The Zarnecki Incursion

The Zarnecki Incursion is the nineteenth episode of the fourth season of the CBS sitcom, The Big Bang Theory. This episode first aired in United States and Canada on March 31, 2011.

Summary
Sheldon's World of Warcraft account is hacked by Todd Zarnecki, who then proceeds to steal all of Sheldon's virtual equipment, so the gang goes on a quest to try to recover it.

Extended Plot
Leonard returns home to find Sheldon in a agitated frame of mind. A police officer is present, trying to calm Sheldon down, the officer having been sent after Sheldon called the Pasadena Police Department in a panic.

Although Sheldon seems to be speaking of actual items, it becomes clear to Leonard that what had actually happened was that Sheldon's World of Warcraft account had been hacked. Sheldon had called the FBI (who, he says, had "hung up on me") and then the local police. With another individual now present, the officer leaves, derisively telling Sheldon that the police do not have jurisdiction in "Pandora" (Sheldon corrects him--the setting for World of Warcraft is, in fact, "Azeroth"). Rather than reporting the incident to Blizzard Entertainment, Sheldon assembles the guys to track down the offending hacker.

Later, Penny brings Sheldon a cake, hoping to console him. Penny encounters Priya as she's departing Leonard and Sheldon's apartment. Penny nervously explains the situation to Priya--in part, ostensibly, to assuage the latter's earlier request that Penny dissociate herself with Leonard. This confounds Priya--and she becomes even more irritated when Priya determines that Leonard is working with Howard and Raj in order to find the culpable hacker. Eventually, Priya decides to leave, and Priya intones a sarcastic comment that whizzes by Leonard and causes Sheldon to realize a very rare, unspoken bazinga.

Meanwhile, Penny is hosting Amy and Bernadette at her apartment. There, they discuss Priya. Penny is furious that Priya is benefitting from all of Penny's efforts to encourage Leonard to be more adventurous and willing to try various things. Her thanks, she says, is that she is now denied the right to talk with Leonard anymore. Bernadette suggests that they socially reject Priya. Amy responds that it is the natural response of members of a primate social group to want to throw their feces at individuals who disturb the social group. Penny denies that it has gone that far. As they depart, to go drinking, they encounter Priya as Priya is departing Apartment 4A. Amy actively displays her hostility towards Priya, as the four women walk down to the lobby.

The following day, Howard tells the group that he has determined the identity of the offending hacker--and further, that he has determined that the hacker resides within a short driving distance, just north of San Diego. Sheldon persuades the others that they should drive to the hacker-thief's house that evening and confront him as to the acts they believe him culpable of. Leonard interposes his reservations as to this course of action, as Leonard doesn't feel it appropriate to stand Priya up for two straight nights.

Prior to departing, it develops that Leonard had told Priya he had been working late to explain his absence and to "cover" his involvement in the group's activities. The news of Leonard's deception of Priya upsets Raj. Raj is incensed further when asked by Leonard to "cover him" when Priya asks Raj whether Leonard was telling the truth--although Raj does this in a brotherly way, in order to get the point across to Leonard.

The gang then proceeds to the hacker's residence and confront him, only to discover that he is a taller, though not muscular, man (i.e., he is obese). When Sheldon asks for his property to be returned to him, not only does the hacker refuse, the hacker further proceeds to take from Sheldon a collectible Klingon weapon (a bat'leth) and immediately shuts his door. Defeated, the gang proceeds to return home. On the way, Leonard's car breaks down.

They call Penny to take them home in her car. Penny exhibits her surprise that Leonard did not call Priya to explain his absence. Leonard indicates it was because he had told Priya he was working, and Penny notes that this might mean that on that occasion, Leonard perhaps did not want to see Priya. Realizing this, Penny only says "interesting".

Penny discovers the gang have failed in their quest. At becoming aware of this development, Penny immediately takes the gang back to the hacker-thief's house, vowing to show them how to solve a quest "Nebraska style". In delivering a nut-shot to the hacker, Penny persuades him to return the settings of Sheldon's World of Warcraft account to the way they were.

The following day, Penny encounters Priya in the lobby, and the two walk up the stairs together in nervous silence. After Priya enters Leonard's apartment, Penny comments to herself that Amy was correct, and that "I do want to throw poop at her".

Quotes
Sheldon: Stale pastry is hollow succor to a man who is bereft of ostrich.

Penny: Just say thank you.

Sheldon: I thought I just did.

Penny: ''Oh hi! I was just dropping a cheese cake to Sheldon. He was robbed of a bunch of imaginary crap that's useful in a make-believe place.''

Priya: I don't know what that means.

Penny: Yeah, well, sadly, I do!

Sheldon: Why hast thou forsaken me, O deity whose existence I doubt?

Trivia

 * Sheldon's level 85 Blood Elf has a "Battle Ostrich" named Glenn.
 * Howard's mother has an 'uncanny' (Sheldon's description) knack for solving Wheel of Fortune puzzles. Howard mentions that, along with jiggling her arm fat, it's her superpower.
 * Raj likes Beyonce's music (and her curve), and had a Scooby-Doo trapper keeper.
 * Sheldon's Blood Elf has increased by 5 levels since he mentioned it was level 80 in The Apology Insufficiency (12 episodes ago). This follows WoW's increased level cap between the two episodes.
 * The choice to play the Ride of the Valkyries while driving to San Diego shows their lack of understanding of the Caltech undergraduate culture. At Caltech, that is a song that is shunned as it is often used as a wake-up call during finals.
 * Penny shows the guys how they complete a quest in Nebraska, involving a tactical groin-kick.
 * There are many inconsistencies involving the actual game of World of Warcraft, however Sheldon makes unintended puns that involve terms from the MMO.