The Real Reason Paige Was Missing from Season 7 of Young Sheldon

Summary

• The absence of Paige Swanson in Season 7 upset many fans.
• Paige was no different than any other supporting character.
• The format of the show explains why she was missing from the final installment.

Some shows come and go. And some are forever etched in our memories. Much like its parent series, The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon is one of the most memorable TV shows ever to air. Even though it ended over two weeks ago, the comedy series is still the talk of the town among millions of fans around the world.

This is probably due to the way the final, seventh season of Young Sheldon ended. Aside from the death of Sheldon's father George, which broke the hearts of millions of viewers, not to mention the beloved characters, the spin-off's farewell season left fans with many questions. Some of the most frequently asked were where Paige was and why Season 7 skipped her altogether. And while there are real-life explanations, Paige's exclusion from the final installment of YS makes a lot of narrative sense.

Paige Was Just Another Minor Character

Introduced in Season 2, Paige Swanson added a lot of dynamism to the show as Shelly's competition. The genius girl, who was even smarter than Sheldon and had wonderful emotional intelligence to boot, seemed like an important addition to Young Sheldon, as she helped the title character realize he wasn't alone in the world. She also showed that high intellect and the expectations that come with it are a burden that may be too much for a child to bear.

Paige's struggle to find her own place in the world and live a normal life despite her extraordinary intelligence was depicted throughout the show, culminating in Season 6 when she and Missy attempted to run away together. Of course, Paige may seem like an important character, but she really isn't, which is why there was no room for her in the condensed seventh season of Young Sheldon.

Dr. Cooper's Autobiography

Named after TBBT's most eccentric character, Young Sheldon was revealed in the Season 7 finale to be Dr. Cooper's autobiography, though the spin-off also covered aspects of other characters' lives that the boy could not be aware of.

Still, as an autobiography, YS provides a very limited perspective on events - Sheldon's, which is why the events depicted on the show came down to what he felt was important to tell.

Since Shelly never considered Paige his friend, he was not interested in her life. In fact, he probably hadn't heard from her since the runaway incident in Season 6, so he didn't bother to tell what happened to her. And like so many other minor characters, Paige Swanson just fell into oblivion.