Raj Koothrappali went through a lot in The Big Bang Theory. He spent years fighting his selective mutism, he was bullied by his best friend, and he tried hard to find love but nothing lasted. Among the main cast in TBBT, Raj had one of the sadder endings.
At the same time, Raj also matured throughout 12 seasons. It took some time but he saw the areas in which he needed to grow and made himself a better person. Raj spoke up for himself, fought for what he wanted, and eventually became a man he was proud of.
Raj Learned To Talk To Women Without Alcohol
In the early seasons of TBBT, Raj wasn't able to speak to women because of his selective mutism. Whenever Penny was in the room, he would stay silent. It wasn't until Penny became a bartender and made Raj a few drinks that he started speaking. He soon found out he could talk to women as long as alcohol was involved.
After a nasty breakup with his ex-girlfriend Lucy, Penny comforted Raj as he vented to her. It was then that he realized he no longer needed alcohol to speak to women and he faced his fear. Raj and Penny had the best friendship moments from that point on, but Raj tackling his mutism was a big step in hi maturity.
Raj Stood Up To Howard
When Raj was interviewing for a position at the planetarium, he realized that the reason why he had no confidence for the interview was because of Howard. Although Howard was Raj's best friend, he made Raj the butt of the joke often. If people didn't know them, they'd think Howard and Raj weren't friends.
It got to a point where Howard's jokes were no longer funny and Raj became self-conscious because of them. With a little help from his dad, Raj stood up to Howard and felt empowered doing so. It was the start of a new kind of relationship with himself and a new kind of friendship with Howard.
Raj Sat Down With His Exes To Better Understand His Role As A Partner
Raj had his share of girlfriends throughout TBBT. His longest relationship was with Emily Sweeney, a dermatologist. However, Raj felt like the two didn't have much in common and broke up with her. What followed were romances with Lucy, Claire, another Emily, and Anu.
In "The Allowance Evaporation," Raj showed his maturity by getting his exes in one room and asking them where he went wrong in their relationships. From being called a "mama's boy" to being accused of selfishness, Raj learned a lot from this awkward experience.
Raj Was Ready To Leave The US For A New Chapter
Raj was incredibly comfortable with his life in California and saw himself there for the long haul because of his job and his friendships. But when his fiancée Anu got a job in London, Raj made the mature decision to follow his heart and move with her instead of staying behind due to comfort.
Knowing how much he loved his life in America, many thought Raj and Anu were doomed from the start. Once Raj was at the airport, getting ready to fly to London, Howard stopped him and begged him to come home. Raj obliged because he realized he wasn't ready for that step. This was another sign of maturity because he listened to himself instead of doing what others asked of him.
Raj Learned To Live Without His Parents' Financial Support
In season 10, the gang found out that Raj's dad paid for most of his expenses. While everyone was jealous that he was living a sponsored life, Raj did feel like less of a man because of it.
To earn some respect and to grow as a person, Raj told his dad he would no longer be accepting his money. Raj was ready to pay for his lifestyle, but it took some time (and some help from his friends) before he became confident in himself. Regardless of how long it took, this was a huge character moment.
Raj Lowered His Expectations To Make Ends Meet
While some fans felt like Raj's character got worse and worse, others felt like he matured with age because he found himself.
When Raj was paying his own way, he realized he didn't make enough money to keep up. Instead of going back to his dad, Raj made the mature decision to move out of his apartment that he couldn't afford and move in with Howard and Bernadette until he saved up enough money to live on his own. Raj also cut back on expensive hobbies and spent more time helping his friends instead.
Raj Gained Confidence By Sticking Up For Himself
After Raj stood up for himself against Howard, it was time for him to stand up for himself in his job interview for the planetarium.
After the interview, Raj felt like he tanked his chance and it didn't go well. He felt like he had no confidence and he was never going to get the job. However, Raj is a well-educated and respected astrophysicist, there was no reason for him to be insecure. In the end, Raj went back to the planetarium with a new attitude to prove he was the right man for the job. This was incredibly mature of Raj and was one of his best episodes.
Raj Stopped Trying So Hard With His Appearance
One of the small details that some fans missed was that Raj straightened his hair for years. When he first moved to America, he wanted to fit in and straightened his hair to be smoother.
But there came a point where Raj stopped doing things to appeal to others and did what made himself happy. He let his natural, curly hair shine and it made his friends respect him more. This was a mature moment for Raj because he wasn't afraid to look like himself.
Raj Allowed An Arranged Marriage Through His Parents
Raj wasn't thrilled with the idea of an arranged marriage in season 5 when he was set up with Lakshmi but he thought it was the only way for him to finally get married. After learning that Lakshmi was actually a lesbian, he decided to end the relationship and try to find love on his own.
Eventually, Raj matured and realized he was in a better place for the possibility of another arranged marriage and met Anu. Raj and Anu had more chemistry and were a better match. By Raj dropping his guard and diving into love, it showed maturity and growth.
With Stuart's Help, Raj Put Himself Out There With Women
Raj had some emotional quotes when it came to love. After being alone for so long, he wondered what was wrong with him. Instead of crying about his rough patch and pitying himself, he and Stuart put themselves out there.
In one episode, they went to a mall and promised each other that they wouldn't leave until they approached one woman and casually talked to her. It was harder for Raj and Stuart than they expected but it showed great maturity that they were willing to put themselves out there and get out of their comfort zones.