What happened to George in Young Sheldon season 7 episode 12? Exploring the grim fate of the character

Lance Barber as George Cooper Sr. in a still from Young Sheldon Season 7 (Image via Instagram/@youngsheldoncbs)
Lance Barber as George Cooper Sr. in a still from Young Sheldon Season 7 (Image via Instagram/@youngsheldoncbs)

In Young Sheldon season 7, actor Lance Barber plays George Sr., who is the father of the show's protagonist, Sheldon Cooper. The series is a spinoff prequel of The Big Bang Theory, in which Sheldon paints a not-so-great picture of his dad, often highlighting his supposed cheating scandal.

Later, George is depicted as a loving dad who has a complicated bond with his son in Young Sheldon. The show creators tweaked his cheating backstory and turned him into a more layered character, focusing on his journey to becoming a devoted family man.

Even though George dies in episode 12, his character development and influence on the Cooper family continue to remain an important part of the show.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers about Young Sheldon Season 7.


George dies in Young Sheldon season 7 episode 12

In Young Sheldon season 7 episode 12, George Cooper passes away from a heart attack. The show has been hinting at this consequence by showing George's health battles, especially with his heart, throughout the series.

George's death changes things for everyone in the show. In the episode, George has trouble breathing before Georgie and Mandy's wedding. This sets the stage for the sad events that eventually lead to his passing.

In an interview with Variety on May 9, 2024, executive producer Steve Holland said:

“The way we brought this show to an end here, it’s emotional. I was emotional doing it. It’s emotional for the characters. It’s emotional watching it back.”

Does George get a divorce in Young Sheldon season 7?

In Young Sheldon season 7, George and Mary stay happily married. The season highlights how their relationship thrives, even when they are apart because of Sheldon's time in Germany. Their love is shown to be stronger than ever, with a little extra spark, thanks to some romantic letters from overseas.

Also, in season 7, there's a big plot twist where it becomes evident that George's supposed affair was just a mix-up. The woman he was supposedly seeing was actually Mary in disguise, clearing up any bad blood between them. Fans appreciate seeing the realistic ups and downs of their long-term relationship.

In the past, Sheldon remembered walking in on his dad in a compromising situation with someone else, which led to him creating his three-knock rule. But in a surprising twist in season 7, episode 4 of Young Sheldon, it is revealed that the person Sheldon saw was his mom, Mary, dressed up in a German outfit, not another woman as he thought.

The show also hints at George possibly cheating with their neighbor Brenda Sparks, but that also turns out to be false. This revelation not only clears up the mystery of George's supposed affair but also adds a funny twist to what was originally a serious and upsetting moment in Sheldon's childhood.


George's storyline before Young Sheldon season 7

Throughout Young Sheldon, George Cooper's character growth has been a big deal. At first, he's shown as a dad with flaws, but he changes a lot and becomes a devoted family guy, even with his issues. At the show's beginning, George is a caring but occasionally frustrated dad who does his best to help his smart son handle family life.

He's always hanging out with Sheldon and even goes with him to see Dr. Hawking speak at Caltech. In season 7, George surprises everyone by getting a vasectomy without telling Mary, but it just goes to show how much he cares about his family, even through testing times.


Check out Young Sheldon season 7 on CBS on Thursdays at 8 PM ET.

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