The Solder Excursion Diversion

"The Solder Excursion Diversion" is the nineteenth episode of the ninth season of the American sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The episode aired on Thursday, March 31, 2016.

Summary
Amy is shocked at a revelation from Sheldon after she buys him a new. Also, Koothrappali sells out Leonard and Wolowitz after they lie to their in order to attend an early screening of a.

Extended Plot
Sheldon is with Amy who can't understand him due to  and  problems with his old. He sent her a cryptic because the S, R and M keys had stopped functioning. She tells him to buy a new computer since his video and audio signals are cutting out. He can't read the she held up and can't hear her so she calls him to tell him again to get a new computer.

Leonard and Howard are in the. It had been over a since they built something  together, but only last  since they built a   together. Bernie and Penny show up and bring them join them. Their progress is slow so Penny asks if they could help even though it was a. The girls could wrap some of their with. Penny wonders if it would be funny if after all his years of work if the came up with a scientific. Leonard didn't find that funny.

Sheldon gasps as the video on his computer goes completely. Amy rushes in having missed the computer's passing. He starts to play "" and then covers his laptop. She insists that he is being, however, he reminds her of the lab she got emotional over when he passed away. That monkey had told Amy that he her in. Amy gives him a new computer which should make him feel better. Sheldon is upset that she deprived him of all of the fun of picking out his own since it's a very personal choice. He goes through several requirements for his system which Amy and the "guy" at the computer have already anticipated.

Leonard showed the girls how to wrap their pipes and then they realize that they ran out of. Howard and Leonard leave to get it at the. The girls stay to handle all of the stuff. After they leave, Penny asks Bernadette what solder is.

Next Sheldon asks Amy if she was going to him of the fun of setting his new laptop up. He gets excited when it sets up so fast. With the new 4K, he tells her he'll be able to count to in her nose. She suggests that he just stare into her. She wants to take the old one back to the store so they can it he doesn't want to do that or get store. She wonders why he is being about it. Instead of explaining it to her, he wants to show her. Amy has to drive them and sign a document like she did before they.

Walking down the with Howard, Leonard says that it's funny that Penny is having fun working on the. She used to have fun at and. Passing a, an asks them if they'd like to see a  of the new  movie. Howard guesses that it is "". Since the girls are having so much fun working on the project, they decide to go in and see the movie.

Penny is marveled that she moved to California to be an and ends up in a  lab at Caltech working on an advanced. Bernadette adds that she has made fourteen pieces while Penny has only done three. Raj comes in since he was at home and had no one to play with. He is disappointed that everyone can work on the project instead of him. He leaves, but the girls call him back though he hadn't gone out of shot.

Amy is with Sheldon and wants to know where they are going. People are on a need to know basis. She is driving the car and needs to know.

Sitting in the movie eating, Leonard has a problem with to the girls, though Howard doesn't think it's a problem. They text them that they had to go to for the solder and got a. The girls accepted their lie, though Howard told Leonard that they had to put the on the car to verify their. An announcement is made that they are going to be among the first to see Wil Smith in "Suicide Squad". Howard was right. Then he Raj to make him feel bad since he really wanted to see this movie. Raj gets the and immediately tells the girls. Penny doesn't believe what they are doing, but she doesn't want Raj to bust them. Bernadette wants to see how deep a they are going to dig themselves into.

Amy and Sheldon walk into a unit building. Amy wonders what he could be storing and how long he has had it. Sheldon opens up the and welcomes Amy to his  of. Inside is everything he has ever owned. s, s, broken. Even old Amy tells him that there is nothing to be ashamed of though she needs another minute to tell him why.

Back in the lab, Raj suggests that they find him making out with both of their wives. Penny doesn't think that he could handle both of them. Bernadette wants them to tell their convoluted story like the girls believe them and then Raj can jump out of the and shout, "Busted!"

Sheldon is giving Amy a of every, every , every , and. One his brother threw at his. He still has his collection of. Every time he think of trying to throw something out, his and  hurt. Sheldon doesn't want Amy to think less of him which Amy doesn't. Sheldon thinks less of himself every time he comes there. Some day how can Sheldon become one with the when he can't even throw out one Amy says that she has save weird stuff too like her first.

Penny runs in that the guys are back and Raj goes to hide. They come back to the lab with, an and an offer to take them to. Penny accepts their apology and reiterates that they really had fun working in the lab. Raj jumps out from a closet to scare them; however, the girls know the. Raj feels that that was, and then Howard want to tell him the end of the movie. Raj jumps back int he closet and the rest leave for dinner.

Back in the storage unit, Sheldon admits that only Amy knows about this place. She thanks him for trusting her. A is made for dumping his   on. Amy offers to help him with it someday. Sheldon decides to start with the golf ball. Amy is proud of him, though the golf ball gets rolled back inside as Sheldon closes the door.

Back at Apartment 4A, Amy and Sheldon tell each other that they feel closer to each other. Also Sheldon still has two hours before he has to go to. Any wants to know what he means. ? He sends her home so they can skype together will he lies in bed. Sheldon goes over Amy's  on his new. Amy wonders why they couldn't do it back at his place.

Credits

 * Guest starring:
 * Michael Croner as Andre
 * Teleplay: Steven Molaro, Steve Holland & Saladin K. Patterson
 * Story: Bill Prady, Eric Kaplan & Maria Ferrari

Critics

 * Jesse Schedeen of IGN - Sheldon losing his computer was an obvious source of drama for this episode. Sheldon is a guy who craves familiarity and orderliness, and that laptop was his constant companion for many years on this show...(The writers) used Sheldon's computer dilemma as a way of exploring the root of Sheldon's attachment problems and strengthening his bond with Amy...Sheldon can open up to Amy in ways he can't even for Leonard. And for her part, Amy is willing to take Sheldon as he is, with no snarky comments or efforts to force him to change. This episode wound up serving as a very sweet examination/celebration of their relationship...(The other) That story line was backed up by an unremarkable but perfectly enjoyable...The boys saw Suicide Squad...and Penny got to enjoy playing the part of a scientist for an afternoon.


 * IMDb user reviews

Trivia

 * Sheldon may have kept everything he ever owned, but how did he get to the storage unit before he knew Amy? Wouldn't Leonard know? And did he have everything he owned shipped from Texas? Not so since we saw his childhood room that appeared to be intact in "The Mommy Observation".
 * Penny enjoyed helping out Leonard and playing scientist.
 * Penny doesn't know what solder is even though Howard was using it while they were making jewelry with Raj in "The Proton Displacement".

Quotes

 * Penny: Hey, guys.
 * Leonard: Hey.
 * Howard: Hey.
 * Leonard: What are you doing here?
 * Bernadette: We heard about some sexy scientists working hard all weekend.
 * Penny: Yeah, so we brought you some lunch and we are gonna go look for ’em.
 * Leonard: Soup, sandwiches and emasculation. Just like my Mom used to make.


 * Penny: Hey, wouldn’t it be funny if after all your years of hard work, I’m the one who makes a scientific breakthrough? (Goffs.) He doesn’t think that’s funny.


 * Amy: Sheldon, this is silly.
 * Sheldon: You got emotional when that lab monkey died.
 * Amy: That lab monkey told me he loved me in sign language.


 * Leonard: Penny says they’re having fun working on the prototype.
 * Howard: Remember when her fun was nightclubs and drinking games?
 * Leonard: I know. I lowering the bar so slowly. This time next year she’ll have a coin collection.


 * Amy: Why do you have a storage unit?
 * Sheldon: Just wait.
 * Amy: How long have you had it?
 * Sheldon: Just wait.
 * Amy: Do you want me to hold that computer?
 * Sheldon: Just wait… You know what? Actually, yes, thank-you. Welcome to my Fortress of Shame.
 * Amy: What-what am I looking at?
 * Sheldon: It’s basically everything I’ve ever owned. Um, every book, every T-shirt, every piece of broken electronics. Just…all of it.
 * Amy: All of it?
 * Sheldon: I have a Ziplock bag filled with all my old Ziplock bags.
 * Amy: Okay. Well. I would like to tell you that there is nothing to be ashamed of. So I’m gonna need a minute. (Having trouble processing the situation.)


 * Bernadette: All right, how are we gonna play this when they return?
 * Raj: I know. You guys should totally be making out with me.
 * Penny: Sweetie, I know you think jokes like that are funny, but do you really think you could handle making out with both of us?
 * Raj: No, ma’am.


 * Sheldon: I’m sorry if you think less of me.
 * Amy: I don’t.
 * Sheldon: Really? ‘Cause every time I come in here, I think less of me.
 * Amy: Why?
 * Sheldon: Because I’m a fraud.
 * Amy: No.
 * Sheldon: I purport to be a man of the mind. I’ve been such a-a vocal champion of the Singularity, but how can I leave my body behind and become one with the Internet, when I never even thrown away a toothbrush?