Young Sheldon Just Explained Missy’s Tragic Big Bang Theory Situation
Warning! Spoilers ahead for Young Sheldon season 6 episode 4.
Missy’s (Raegan Revord) tragic The Big Bang Theory situation was just explained by Young Sheldon. Like most of the Cooper family, Missy appeared on The Big Bang Theory as a guest star before she became a lead character on the prequel sitcom. Despite her limited involvement, Sheldon’s (Iain Armitage) sister made a big impression on viewers, which Young Sheldon season 6 is now taking advantage of by further exploring her character. One of the big takeaways from Missy’s The Big Bang Theory cameos is that she didn’t become as successful as her brothers despite being smart and resourceful in her own right. It has been one of the biggest mysteries about the Cooper family story, which Young Sheldon subtly addressed in season 6.
In Young Sheldon season 6, episode 4, « Blonde Ambition and the Concept of Zero, » Missy finds a friend and quasi-mentor in Mandy (Emily Osment) — something that she has never had before. As Sheldon’s twin says herself, she never had a female confidante because Meemaw (Annie Potts) is too old and Mary (Zoe Perry) can be too judgmental, forcing her to figure things out on her own. Since Georgie’s (Montana Jordan) The Big Bang Theory story didn’t say anything about him ending up with Mandy, the pair will likely break up, robbing Missy of the closest thing she has had to a best friend. Between not having any guidance from the likes of Mandy and the impending death of George, Missy will be left at her own devices leading her to unhealthy coping behavior that hinders her from reaching her full potential.
Unfortunately, Missy is headed for a rough patch. George’s impending Young Sheldon death will be difficult for the Coopers, but it will be particularly taxing for her only daughter considering her close relationship with him. In The Big Bang Theory, she was revealed to be on the cusp of separating from her husband while she was pregnant with her second child. Luckily, after everything she went through, Young Sheldon revealed that Missy lived happily after The Big Bang Theory. She ultimately gets remarried and has a loving family after her separation from her first husband. Specifics of her post-The Big Bang Theory fate weren’t revealed, but the spin-off prequel can continue to reveal new information about Missy’s future. This will be especially pivotal if CBS plans to tackle more of her personal arc on Young Sheldon.
Despite Young Sheldon’s growing popularity, it has a pre-determined end thanks to The Big Bang Theory’s established continuity. While the flagship series continued to tackle Sheldon’s arc in Pasadena, not much is known about what happens to his family after George’s tragic death. When Georgie appeared on The Big Bang Theory, however, he briefly talked about how they coped after the Cooper patriarch’s demise. Mary, apparently, was too overwhelmed by grief, while Missy was « just a dumb teenager » back then. It’s uncertain what Georgie exactly meant when he described his sister like that, but it’s possible that she went through a rebel phase as her way to cope with the loss of George.
Looking back, it’s quite difficult to believe that Young Sheldon’s Missy turned out to be the least successful Cooper sibling on The Big Bang Theory. The Cooper daughter has great potential on the prequel sitcom, it’s sad to know that she never reached her full potential. At the very least, she ended up having a great personal life — something that hopefully Young Sheldon can reveal more of through adult Sheldon’s narration.
Young Sheldon season 6 airs Thursdays on CBS.
