Young Sheldon recently returned, but it'll wrap up its final season before we know it. So sad as it is, it's time to start thinking about what we want tied up before the series ends.
There are a few loose ends on our wish list, and one of them is Missy.
Although Missy is often a minor character, she deserves to have her storyline wrapped up in a way that is both satisfying and ties back to what we know about her future.
According to The Big Bang Theory, Missy grows up to be the least successful of the Cooper children, financially and relationship-wise.
Throughout Young Sheldon, she has often been used as a foil to Sheldon. However, she occasionally has a storyline of her own, usually revolving around rebelling or acting out somehow.
There's promise for her this season.
Young Sheldon Season 7 Episode 1 featured Missy taking charge after the tornado and telling the adults what to do. That behavior came on the heels of Missy regretting her rebellious behavior after getting caught in the storm on Young Sheldon Season 6 Episode 22, but it probably won't last.
Missy was annoyed that Georgie kept suggesting she was acting like their mother and being 'good' wasn't her strong suit.
Her devolution could lead to an emotional ending arc, especially if Young Sheldon sticks to the backstory established in The Big Bang Theory by writing in George Sr's death.
According to the adult Georgie, Missy was no help after George's death. But the truth was probably that Missy was a bit of a mess and emotionally overwhelmed.
Crises and tragedies tend to bring long-buried problems within the family to the surface. Missy has always felt invisible because she's more 'ordinary' than her twin brother and is close to George, who is also uninterested in and confused by Sheldon's interests.
While Young Sheldon is a comedy, it deals with heavy topics throughout its run. So it could pull off Missy falling apart after George's death and returning to rebellious behavior.
Despite being unsuccessful in conventional terms, Missy becomes a badass woman who stands up to Sheldon when he tries to control her dating life during a visit.
Hopefully, as Young Sheldon wraps up, we'll get some glimpses of the teenage Missy beginning to become who she will be as an adult.
I'm also curious whether Missy will rekindle her friendship with equally rebellious Paige. Paige never appeared in Big Bang Theory, making fans speculate about why.
Paige was last seen partying and dropping out of a program similar to Sheldon's. We don't need to know what happened to her next, but she bonded with Missy, and they ran away together once.
Bringing her back after George's death could lead to some interesting end-of-season stories for Missy.
In case you were wondering, George's death is not just speculation -- it's a confirmed part of the final season, as it should be.
Some fans would rather the series forget that the adult Sheldon recalled his father dying when Sheldon was 14.
Tragic character deaths make for depressing television, and comedies rarely handle them well. (Archie Bunker's Place is one notable exception; Edith's death is one of the series' most poignant and best-remembered episodes.)
George's death undoubtedly changed everything for each member of the family, many of whom took for granted that George would always be there.
And yes, the series could handle this story by having George die in the last scene of the final episode or having Jim Parsons mention it in narration without it being on-screen, but that would not be as good.
It would feel as if the writers didn't want to deal with George's death if they cheated by having it occur as the series fades to black.
Instead, it would make sense for him to pass away toward the end of the season, with a few episodes left to go. That way, there would be enough time to deal with the aftermath of the loss without it overshadowing the entire final season.
George's death will be emotional, not only because he's a beloved member of the family, but because of what else everyone is dealing with.
Georgie and Mandy are raising their baby while the whole family faces the loss of Meemaw's house in the storm. It would be incredibly emotional and dramatic!
Missy's reaction is essential, but so is everyone else's. Sheldon may not outwardly express it, but losing his father will affect him somehow, even if he mostly thinks of him as a chauffeur whose opinions he has to put up with while being driven somewhere!
Georgie and Mandy may be getting their own spin-off. Their reaction to losing George Sr will undoubtedly shape their lives in the future, especially if we do follow them to the next phase of their lives.
(Georgie was said to have two ex-wives when he appeared on Big Bang Theory, so he and Mandy will likely have a split for the sake of drama at some point -- but for now, it seems they're staying together.)
Although George's death is a heavy topic, it doesn't have to overshadow the series or make it go out on a depressing note. Young Sheldon often combines light humor with serious issues, so if any series can pull something like this off, it's this one.
What do you think, Young Sheldon fanatics?
What do you hope happens for Missy and the rest of the Cooper family as Young Sheldon wraps up?
Hit the big, blue SHOW COMMENTS button and let us know.
Young Sheldon airs on CBS on Thursdays at 8/7c.
