The fact that Young Sheldon’s series finale may have killed off The Big Bang Theory’s Leonard makes the original show’s most divisive plot line even worse. The Big Bang Theory’s finale may not have been perfect, but it didn’t set the Internet ablaze with fan theories about a potential cryptic death announcement. The same can’t be said for Young Sheldon’s ending. In its final episode, Young Sheldon featured a moment where Sheldon mentioned that The Big Bang Theory’s heroine Penny babysat his and Amy’s children. The fact that he didn’t mention Leonard set off some alarm bells.

Leonard was central to The Big Bang Theory’s cast of characters, playing as big a role in the original show as Sheldon himself. Johnny Galecki’s sweet nerd was the show’s primary protagonist for the first few seasons until Sheldon proved incredibly popular and became its breakout character. As such, Leonard’s offscreen death would completely reshape any potential sequels to The Big Bang Theory. It would also have a massive impact on a storyline that was already divisive among viewers and critics. The most infamous part of The Big Bang Theory’s series finale would be even worse after Leonard’s death.

Young Sheldon’s Potential Leonard Death Puts A Tragic Spin On TBBT’s Pregnancy Ending

Penny and Leonard’s Children Wouldn’t Be Too Old By Young Sheldon’s Ending

Leonard’s death would add a tragic shadow to Penny’s already controversial finale pregnancy since it would mean that the show’s lead couple never got to raise their children together. After all, Sheldon and Amy aren’t much older in Young Sheldon’s finale, and, judging by their activities, their children are still young in the episode. It is reasonable to presume that Leonard and Penny’s child would also still be relatively young and, since it is not clear when Leonard died, it is tragically likely that he would have missed out on being a father despite his desire to experience this.

Whenever Leonard and Penny discussed the possibility of having children, Leonard was always significantly more invested in the idea than his partner. Leonard and Penny had numerous major fights over this, and this made The Big Bang Theory’s series finale twist controversial. Penny spent eleven seasons repeatedly stating that she had no interest in becoming a parent, even weathering insults from her friends Bernadette and Amy. It was only in season 12 that she showed any uncertainty around this resolve, and even these comments were still only briefly referenced before the show’s finale suddenly revealed her unexpected pregnancy.

Why The Big Bang Theory Finale’s Pregnancy Was Already Divisive

Penny’s Change of Mind Wasn’t Universally Well-Received

Numerous critics and fans online noted that Penny was adamant about not wanting children until the final season and, as such, her pregnancy came as a shock rather than a foreshadowed plot development. As recently as the season 12 premiere, Penny reminded Leonard that she didn’t want children after a pregnancy scare. This wasn’t the first time that Kaley Cuoco’s The Big Bang Theory heroine pulled the short straw in terms of life plans, either. The Big Bang Theory’s worst crime against Penny arrived long before her pregnancy when she had to drop her dreams of becoming an actor.

In a series where Howard went to space and Sheldon won a Nobel Prize, Penny’s comparatively modest hopes of becoming an actor were too unrealistic and idealistic for her to succeed. As such, the show had already limited her agency in comparison to other characters before season 12 began. The fact that Penny repeatedly reaffirmed that she didn’t want to get pregnant throughout season 12 made this twist more controversial, especially after an episode where Leonard considered sperm donation. The finale suddenly revealing she was pregnant was the conclusive proof that her dreams and ambitions weren’t the show’s central focus.

Young Sheldon’s Finale May Not Have Killed Off Leonard

Sheldon’s Reference To Penny Doesn’t Confirm Leonard’s Death

Fortunately, viewers may not need to worry about this downbeat twist. Young Sheldon’s finale may not have killed off Leonard since there are plenty of other reasons that Sheldon wouldn’t have mentioned Leonard. Leonard may not have been present while Penny was babysitting Amy and Sheldon’s children as he may have been working or otherwise detained. Young Sheldon’s potential Leonard death could also be retconned if Leonard was present for this babysitting, but Sheldon didn’t mention him since he didn’t feel he was responsible for its impact on his daughter. Context is crucial in the scene’s phrasing.

Sheldon says that he should never have allowed Penny to babysit upon discovering that his daughter wants to pursue acting. Since this was always Penny’s dream, it is fair for Sheldon to presume that Penny was the one who put the idea in his daughter’s head. Even if Leonard was present, his lack of interest and experience in the world of acting means he would be less likely to mention it to Sheldon and Amy’s daughter. Thus, Leonard’s apparent death might be nothing more than a case of miscommunication on Sheldon’s part that has been taken out of context.

Future The Big Bang Theory Spinoffs Can Resolve Leonard’s Fate

Leonard’s Fate Could Be Explained In The Big Bang Theory’s Sequel

Although The Big Bang Theory had a few deaths, these were mostly comical fates that befell unseen side characters. It is highly unlikely that The Big Bang Theory would kill off its hero in a throwaway line from another series, and its subsequent spinoffs can clarify this. Admittedly, Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage is unlikely to mention the issue since the series will focus on characters established in Young Sheldon and will take place before The Big Bang Theory. However, creator Chuck Lorre said in 2023 that he was working on another series set in the sitcom’s fictional universe.

This spinoff from The Big Bang Theory could clarify whether Leonard survived, with the show most likely confirming that he lived. Any follow-up to the original series would need Leonard as a major player, even if it was a sequel series that focused mostly on the next generation of characters like That ‘70s Show‘s spinoff That ‘90s Show. Thus, it is likely that the next spinoff from The Big Bang Theory will prove that Penny and Leonard’s finale fate wasn’t as tragic as Young Sheldon’s series finale made it seem, despite the theories that spawned from Sheldon’s mention of Penny.