The Large Hadron Collision

"The Large Hadron Collision" is the fifteenth episode of the third season of the sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The episode first aired on Monday, February 8, 2010.

Summary
Leonard is going to Switzerland to observe the Large Hadron Collider and is planning to take Penny for a romantic Valentine's Day experience, but Sheldon has other idea about who should be going with him.

Extended Plot
It's nearly, and Howard is excited to

announce his plans since he has a girlfriend. Sheldon wonders why Howard would celebrates a  who was  and. That still beats Raj is spending his night with a. Leonard is going to to observe the Large Hadron Collider at the  and taking Penny as his “Plus One”. Sheldon is beyond ecstatic, so much so that he didn't bother questioning why Leonard would get such an honor. Sheldon is assuming that Leonard will take him since Penny has no interest in research while Leonard has been dreaming of spending Valentine's Day with a girl since he was 6. Leonard has assembled for Penny clues on where they're going, but apparently the cut by the  and the  set aren't enough. She not excited about the CERN Lab Super Collider in Switzerland, but she is excited about going to ski in Switzerland. And then Sheldon whips out their Roommate agreement. There is a clause stating one roommate must take the other if one of them gets invited to the CERN Supercollider. It doesn't contain any clauses about girlfriends because that seemed too far-fetched.

Sheldon has lived up to his part of the roommate agreement including asking how Leonard is doing at least once a day, not staging mock drills after 10 P.M. and not practicing  which he demonstrates. To Sheldon, Leonard is a bigger traitor than, who did hang himself, , , and , who owns , the network that canceled "Firefly."

In the morning, Sheldon makes -shaped pancakes and serves Leonard in bed and suggesting they watch "Babylon 5" with director's commentary, even though he hates it. Leonard doesn't change his mind so Sheldon takes the pancakes away.

Sheldon then approaches Penny. In the laundry room, Penny is shown a presentation for her about why he is the more appropriate choice to go. He has images of himself and Penny, and of the Super Collider and. She has to match the person to where they should be. Penny tells him that it’s Leonard’s decision and he chose her. Sheldon walks away telling her that it’s his dream to go and then she says she'll talk to Leonard. Sheldon thanks her, and even hugs her while asking her when to stop. Leonard is angry that he when to Penny behind his back and says Sheldon isn't going. Thus ends the "friendship clause" in their roommate agreement and Sheldon will never take Leonard as his guest when invites him to go swimming.

The morning they are leaving, Penny catches the flu. Now Sheldon can go, and he'll pack as soon as he's done vomiting.



Sheldon is perplexed on how he got the flu...until he remembered he hugged Penny. She made him sick and they end up taking care of each other spending Valentine’s Day together.

In Switzerland, Leonard and Raj get the beautiful room. And the chocolates and the champagne Leonard bought for Penny making the day for Raj the best Valentine's Day ever!

Critics

 * "Sheldon has his moments including a witty retort to Penny calling him an alien: “Extraordinary intelligence might well appear extra-terrestrial to you..."The conclusion of the plot had a kind of justice to it with Raj getting a good Valentine's Day for once and Sheldon not being rewarded for his bad behavior...The plot could have focused on Penny and Leonard’s relationship and how they were going to cope on their first holiday together. But no, instead we got Sheldon trying to enforce rules, to butter Leonard up and then to convince Penny not to go in to the room...Sheldon is unlikable all the time but he is funny. Leonard comes across as an irritable coward most of the time which isn't likable. I believe the whole show would benefit from addressing these character flaws. Otherwise we will get more episodes like this where there is no one to like." - The TV Critic's Review
 * IMDb user reviews

Costume Notes

 * Sheldon wears his orange Aquaman II t-shirt.

Trivia

 * After Leonard informs his roommate he would not be joining him in, Sheldon explains, "I’ve been dreaming about going to the Large Hadron Collider since I was nine years old". Although the LHC was not under construction at that time (ca. 1989), technical planning for the high-energy particle accelerator had already begun.ShennyHugGif.gif


 * Sheldon believes Leonard belongs with for the heinousness of his betrayal, an allusion to Sheldon's religious upbringing. On the other hand, Sheldon says Judas had the decency to hang himself after what he did. As Judas was paid with, Sheldon slaps down a tray with 30 pieces of silverware in front of Leonard.
 * Leonard mentions "one giant marble horse," in reference to Howard and Bernadette going to . P.F. Chang's was also linked to Howard's mom as well as a double date for Howard and Bernadette and Leonard and Penny in the previous episode.
 * Sheldon gives out one of his rare hugs for Penny. He later blames his illness on the physical contact associated with the hug.


 * In the commitments under the Roommate Agreement, Leonard can't kill Sheldon if he turns into a zombie, but there is a reciprocity clause; that is, he gets to pull the plug on him, as revealed "The Roommate Transmogrification".
 * When Sheldon quotes the the Roommate Agreement, Penny asks, "Is there anything in there about if one of you gets a girlfriend?" Sheldon replies, "No, that seemed a little far fetched;" however, in The Vartabedian Conundrum (S2E10), after Leonard begins to live together with Stephanie Barnett, Sheldon immediately quotes terms about girlfriends from the Roommate Agreement.
 * The song Sheldon plays to Leonard on his recorder is "Morning", composed by Edvard Grieg for the play Peer Gynt.

Goofs

 * In this episode, Sheldon states that there is nothing in The Roommate Agreement about girlfriends, as it seemed unfathomable. This contradicts a statement made in "The Vartabedian Conundrum" about parameters which deem a girlfriend to be "living with them".

Quotes
Sheldon: Alright, this game is called Traitors. I will name three historical figures and you will name them in order of the heinousness of their betrayal'''. Benedict Arnold, Judas, Dr. Leonard Hofstadter.'''

Sheldon: Given that Saint Valentine was a third century Roman priest who was stoned and beheaded, wouldn’t a more appropriate celebration of the evening be taking one’s steady gal to witness a brutal murder?

Penny: Okay, what’s the big surprise?

Leonard: Just a minute. This tray contains clues as to what you and I are going to be doing on Valentine’s Day.

Penny: Oh. Wow. Okay. Let’s see. We’ve got, uh, milk chocolate, Swiss cheese, fondue. My lactose-intolerant boyfriend is going to eat all this; then I’m going to climb on his back and rocket to the moon?

Leonard: No. But it does involve air travel. Okay, um, let me slice this Swiss cheese with my Swiss army knife, and then you can wash it down with a cup of Swiss Miss instant cocoa.

Penny: Okay, I’m starting to think Swiss is key here.

Leonard: Uh-huh.

Penny: We’re going to Disneyland and ride the Matterhorn?

Leonard: How does that involve air travel?

Penny: We’re going to Disney World and ride the Matterhorn?

Leonard: No.

Penny: Okay, sweetie, this started out fun, but I’m over it.

Leonard: We’re going to Switzerland to see the CERN supercollider! And ski. We’ll also go skiing.

Penny: We’re going skiing in Switzerland?!

Leonard: Well, you’ll ski, I’ll fall, but, yeah, we will be in Switzerland for Valentine’s Day.

Penny: Oh, my God, Leonard! That’s incredible!

Sheldon: Since I rarely hug, I am relying on your expertise regarding duration.

Penny: I think we're there.

Sheldon: It's you. I touched you!

Penny: Happy Valentine's day.