Leonard and Penny's Origins and Summary
Leonard and Penny are characters on the CBS sitcom, “The Big Bang Theory”. Leonard is a physicist, with a PhD in Experimental Physics and a job at Cal-Tech University. He was born in New Jersey to his neuroscientist mother and anthropologist father. Penny is six years younger than he, a waitress with acting aspirations. She originates on a farm just outside of Omaha, Nebraska.
The two met for the first time in September of 2007, on the day that Penny moved from her ex-boyfriend’s apartment across town to the apartment across the hall from Leonard and his roommate, Sheldon. While she was fluent in street smarts and up to date on pop culture, her book smarts were lacking; he was the opposite, unsure of what to say around people who weren’t scientists, but extremely well versed in the worlds of physics and science fiction. Over time, a mutual attraction developed, and they slowly began to learn about the other’s world.
They went on a date in May of 2008, but didn’t go out for a second time due to Penny feeling – ironically when we think of today’s world – that she wasn’t good enough for him. The feelings remained, however, and their friendship soon became stronger than ever. It was on a date with a man that she met through Leonard Penny realized that her feelings were more than platonic; she mistakenly called the man “Leonard” while kissing him. Shortly afterward, in May of 2009, Leonard and his closest scientist friends departed for a three month expedition to the magnetic North Pole, leaving Penny alone for the summer. The day before they leave, she gives him a blanket, that is "not just a blanket, see, it has sleeves!" And gives him a long hug, "at least five Mississippis." She tells him to have a safe trip and denies feeling anything for him. Upon Leonard’s return, he discovered that she’d waited for him all summer and wanted to begin a relationship. He gives her a snowflake that was preserved on a slide while he was at the North Pole, telling her that "it'll last forever." He made the snowflake while the extent of her feelings for him were still unknown (to him; fans knew from the season finale when he left and she whispered to herself "I wish you weren't going").
Everything went well until April of 2010, when Leonard told Penny that he loved her. Penny found herself unable to say it back; past relationships where she’d confessed love as she knew it had always ended badly. After hearing a probably fabricated story from a man with hidden motives, she let herself believe that, since she was unsure, it was better for Leonard’s sake if she broke up with him, rather than lead him on to possibly greater heartbreak. So, the relationship ended, even though both of them cried over it.
In November of 2010, Penny was playing Truth or Dare with Bernadette and Amy, the former a co-worker of hers and the latter an acquaintance of Leonard’s room mate who had never been on to a slumber party before. She was asked why she broke up with Leonard, and, showing her first signs of regret since the spring, she replied, “I don’t know.” When it was mentioned that as long as she wasn’t with Leonard, there was a chance that another girl could take him for herself, Penny became upset and left the game, retreated to her room, and slammed the door.
About a month later, on New Year's Eve, Penny's date Zack got the two of them going to a costume party with Leonard, Sheldon, Raj, and Howard. She was unhappy about the whole thing, and when Zack pressured her to wear a wig to complete her Wonder Woman costume she announced that she wouldn't go and returned to her apartment. Upon Zack and Sheldon's failures to convince her to reconsider, Leonard gave it a try. At first, she didn't want to speak to him either, saying "Go away, Leonard," when he knocked on her door, but then she let him in. He entered the apartment and told her that she didn't have to wear the wig if she didn't want to. She told him that it wasn't the wig, and it wasn't anything he did either. She said that she felt pathetic because she'd gotten back with Zack just so she wouldnt' be alone on New Year's Eve. Leonard told her that it wasn't as pathetic as dressing up to go to a costume contest at the comic book store. Penny told him that he looked cute in his costume. Then she said, "if Zack and I had gone to a regular club or a party it would have been fine, but all of this, with the costumes, and you..." Leonard asked, "What about me?" and Penny just looked at him for a few seconds before saying, "nothing, let's go to the party." She then stood and put on the wig. "How do I look?" she asked, modeling. Leonard told her that she'd be the prettiest girl there. Later that night, when Zack kissed Penny at midnight, she stood stiffly, looking at Leonard the entire time.
In season four, episode thirteen, Leonard and Penny temporarily share a bed when she is driven out of the room that she is sharing with Amy and Bernadette at a hotel. She and Leonard double up, separating when Sheldon vacates the other bed for fear that they will hook up. Then they talk about how their relationship ended, the first real talk that has been seen. Penny suggests that they 'violate the neutral zone' for the night, and they end up sharing the bed for the night-although things go no farther than a kiss due to Raj entering the room and claiming the other bed.
In season four, episode sixteen, (around Valentine's Day 2011) Leonard begins dating Priya Koothrapali, a woman whom he has known for five years and has had two previous sexual encounters. Penny tells Amy that she's happy for them, but even Amy knows better. After several inquiries about how she was handling the relationship, Penny begins crying, breaking down while saying "if anything I'm quite pleased Leonard has found someone who makes him so happy." Amy hugs her, and when she asks the following day how Penny is doing, the waitress states that she's "not really" any better.
About a week into Leonard and Priya's relationship, Amy and Bernadette decide to take Penny out to a dance club for a girls' night. She doesn't want to go and says she doesn't feel like hooking up with a guy because she always experiences self-loathing afterwards, but agrees to get ready because she doesn't want the women talking about Leonard and Priya anymore. While she is getting ready, Amy finds the snowflake that Leonard had given her from the North Pole. It was sitting right on Penny's bedside table. Bernadette says that such an action was romantic, and Penny agrees. Bernadette states that Leonard is one of a kind. Penny takes the snowflake, looks at it, and says that now she's in the mood for some self-loathing.
Soon after, Priya asks Leonard to "cut the cord" with Penny, because to her, Leonard having Penny still in his life is a signal to Priya that he isn't ready to move on. Leonard tries and fails to effectively have the "get lost" conversation with her, perhaps weakened by her affectionately asking him "what would you do without me?" After she shows up at the Indian restaurant where Leonard and Priya are having their date, keeps her hand on Leonards back and arm during the entire ensuing conversation, and trying his food and drink, Leonard attempts to talk to her again. She understands this time, agreeing that they needed to "shake hands and part friends." She touched his face, told him good - bye, and headed off to work. Leonard started to go after her, but due to the contacts Priya had been insisting he wear, he hit the doorframe and gave up, heading up the stairs. Despite Priya's demands, however, the two do see each other occasionally. Leonard calls Penny to come and pick him up when his car breaks down, and they share bits of gossip when walking up the stairs together.
In the season four finale, Penny admits to Raj that she should not have ever broken up with Leonard. The same night, in a different location, Leonard tells Priya's parents about their relationship, and Priya leaves, heading back to India. Even though Leonard is now single and Penny has stated she wants to be with him again, the situation is further complicated when, not knowing that Leonard and Priya are having problems, Penny has a drunken one night stand with Raj, Leonard and the other guys witnessing the following morning's walk of shame.
The two met for the first time in September of 2007, on the day that Penny moved from her ex-boyfriend’s apartment across town to the apartment across the hall from Leonard and his roommate, Sheldon. While she was fluent in street smarts and up to date on pop culture, her book smarts were lacking; he was the opposite, unsure of what to say around people who weren’t scientists, but extremely well versed in the worlds of physics and science fiction. Over time, a mutual attraction developed, and they slowly began to learn about the other’s world.
They went on a date in May of 2008, but didn’t go out for a second time due to Penny feeling – ironically when we think of today’s world – that she wasn’t good enough for him. The feelings remained, however, and their friendship soon became stronger than ever. It was on a date with a man that she met through Leonard Penny realized that her feelings were more than platonic; she mistakenly called the man “Leonard” while kissing him. Shortly afterward, in May of 2009, Leonard and his closest scientist friends departed for a three month expedition to the magnetic North Pole, leaving Penny alone for the summer. The day before they leave, she gives him a blanket, that is "not just a blanket, see, it has sleeves!" And gives him a long hug, "at least five Mississippis." She tells him to have a safe trip and denies feeling anything for him. Upon Leonard’s return, he discovered that she’d waited for him all summer and wanted to begin a relationship. He gives her a snowflake that was preserved on a slide while he was at the North Pole, telling her that "it'll last forever." He made the snowflake while the extent of her feelings for him were still unknown (to him; fans knew from the season finale when he left and she whispered to herself "I wish you weren't going").
Everything went well until April of 2010, when Leonard told Penny that he loved her. Penny found herself unable to say it back; past relationships where she’d confessed love as she knew it had always ended badly. After hearing a probably fabricated story from a man with hidden motives, she let herself believe that, since she was unsure, it was better for Leonard’s sake if she broke up with him, rather than lead him on to possibly greater heartbreak. So, the relationship ended, even though both of them cried over it.
In November of 2010, Penny was playing Truth or Dare with Bernadette and Amy, the former a co-worker of hers and the latter an acquaintance of Leonard’s room mate who had never been on to a slumber party before. She was asked why she broke up with Leonard, and, showing her first signs of regret since the spring, she replied, “I don’t know.” When it was mentioned that as long as she wasn’t with Leonard, there was a chance that another girl could take him for herself, Penny became upset and left the game, retreated to her room, and slammed the door.
About a month later, on New Year's Eve, Penny's date Zack got the two of them going to a costume party with Leonard, Sheldon, Raj, and Howard. She was unhappy about the whole thing, and when Zack pressured her to wear a wig to complete her Wonder Woman costume she announced that she wouldn't go and returned to her apartment. Upon Zack and Sheldon's failures to convince her to reconsider, Leonard gave it a try. At first, she didn't want to speak to him either, saying "Go away, Leonard," when he knocked on her door, but then she let him in. He entered the apartment and told her that she didn't have to wear the wig if she didn't want to. She told him that it wasn't the wig, and it wasn't anything he did either. She said that she felt pathetic because she'd gotten back with Zack just so she wouldnt' be alone on New Year's Eve. Leonard told her that it wasn't as pathetic as dressing up to go to a costume contest at the comic book store. Penny told him that he looked cute in his costume. Then she said, "if Zack and I had gone to a regular club or a party it would have been fine, but all of this, with the costumes, and you..." Leonard asked, "What about me?" and Penny just looked at him for a few seconds before saying, "nothing, let's go to the party." She then stood and put on the wig. "How do I look?" she asked, modeling. Leonard told her that she'd be the prettiest girl there. Later that night, when Zack kissed Penny at midnight, she stood stiffly, looking at Leonard the entire time.
In season four, episode thirteen, Leonard and Penny temporarily share a bed when she is driven out of the room that she is sharing with Amy and Bernadette at a hotel. She and Leonard double up, separating when Sheldon vacates the other bed for fear that they will hook up. Then they talk about how their relationship ended, the first real talk that has been seen. Penny suggests that they 'violate the neutral zone' for the night, and they end up sharing the bed for the night-although things go no farther than a kiss due to Raj entering the room and claiming the other bed.
In season four, episode sixteen, (around Valentine's Day 2011) Leonard begins dating Priya Koothrapali, a woman whom he has known for five years and has had two previous sexual encounters. Penny tells Amy that she's happy for them, but even Amy knows better. After several inquiries about how she was handling the relationship, Penny begins crying, breaking down while saying "if anything I'm quite pleased Leonard has found someone who makes him so happy." Amy hugs her, and when she asks the following day how Penny is doing, the waitress states that she's "not really" any better.
About a week into Leonard and Priya's relationship, Amy and Bernadette decide to take Penny out to a dance club for a girls' night. She doesn't want to go and says she doesn't feel like hooking up with a guy because she always experiences self-loathing afterwards, but agrees to get ready because she doesn't want the women talking about Leonard and Priya anymore. While she is getting ready, Amy finds the snowflake that Leonard had given her from the North Pole. It was sitting right on Penny's bedside table. Bernadette says that such an action was romantic, and Penny agrees. Bernadette states that Leonard is one of a kind. Penny takes the snowflake, looks at it, and says that now she's in the mood for some self-loathing.
Soon after, Priya asks Leonard to "cut the cord" with Penny, because to her, Leonard having Penny still in his life is a signal to Priya that he isn't ready to move on. Leonard tries and fails to effectively have the "get lost" conversation with her, perhaps weakened by her affectionately asking him "what would you do without me?" After she shows up at the Indian restaurant where Leonard and Priya are having their date, keeps her hand on Leonards back and arm during the entire ensuing conversation, and trying his food and drink, Leonard attempts to talk to her again. She understands this time, agreeing that they needed to "shake hands and part friends." She touched his face, told him good - bye, and headed off to work. Leonard started to go after her, but due to the contacts Priya had been insisting he wear, he hit the doorframe and gave up, heading up the stairs. Despite Priya's demands, however, the two do see each other occasionally. Leonard calls Penny to come and pick him up when his car breaks down, and they share bits of gossip when walking up the stairs together.
In the season four finale, Penny admits to Raj that she should not have ever broken up with Leonard. The same night, in a different location, Leonard tells Priya's parents about their relationship, and Priya leaves, heading back to India. Even though Leonard is now single and Penny has stated she wants to be with him again, the situation is further complicated when, not knowing that Leonard and Priya are having problems, Penny has a drunken one night stand with Raj, Leonard and the other guys witnessing the following morning's walk of shame.