The Young Sheldon season 4 finale sets up the strained relationship between Georgie and Sheldon that was revealed in The Big Bang Theory. While the eldest Cooper child barely had any role in the aforementioned Young Sheldon season 4 finale, titled "The Wild and Woolly World of Nonlinear Dynamics," his involvement was significant as it sets his role in the family moving forward after the death of George. As revealed in The Big Bang Theory, he quickly had to grow up and be the man of the house in the aftermath of his dad's untimely demise.
All four members of the Cooper family were involved in several conflicts among themselves in the season 4 finale. It all started with Missy being in a bad mood after her supposed boyfriend at school spent time with another girl. Sheldon's insensitivity further riled up his sister resulting in a squabble between the twins. But while the kids were able to hash things out eventually, George and Mary got themselves in a more serious fight which could very well be the beginning of a rough patch for the couple. Georgie, on the other hand, was not involved in any of these arguments directly but was there to witness his parents' confrontation.
Usually indifferent, Georgie took it upon himself to console Mary after George left the house to cool down. This effectively foreshadows his role moving forward as the primary caretaker of his mom and sister — something that Sheldon, until a few years ago, didn't know about. In The Big Bang Theory season 11, Sheldon was forced to reconcile with his older brother whom he hadn't spoken with for 10 years when Mary threatened to not attend Sheldon's wedding of Amy if Georgie wasn't there. As it turned out, Sheldon went away for college after his dad's death, leaving Georgie to be the adult in their home while Mary was still grieving. Sheldon was under the assumption that everything was fine with his family as his mother took charge of their affairs. But in reality, Georgie had to quickly grow up to be the man of the house. Sheldon wasn't informed of this because everyone else was trying to protect him from more heartache. Oblivious to all of this, Sheldon never so much as said thank you for everything his big brother sacrificed, causing Georgie to be resentful.
While Young Sheldon has always put its focus on Sheldon and how his childhood shaped his arc in The Big Bang Theory, seeing his family in the show makes their cameos in the original series much more special. The prequel has allowed CBS to really develop these characters in a way that they're now as interesting as the sitcom's titular character. Georgie, who was the last member of the Cooper clan to make a physical appearance in The Big Bang Theory, has a compelling personal arc as he eventually became the wealthy entrepreneur owner of Mr. Tire. Knowing that he had to build his business while taking care of his mother and sister makes him more impressive. As Young Sheldon continues, it will be fascinating to watch how Georgie slowly grows into the responsible adult that he later became.
Mary Cooper liked to put Georgie and Missy down when she would appear on The Big Bang Theory as a way to highlight how impressive Sheldon is. But in reality, all her kids are capable — something that Young Sheldon is proving. While Missy isn't textbook smart, she's sensitive and wise. Georgie, on the other hand, is clearly a great businessman who worked hard to be where he is now. Hopefully, Sheldon's parents realize moving forward that his siblings are also special in their own ways.
Young Sheldon S4 Finale Finally Begins George's Big Bang Theory Story