Young Sheldon 6x20 Promo: George's Death Countdown Begins?
Will the writers end this or next season on a tragic note, or will they retcon it?
With only three episodes left in Young Sheldon's sixth season, the title character is entering a period of his life that will shape his future for years to come. According to The Big Bang Theory, this will include not only graduating from Caltech and continuing his studies in Germany but also experiencing a family tragedy.
As we know from TBBT, Sheldon, Missy, and Georgie's father, George Cooper Sr., died from weight-related problems when Sheldon was only 14 years old. The show is approaching this sad milestone. But will the writers write him off, and will it happen soon?
The promo for the upcoming episode, German for Beginners and a Crazy Old Man with a Bat, was released today. The trailer reveals that the story continues Sheldon's arc with his desire to attend a summer program in Germany.
In the twenty-third episode of TBBT's season 11, Sheldon's older brother Georgie mentions in a conversation with him that their father died shortly before Sheldon left for Germany. We don't know if this tragic event will happen this season, but it is certainly on the cards.
George's death in this season finale would be both expected and shocking as a cliffhanger. Season seven could then potentially be the final one, showing us how the Cooper family dealt with the loss and eventually became the people we know from TBBT.
On the other hand, the creators still haven't shown the moment that traumatised Sheldon forever: shortly before his father's death, he caught him with another woman when he was 13. Fans have long speculated about whether and how this scene will be portrayed.
Now, in the series, Sheldon is around 13-14 years old, which means it could be shown in the next three episodes. But if not, it may raise questions about the father's imminent death before Sheldon's study abroad experience.
Even if this creates a slight timeline inconsistency, it won't significantly impact the story, as there have already been numerous retcons in the prequel. Either adult Sheldon misinterpreted his memories in TBBT by exaggerating them, or he left out certain moments (including the most painful ones) when narrating the story in Young Sheldon.
Well, we can only guess and hope that the writers resolve both questions in the best possible way. The next episode will air on 11 May at 8 p.m. EST, with the two-part finale airing on 18 May on CBS.