The Young Sheldon Finale Finally Answered These Questions (And Didn’t Address Others)

the big bang theory prequel spin-off series young sheldon ended with a heartfelt, two-episode finale. Throughout its run, Young Sheldon featured plenty of Easter Eggs and references to The Big Bang Theory. Many episodes depicted events that adult Sheldon (Jim Parsons) had recalled to his friends through TBBT’s 12-season run, including ones he remembered accurately and those he didn’t. These ranged from the origins of his favorite word, “Bazinga!” to his father’s alleged affair, why he always knocks three times, and that time his parents “had him tested.”

Young Sheldon’s ending wrapped up some storylines with a neat bow, including why Sheldon (Iain Armitage) ended up at Caltech and the…It also rectified a discrepancy that has loomed over the prequel series since its beginning. But a few questions still remain unanswered.

What Questions the Young Sheldon Finale Finally Answered

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  Iain Armitage

  Sheldon Cooper
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  Zoe Perry

  Mary Cooper

The biggest question looming over the final episodes was how and when George dies. The answer played out in the third-to-last episode, one of the… While on the football field, George collapsed from a heart attack, and sadly, he didn’t make it. This was to be expected given that George suffered from two heart attacks in previous seasons, foreshadowing the moment.

The finale also answered the question about who Sheldon had been narrating to all this time and why. In the final episode, aptly called “Memoir,” Parsons is sitting behind his laptop working on his memoir. Using his eidetic memory, he recalls pivotal moments… sometimes engaging in conversation with Amy (Mayim Bialik) about what he’s writing.

As Sheldon moves from chapter to chapter, the show has moved from season to season. Young Sheldon, then, was a live depiction of Sheldon’s memories as he put words to pages to chronicle his life. It was a nice way to tie the two shows together one last time and bring a sense of purpose to the prequel.

The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper may have an eidetic memory, but Young Sheldon proves he actually had a better childhood than he remembers.

Arguably most important, however, was the answer to a question that has hung over the two shows for some time: why had Sheldon spoken so negatively about his father throughout The Big Bang Theory? He referred to his father as a heavy-drinking, lazy, misogynistic redneck on multiple occasions. The finale rectifies this once and for all by allowing adult Sheldon to reflect on his childhood and admit his mistake. As …he realizes that he is too focused on his father’s shortcomings and not enough on everything George did right. “I realize he was just doing the best he could,” Sheldon narrates. The lingering plot hole was finally resolved, explaining the dichotomy between how Sheldon described his father and how he really was.

What Questions the Young Sheldon Finale Failed to Answer

Despite all the questions the Young Sheldon finale did answer, there are still numerous ones that remain. Fans of The Big Bang Theory know that Connie (Annie Potts), affectionately known to…is still alive when Sheldon is working at Caltech. In fact, her appearance on the show’s ninth season, played by June Squibb, sees her meeting Amy and eventually giving Sheldon permission to propose to his long-time girlfriend with her ring. The two decades of time in Connie’s life between the end of Young Sheldon and this moment remain a mystery.

In the Young Sheldon finale, Connie was still effectively homeless, living with Dale (Craig T. Nelson) while she figured out what to do in the aftermath of her home being destroyed. It’s assumed that the pair continue to date for some time, but nothing is confirmed beyond Dale’s presence in the end. Missy (Reagan Revord) is another wild card…. than her siblings, and it likely played into the trajectory of her life. As revealed in The Big Bang Theory, she eventually marries, separates, has two kids, and works as a hostess at a restaurant. But her journey from being just a “dumb teenager,” as Sheldon called her, to adulthood is a big question mark.

How Mary (Zoe Perry) copes with George’s death in the years that follow also remains unanswered. While she appears many times on TBBT (played by Perry’s real-life mother, Laurie Metcalf), Young Sheldon ends with Mary falling deeper into her religion as a means of coping. Sheldon reveals that the family home is eventually sold, but there are no details about where Mary ends up living when this happens.

Questions about Georgie and Mandy’s future will be answered in the…series Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. Will Sasso and Rachel Bay Jones will be joining the cast of that series, reprising their roles as Mandy’s parents. But there’s no word about Mary, Missy, Connie, or others. The show’s executive producer, Steve Holland, told… that the characters are “still around and can make appearances and drop by.” Even if they don’t, it’s likely that Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage will eventually fill in some unanswered blanks.

With this seventh and final season, let’s explore the branches of the Cooper family tree before we say goodbye.

Another pivotal question that wasn’t answered was why adult Sheldon seemingly dismissed the importance of Dr. John Sturgis (Wallace Shawn) in his life. Dr. Sturgis was crucial in helping Sheldon acclimate to …and college classes, one of the few people to whom Sheldon could relate through much of his childhood. Yet he is never mentioned in The Big Bang Theory. The real reason is likely because the character was dreamed up only after Young Sheldon hit its stride. But it would have been nice to acknowledge one of the most important figures from Sheldon’s childhood, arguably the most important man in his life beyond his father.

Finally, while she may have only been a minor part of his life at a specific period of time, fans would also have loved an update on Paige (McKenna Grace), Sheldon’s childhood intellectual rival. The last fans saw of her, she had begun to rebel as a way of dealing with her parents’ divorce and feeling like she didn’t belong in college. She was making bad decisions and seemingly wasting her potential. But she was last seen in Season 6. Fans would have loved to have learned that there was a happy ending for the young character who kept Sheldon on his toes for a period of time when he wa…

Sheldon’s Story Was Perfect

Despite some unanswered questions relating to other characters, Sheldon’s story was wrapped up nicely. In “Memoir,” Amy’s reaction to Sheldon not wanting to attend his son’s hockey game sparks a realization: Sheldon’s parents supported him in whatever he wanted to do, even if they didn’t understand it. In failing to support his son’s interest in hockey, Sheldon was doing the exact opposite. It might be one of the few instances when Sheldon recognizes his own shortcomings and changes his behavior to correct them.

This tender moment wraps up adult Sheldon’s story while the young version of Sheldon is about to start his. In the final scene of the series, Sheldon walks onto the Caltech campus, suitcase in hand. He’s wearing a brightly colored comic book T-shirt over a long-sleeved tee, a look that would become his signature for decades to come.

A teacher walks by and asks if he needs help getting to where he needs to go. “I’m exactly where I should be,” Sheldon says with a smile. Thus, Sheldon’s prequel journey ends in the perfect way, marking the beginning of an exciting new journey that fans of The Big Bang Theory already know has a very happy ending. Stream seasons 1-6 of Young Sheldon on…