Adult Sheldon's appearance in the Young Sheldon finale may have also revealed the possibility that The Big Bang Theory's Leonard is dead. Similar to its parent series, CBS stages a special one-hour send-off for the Coopers as Sheldon wraps up his time in Texas and moves to California. The first half of the series capper is focused on the family dealing with George's unexpected death in Young Sheldon season 7, episode 12, "A New Home and a Traditional Texas Torture." After the Cooper patriarch's funeral service, however, the family comedy/drama shifts its storytelling to the clan moving forward.
To establish a connection with the flagship series, the Young Sheldon finale brought Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik to physically appear as adult Sheldon and Amy from the future. This marks the pair's first on-screen return since The Big Bang Theory ended in 2019. Beyond their cameos benefit to the prequel's storytelling, it also allows CBS to offer an update on how the Pasadena gang is doing in the future. Unfortunately, instead of a happy revelation, the Cooper-Fowler couple's involvement implies that Leonard may already be gone thanks to a couple of new clues to his dark fate.
Sheldon & Amy’s Son & Penny Reference Hint At Leonard Dak Post-TBBT Fate
Unfortunately, no other The Big Bang Theory characters appear in the Young Sheldon finale, but there are two particular reveals suggesting that Sheldon's best friend is dead. Firstly, Sheldon and Amy continue to refer to their son as Leonard. Their firstborn's name was long confirmed in the spinoff and was inspired by Sheldon's love for both Leonard Hofstadter and Leonard Nimoy. Oddly, they don't have the need to nickname him differently. It would be weird, not to mention confusing, to have both of them be called the exact same name when they are part of a single social circle.
So, while name-dropping Penny sounds innocuous, considering her friendship with Sheldon, the writers must have known that not mentioning or showing Leonard would have narrative implications.
To back this idea up, Sheldon only brings up Leonard's wife in the closing moments of the Young Sheldon finale. As the couple walks out of his office to attend Leonard's hockey game in Pasadena, Amy mentions that their daughter wants to take acting classes, to which Sheldon quips that this is what happens when they let Penny babysit. Chuck Lorre and his team know full well how vital Easter eggs and references are. So, while name-dropping Penny sounds innocuous, considering her friendship with Sheldon, the writers must have known that not mentioning or showing Leonard would have narrative implications.
Can The Big Bang Theory’s Leonard Really Be Dead?
Sheldon's Best Friend Had A Host Of Health Issues In The Big Bang Theory.
The Young Sheldon finale doesn't explicitly reveal how far into the future adult Sheldon and Amy are from. However, based on their comments, it's safe to say that their son is in her early adolescence while their daughter is a few years younger than him. That means it would have been more than a decade since they won the Nobel Prize in Physics, making them and Leonard in their 50s, which is not old by all means. However, considering Leonard's well-established health issues, which include sleep apnea and asthma, he may have died in the last several years.