Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Young Sheldon season 6, episode 4.

While Missy’s alliance with Penny seemed somewhat surprising on The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon season 6 proves that their story made sense. Over the years, The Big Bang Theory’s story has complicated a lot of Young Sheldon plot lines. For example, Sheldon’s multi-season friendship/rivalry with Paige was always going to end badly since the character was never mentioned in The Big Bang Theory, meaning she can’t have played a big role in Sheldon’s later life.

Similarly, George Jr’s Young Sheldon season 6 story is bound to end in disaster, since viewers already know he burns himself out after his father’s death and ends up divorced. However, as annoying as this issue can be, Young Sheldon has also been able to set up future storylines from The Big Bang Theory. For example, in Young Sheldon’s “Blonde Ambition and the Concept of Zero” (season 6, episode 4), Missy turned to Mandy for life advice, and her reaction to George Jr’s love interest explains why Penny and Missy proved such a formidable pair on The Big Bang Theory.

Related: Young Sheldon Proved Sheldon Is More Like Mary Than He Thinks

Missy & Penny’s Big Bang Theory Friendship

missy in the big bang theory talking to sheldon and missy standing behind penny looking confused

In The Big Bang Theory’s “The Porkchop Indeterminacy,” Missy and Penny strike up a fast friendship when the former opts to stay at the latter’s apartment. Although Missy originally intended to stay with Sheldon, the relentless romantic advances of his friends make this setup untenable. The Big Bang Theory’s version of Missy finds a friend in Penny, who is used to Leonard, Howard, and Raj’s immature antics. The episode ends when Missy leaves to return to Texas but she and Penny remain on good terms. While it might seem unlikely that Missy would get on well with Penny since she met her via Sheldon (and vice versa in Penny’s case), Young Sheldon season 6 grounds this development.

How Mandy and Missy’s Young Sheldon Story Foreshadowed This

Missy Young Sheldon Big Bang Theory

In “Blonde Ambition and the Concept of Zero,” Missy is blown away by how sophisticated, glamorous, and mature she finds Mandy. While Mandy is worried about her life’s trajectory, Missy is impressed by how glamorous her earlier job as a weather girl was. Thus, this Young Sheldon season 6 storyline makes The Big Bang Theory's depiction of Penny and Missy as friends made sense when looking at Penny’s position as a struggling actor in season 1 of the series. When Missy met her, Penny was in a similar situation to Mandy (albeit without the unplanned pregnancy), attempting to make a show business career work while struggling with her unglamorous day job.

As such, the same perceived glamour that Missy was so wowed by when she spoke to Mandy in Young Sheldon season 6 could be what warmed her to The Big Bang Theory’s Penny. Missy was no fan of Sheldon’s friends in the outing and Penny was understandably wary of welcoming another Cooper into her life, but The Big Bang Theory heroine was likely won over (like Mandy) by Missy’s admiration. Where other Big Bang Theory inconsistencies are harder for Young Sheldon to justify, this one makes sense when both Missy’s history with Mandy is considered. Young Sheldon’s Missy was impressed with Mandy’s job and her dreams and, judging by The Big Bang Theory, her older self thought the same of Penny.

Young Sheldon season 6 airs Thursdays on CBS.

Next: Mary's Young Sheldon S6 Story Makes Her Big Bang Theory Arc Tragic