The Russian Rocket Reaction

 The Russian Rocket Reaction is the fifth episode of the fifth season of the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. It aired on the 13th of October, 2011.

Summary
Sheldon is conflicted by Leonard's decision to attend his archenemy's party, while Howard is given the opportunity to travel to space.

Extended Plot


Howard is given an amazing job opportunity by NASA - as a payload specialist, he will travel into space via a Russian Soyuz Rocket to install his team's deep field space telescope on the International Space Station. Everyone is proud of him, but it doesn't go down well with Bernadette, who is upset that Howard didn't consult her first. When he does, she still says no because she is worried about his safety. After telling on him to his mother (who is unwilling to let him go), Howard kicks her out. After talking to Penny and Amy, Bernadette feels guilty and decides to apologise to Howard. Howard forgives Bernadette and they kiss. During the kiss, Mrs. Wolowitz is heard again, making it clear that Howard's "tucchis is not leaving this planet!".

Meanwhile, Sheldon takes offence when Leonard decides to attend a party held by Wil Wheaton, after they were invited while at the comic book store. He refuses to go and feels betrayed by Leonard, comparing his friendship with him to Schrödinger's Cat, as he will be simultaneously his friend and NOT his friend. Sheldon aptly refers to this state of friendship as "Schrodinger's Friendship." When the night of the party comes, Leonard finds out that Brent "Data" Spiner will be there. After much thought, Sheldon shows up, only to have Wheaton give him the very thing that caused his hatred towards Wil: a signed, mint-condition, limited-edition Wesley Crusher action figure. Sheldon immediately forgives him and gives Wheaton a hug. However, Spiner soon becomes Sheldon's enemy, when he opens the figure's packaging.

Trivia
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 * This episode contains the second reference that Howard may travel into space for a piece of equipment he has designed. In The Porkchop Indeterminacy, Howard remarks, "I’m working on a project that may take me up on the next Space Shuttle." That project is possibly the deep field space telescope he designed and certainly would require years to complete. Note that his statement was uttered before the retirement of the Space Shuttle fleet and NASA's reliance on the Russian Soyuz rocket.
 * Wil Wheaton buys the sketch cover of Batman #612 with original pencils by Jim Lee.
 * Howard's Sideshow Collectibles Aayla Secura Order of the Jedi Sixth Scale Figure and Darth Talon Premium Format Figure first appear in his bedroom.
 * Amy says Sheldon is a left-handed monkey wrench.
 * Leonard is a good negotiator and haggler.
 * Bernadette's father was a police officer and she always worried about his safety. (This is ironically similar to the situation in ABC sitcom, "Roseanne", where Roseanne was concerned for her sister, Jackie's safety when she became a cop. Coincidently, Laurie Metcalf, who played Jackie, guest stars in TBBT, as Sheldon's mother, Mary Cooper and co-creator, Chuck Lorre, was once a writer for "Roseanne").
 * When Howard tells Bernadette about his father leaving him when he was 11, she surprisingly had no sympathy.
 * Sheldon has a list of around 61 enemies, contained on an old floppy disc (he started the list at age 9).
 * Howard is now the first out of the four guys to kick a woman out of the house.
 * Bernadette says that Howard is like a baby bird; he once had an asthma attack from reading an old library book (Sheldon threw his back out handing it to him) and he also got seasick on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. In The Gorilla Experiment, Leonard similarly found it amusing that Howard had a panic attack when he got his head caught in a sweater.
 * Captain Sweatpants is at Wheaton's house.
 * Leonard tells Brent Spiner to go to his birthday party, even though in the Season 1 episode "The Peanut Reaction", he said that he didn't celebrate his birthday. However, there are indications at the end of that episode that he intends to begin celebrating his birthday.
 * Brent Spiner as does Wil Wheaton plays an obnoxious or evil version of his real self.

Quotes
Leonard: For God’s sake, will you stop with the Schrödinger stuff?

Sheldon: Would you prefer a simpler application of Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, in which I could either know where you are or whether I like you, but not both?

Sheldon: ''Mm. Tough decision. There’s no weaponry from Lord of the Rings, forged in a Chinese sweatshop?''

Leonard: Just Bilbo Baggins’ sword over there.

Sheldon: ''Two grown men with a hobbit’s dagger; wouldn’t we look silly? Okay, let’s go for it.''

Amy: I don't understand, what difference does it make if Leonard goes to Wil Wheaton's party?

Penny: Well, Wil Wheaton is Sheldon's mortal enemy.

Amy: Mortal enemy?

Penny: Mm Hmm.

Amy: ''Sheldon, I know you're a bit of a left-handed monkey wrench, but... you really have a mortal enemy?''

Sheldon: ''In fact, I have 61 of them. Would you like to see the list?''

Penny: Oh, say no, say no, say no, say no.

Sheldon: You just got off the list, would you like back on it?

Sheldon: Interesting, that you see betrayal in others, not yourself.

Leonard: Going to Wheaton's party is not betraying you.

Sheldon: ''Oh of course you would have to believe that. Evil always thinks it's doing right. Excuse me storm trooper, these ARE the droids you're looking for.''

Leonard:'' I'm going to a party. I'm not turning over R2D2 and C3PO over to the Empire!''

Sheldon: Not yet.

Sheldon: ''You've already signed something Brent Spiner, your name on my list! From this moment on, you are my mortal enemy!''

Wil Wheaton: Don't worry, it doesn't take up a whole lot of your time.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Bernadette: I'm kind of upset that you didn't include me in the decision.

Howard: Would you like me to?

Howard: ''Bernadette, I was given an oppurtunity that would impact both of us. I was given the chance to head up to space and use my telescope. ''

Bernadette: No.

Howard: ''What?! No?!''

Bernadette: (shaking her head) No.

Howard: Why?

Bernadette: ''When I was younger, my dad worked as a police officer. There was not a day that I didn't worry that he was coming alive.''

Howard: ''Well, my dad left me and my mom when I was 13. I never seen him since,''

(Pause)

Bernadette: Oh boohoo, you're not going to space!

Video
thumb|left|300px|"The Russian Rocket Reaction" Promo