The Young Sheldon finale’s biggest missing Cooper may have been George actor’s secret funeral character. On the heels of George’s unexpected death due to a fatal heart attack, Sheldon and the family dealt with the loss differently as they made preparations for their patriarch’s funeral. The Young Sheldon finale’s first half was devoted to this and the subsequent send-off to George, which also doubled as a way to bring in as many familiar characters back to the series before it fully ended. Joining the Coopers in their grief were some of their closest friends — from Dr. Sturgis to Brenda Sparks.
Young Sheldon shed light on the true character of George after Sheldon and Mary lambasted him and his memory for years in The Big Bang Theory. By the time he died, his image was already fully rehabilitated, with the prequel showing countless times that while he was not without flaws, it was difficult to doubt his dedication to his family. Unlike its retconning of George’s cheating scandal, however, Young Sheldon didn’t have any choice but to stick with canon and ultimately kill the Cooper patriarch, although the show delayed it for as long as they could.
Lance Barber’s Drag Character In George’s Funeral May Be Ruth
Ruth Was George’s Sister, As Mentioned In The Big Bang Theory And Young Sheldon
George’s funeral was focused on the Coopers’ reaction to his death and the emotional ceremony. However, there was actually one missing family member during the service, George’s sister — Ruth. Her existence was first mentioned in The Big Bang Theory during one of Sheldon’s rants about his childhood, proceeding to reveal that his Aunt Ruth was already dead by then. A couple of decades earlier, however, it was confirmed in Young Sheldon season 2 that she was still alive. No word in the prequel about her death, so it’s safe to assume that she was still alive.
Assuming that they resembled each other, Barber playing her character’s sister in the Young Sheldon finale would be a great way to establish the existence of his family’s side in George’s send-off.
Ruth was not spotted during George’s funeral, but based on a new Young Sheldon theory, she may have been the second character that Barber played during George’s funeral. As confirmed by several set images, Barber attended George’s funeral in drag; he was even spotted at the back of the church during the service. This was on top of him reprising his original role and getting inside the casket. Assuming that they resembled each other, Barber playing her character’s sister in the Young Sheldon finale would be a great way to establish the existence of his family’s side in George’s send-off.
George’s Side Of The Family’s Absence Highlights His Sacrifices In Young Sheldon
The Original Coopers Were Absent Throughout The Big Bang Theory Prequel
Unfortunately, even if the theory about Barber’s second George funeral character was Ruth turned out to be true, it still couldn’t fix the Cooper patriarch’s isolation in Young Sheldon. While Mary had his mom nearby, her husband barely saw his own clan throughout the seven-year run of The Big Bang Theory prequel. To make things worse, his kids openly talked badly about Ruth when she was first brought up in season 2. Finally, his side of the family was not represented during his funeral.
It must not have been easy for George to feel like he didn’t have anyone on his side. While his life was turning for the better in Young Sheldon season 7, he struggled for most of the show. His marriage with Mary was rocky, and he found it tricky to connect with all of his kids. He did have friends that he was able to lean on, but maybe it would have been easier if he had some family members close to him.