after three months in the North Pole would no longer be as sweet with Leonard’s death hanging over them during a rewatch. It would ultimately dampen the spirit of rewatchingThe Big Bang Theoryduring its many reruns on cable television and on the numerous streaming services where it is available to watch.
I’m Sorry That Leonard May Be Dead But At Least It Allows Penny’s Big Bang Theory Spinoff Return
The Young Sheldon finale suggested that Leonard is dead, and while that’s sad, at least it makes Penny’s The Big Bang Theory spinoff return possible.
There Is Evidence For And Against The Theory
Sheldon and Amy naming their son Leonard was confirmed to have been done to honor Sheldon’s best friend Leonard and Sheldon’s idol, Spock actor Leonard Nimoy. Nevertheless, this may be the first clue that the Leonard being dead theory is true, as children are often named to honor a deceased loved one. It would be strange, and likely confusing during family get-togethers, to name their son Leonard if the original Leonard was still alive.
Another potential clue is that theYoung Sheldonfinale mentions Penny, with Sheldon claiming that his unnamed daughter’s desire to take acting classes must be because of Penny babysitting her, but there was no mention of Leonard. This feels like a glaring omission with Penny and Leonard being married and being such a central part of Sheldon and Amy’s lives, and presumably in the lives of their children as well.Leonard was also never mentioned or incorporated into any point ofYoung Sheldon,unlike Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg), who had a voiceover cameo.
There was also the matter of Leonard’s health issues, including sleep apnea and asthma, which could have led to an early death. None of the evidence is ironclad, though, asYoung Sheldonwas understandably more focused on wrapping up its own story than providingupdates on allThe Big Bang Theory’s main characters. Mentioning Leonard arguably never fit the needs ofYoung Sheldon’s story, which primarily revolved around Sheldon’s life before he ever met Leonard.
If such a wild twist were to occur, the franchise likely wouldn’t have chosen to do it offscreen and would make it a more direct part of its story. TheGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriagespinoffis unlikely to confirm or deny the theory given when it takes place and the characters it focuses on. Hopefully, it will eventually be addressed as the franchise continues to expand, proving that Leonard is alive and well and thatThe Big Bang Theory’s universe didn’t break the golden sitcom rule.
