The Large Hadron Collision

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

Summary
When Leonard is offered a trip to to visit the Large Hadron Collider he plans on taking Penny, however the roommate agreement stipulates that if one roommate goes the other will accompany him.

Extended Plot
Leonard announces that the professor who was invited to a trip to see CERN's Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland was unable to go, so he (Leonard) was designated to be the replacement, and he gets to take one guest with him. Sheldon assumes that he would be Leonard's guest because they have a roommate agreement clause that if one roommate gets invited to see the Hadron collider, he would invite the other. In spite of the agreement, Leonard chooses to invite Penny, as the trip would coincide with, their first together as a couple. Penny is excited that they are going skiing in Switzerland. Sheldon tries to pressure both Leonard and Penny to let him go instead, but Leonard insists on bringing Penny and not Sheldon. Sheldon gets Penny to agree to talk to Leonard about him going after he gives her a slide presentation. Leonard still refuses to change his mind. The night before their scheduled trip, Penny falls ill, so Sheldon is invited to accompany Leonard; however, Sheldon immediately falls ill too. He suspects he caught when he hugged Penny the day before when she said that she would talk to Leonard. Raj therefore accompanies Leonard, and they arrive in Switzerland to a hotel room stocked with champagne, roses, and chocolates meant for Penny.

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...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

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: It's you. I touched you!

Penny: Happy Valentine's day.

Trivia

 * ShennyHugGif.gif Leonard informs his roommate he would not be joining him in Switzerland, 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.


 * 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 China Bistro. 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.

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".