"Uh, well, I feel like you guys make each other better. Penny brought Leonard out of his shell. And it seems like Leonard makes Penny think more deeply about the world. I don’t know. Together, you two kind of make one awesome person."
―Stuart Bloom, The Mommy Observation
Leonard and Penny's relationship has been a major subject in the series since early season one pilot episode. Most of the season finales involve Leonard's relationship with Penny in some way.
Penny & Leonard (2007-2019)[]
First Meeting and Date[]
When Penny first met Leonard, she only thought as him as a neighbor and a friend and had no romantic feelings for him at first. She asked favors of him and talked and visited him nearly every day. She often ate take-out food with him and the others. He took Penny out for dinner in "The Fuzzy Boots Corollary"; however, Penny thought the whole gang was coming. When no one else showed up she suspected their evening was supposed to be a date. Throughout the season, Penny eventually came around to Leonard's feelings occasionally and knew he had a big crush on her.
Penny first shows a romantic interest in Leonard when she hears of his failed attempt at a relationship with Leslie Winkle, though the sign is seen only by the audience.
Lenny shared their first kiss in "The Middle-Earth Paradigm" on Halloween. Though at the time, Penny was drunk and Leonard refused her advances since it would've been wrong to jump at the opportunity to take advantage of someone who wasn't thinking straight. Later on, in "The Peanut Reaction", Penny throws Leonard a birthday party since he never had one. But, when he doesn't make it, she helps him feel better by giving him a kiss. This would be the one they'd consider their first official kiss
At the end of the season 1 after another bad break-up, Penny confesses she wanted to go out with a guy who really cares about her so Leonard asked her out which she accepted. Their date went well though Penny wanted to take it slow. Afterwards, Penny gets the idea that he won't date a girl that doesn't have a college degree derailing a second date at that time.
First Relationship[]
At the end of Season 2, the episode "The Monopolar Expedition", Leonard and the others go to the North Pole for three months. In that episode, she gave him a blanket with sleeves and a long hug, which made Leonard concerned about leaving her. When he asked her what it meant, she said it was just a going away present. After he left and she closed the door, she whispered, "It means I wish you weren't going" revealing her hidden feelings. When Leonard returned at the beginning of Season 3, he went to see Penny and she greeted him with a passionate kiss which Leonard happily returned. Leonard gave her a preserved snowflake which she loved and they began going out again. After a quick trip to Texas to bring Sheldon home, the new couple finally consummated their relationship which they both described as weird. After realizing how weird the relationship was, they decide to return to being friends, but quickly resumed their romance within a few seconds.
Throughout season 3, they learned about each other and explored the limits of their relationship. There were some fights like Leonard belittling her for believing in psychics "The Psychic Vortex" or Penny not telling him about her letting an ex-boyfriend stay in her apartment "The Guitarist Amplification", though there was a lot of make-up sex and a lot of compromises mainly by Leonard. Sheldon was often frustrated with the constant presence of Penny within his inner circle and the couple many times were treating him like they were his parents.
In the episode "The Wheaton Recurrence," Leonard told Penny he loved her, which surprised her because she wasn't ready for it. She could only reply, "Thank you." They both got over it when they had to help Sheldon win a bet in a bowling match. Opponent Wil Wheaton told Penny that it would be kinder to break-up with Leonard right away than make him suffer, which later was revealed to be a trick to win the bet. Penny tearfully breaks up with Leonard.
Separated[]
Right after the break-up, in "The Spaghetti Catalyst" the gang "chooses sides to be on either Team Leonard or Team Penny". Ironically it was Sheldon who was responsible for keeping them together as friends. Penny took Sheldon to Disneyland and Penny and Leonard acted very much like divorced parents over Sheldon. Watching him sleep after they put him to bed, they decided that they could move on as friends.
In the season 3 finale "The Lunar Excitation", Penny started dating Zack and later reprimands Leonard for ruining him and destroying her ability to tolerate idiots and takes Leonard to bed.
In Season 4, Leonard and Penny's relationship had a bit of awkwardness. In "The Love Car Displacement", Leonard and Penny go on a vacation to San Francisco where Leonard and the other members of The Social Group have a conference. Penny's rebellious nature gets her kicked out of the lead car that Sheldon said she should be in and doesn't have a fun time in the 2nd car. During a rough night in the hotel where Penny sleeps with Leonard cause of Howard's jerk nature to Bernadette, the latter in Penny's bed and Amy's impossibility to sleep with, Leonard gets mischievous with Sheldon and he switches rooms with Raj. Leonard during the conference says he and Penny were reuniting, but Penny says it was a one-time thing and Leonard gets upset and results in him driving fast and being followed by the police while Howard and Bernadette drive back home unhappy with each other with a hung over Raj. When Leonard starts dating Raj's sister Priya, Penny breaks down in tears, proving that she is NOT over him. Priya wanted Leonard to stop hanging out with Penny. Penny agreed to it to help Leonard move on with his relationship though their breakup didn't last. She hated Priya because of that and got upset with not talking to Leonard as much.
At the end of Season 4, in "The Roommate Transmogrification" Penny admitted to Raj she regretted breaking up with Leonard and ends up having a one-night stand with Raj. In "The Skank Reflex Analysis", Raj reveals to Penny that they didn't actually have sex and just fell asleep.
Second relationship (Leonard and Penny 2.0)[]
In "The Recombination Hypothesis", Leonard (having broken up with Priya) decided to ask Penny out on a date and envisioned a possible ending of that date. In his fantasy, things did not go well the second time around, but he decided to go ahead and ask her out anyway, and Penny agreed to go as long as he was sure. The episode ended with Penny envisioning herself very pregnant at a wedding of necessity with Leonard, a possible reason for her reluctance to go out with him again and her need to pick up birth control pills. She also has issues since other members of her family were pregnant when they got married.
Leonard and Penny's fantasies regarding their possible reconciliation proved to have their merits when in the following episode, #101, (Season 5 Episode 14), "The Beta Test Initiation", it was shown that the two were contemplating to be official again; however, to avoid the mistakes from their first time together. They decided to take things slow by treating the relationship as a beta test, and even went to the length of presenting each other bug reports to settle any issues.
Things seemed to be going well by the end of the episode, with Penny kissing Leonard at his doorstep after their date and at the shooting range. In "The Friendship Contraction", it was apparent that the two are definitely in a relationship again, though they taking things slow this time around, and the beta test that was still very much going on. During a power outage at the apartment, Leonard opted to hang out with Penny at her apartment and the two were about to make out when Sheldon interrupted them.
In "The Launch Acceleration", Penny suggested that they move up their relationship and get intimate; however, Leonard ruined the mood when he asked her to marry him while they were having sex making their relationship feel weird to Penny.
Season 6 starts with them on a date in "The Date Night Variable" where a lonely Raj crashes their date and insists that Penny tell Leonard that she loves him. Leonard wants to talk about their relationship; however, she has had a hard day and wants to just hang out together. Penny is expressing doubts about her feelings for Leonard, though she claims to be happy with the relationship in "The Decoupling Fluctuation".
She almost tells Leonard about her doubts and then ends up sleeping with him after looking into his sad eyes. In "The Higgs Boson Observation", Penny while spying with Amy sees Sheldon's pretty new graduate assistant Alex Jensen flirting with Leonard who is not responding. Later when Sheldon and Alex enter the apartment, Penny tells her about Leonard and their five-year experiment together (relationship) and then she leads him off to her apartment for sex.
In the Halloween theme episode "The Holographic Excitation", Penny gets advice from Bernadette that you get out of a relationship what you put into it and that makes Penny should get more interested in Leonard's work (it is also revealed that, up until this point, Penny's view of their relationship had been one-sided in his favor). She visits his lab and is wowed by his holographic images and says that she sometimes forgets how smart he is. Penny heats up their relationship by starting to engage in sex in different locations, twice in his lab and twice in the TARDIS photo booth at the Halloween party.
In the episode "The 43 Peculiarity", Penny is working on a class oral project with an English student, Cole, who makes Leonard jealous. Leonard follows Cole down the stairs warning him about Penny's boyfriend, the "gang leader". Penny witnesses his deception and gets mad at Leonard telling him that he has nothing to worry about because she chooses to be with him and that he knows that she loves him. This pronouncement shocks both of them since Penny has never told Leonard that she loves him and she runs off scared before she breaks into tears. At the same time, Sheldon's assistant Alex Jensen is starting to hit on Leonard though he doesn't recognize her intentions.
In "The Egg Salad Equivalency", Alex asks Leonard out to dinner after he expresses an interest in the physics lecture she is going to and this attention really startles Leonard. Though it makes him feel good "to the bones" to have an attractive young woman interested in him, he tells everyone he still loves Penny and wouldn't do anything about it. Sheldon learns about Alex's actions and ends up Human Resources Administrator's office with a sexual harassment complaint after he tries to stop Alex. Leonard doesn't mention this to Penny who then starts to feel really insecure about their relationship. Leonard apologizes by showing up at her door playing a little ditty on his cello. Penny feels better when Leonard has no intention of getting with Alex, and she decides to be more in touch with science by purchasing a pair of eyeglasses, which turns him on. In "The Spoiler Alert Segmentation", Leonard suggests that he move in with Penny after he again gets exasperated (again) with Sheldon. He asks her if she's all right with it, but she only agrees not to hurt his feelings and even tells this to Sheldon. She does try to get him admit that Sheldon can't get along without him. Amy is ready to move in with Sheldon as roommates. When Sheldon declines, Amy confronts Penny which alerts Leonard. Penny tells him that he never asked her if she was ready. Then Amy and Penny go off to drink and talk about their jerky boyfriends. Leonard returns to Apartment 4A. Amy also scares Penny when in anger says that she and Penny should move in together.
In "The Tangible Affection Proof", Leonard takes Penny out to dinner for Valentine's Day. Penny feels that all the efforts never meet the expectations and she will end up disappointed on Valentine's Day. At dinner, Penny sees an old boyfriend proposing to the girl that broke them up. Leonard again tries to propose and Penny stops him. They begin to argue in front of Howard and Bernadette who have their own issues that night. After they barely say good night, Leonard tells Penny that she ruined the whole evening. Penny finally admits that she has commitment issues. She is so happy right now that she knows they are going to get married and since that relationship is forever that scares her. Leonard then puts the responsibility of proposing on her and that she should do it when she's ready. In the end, she does ask him to be her valentine.
In "The Closure Alternative", Penny was concerned about the passion Leonard showed for science, comics books, and various television shows while she had no passion in her life. Her dreams had always been to become a famous movie star and live a glamorous life. Anything less than that she felt was settling. Her epiphany came to her that she is passionate about her boyfriend Leonard and all her wonderful friends.
In "The Bon Voyage Reaction", Leonard takes a job working on a Stephen Hawking expedition in the North Sea for four months over the summer. Penny will miss him, but knows that it is a good opportunity and sends him off. At the airport, she is fussing over him like a wife sending her husband off on a business trip. She also has to watch Sheldon over the summer, too. Before leaving, Leonard gives Penny a heart-shaped locket with his face on it.
In "The Hofstadter Insufficiency", Leonard hurts Penny because he seems to be having such a great time on the ship; she thinks that he is not even missing her.
In "The Deception Verification", Leonard makes up for it by showing up early and hides in her apartment so that they can spend time together as a couple before telling the gang that he's back. It works until Amy and Sheldon find them together after they think that Penny is cheating on Leonard.
In "The Raiders Minimization", Penny purchases a psychology book that Beverly Hofstadter has written about all his problems growing up for a night school psychology class. Leonard finds out that Penny will do things he wants to do ditch going to a sports bar, watch geeky shows, and have sex and uses her. Leonard mentions it to Howard, who fails to try it with Bernadette, so his actions make it back to Penny. She dresses up for sex tempting him and then for revenge makes him Skype with his mother to discuss his actions much to Leonard's disgust.
In "The Romance Resonance", Howard makes a romantic gesture to Bernadette by writing her a song. Leonard mentions that Penny never does things like that except sex which doesn't count. Penny's determined to romance Leonard. Raj can only suggest that she cook for him or reenact a scene from a romantic movie. Finally, after a candlelight dinner, Penny puts on some romantic music, spreads rose petals into her neatly cleaned bedroom and presents Leonard with a first edition of his favorite book from when he was growing up, The Hitchhiker Guide to the Galaxy. Unfortunately, Leonard had already purchased the book after they had seen it in a used bookstore together. Penny gets upset telling him about all the thoughtful things he had done for her and shows him her collection. An airplane ticket, a rose given to her "just because" and the eleven-page letter he wrote her after the first time they slept together. Leonard was very touched that she kept all these things. He then kisses her, showing that Penny did do something romantic and they lovingly embrace.
In "The Thanksgiving Decoupling", Penny reminisces about a Thanksgiving she had in Las Vegas with former boyfriend Zack Johnson which included one of those "silly fake weddings". Penny appears devastated when her friends inform her that the wedding was real and she is Mrs. Zack Johnson. Obviously, Leonard is furious and he demands that an annulment is in order immediately. Penny and Leonard argue about how quickly she should get her annulment, so Penny invites Zack over to their Thanksgiving dinner at Howard's mother. Zack appears as dimwitted as ever telling them that breaking up can be hard on the kids even though they don't have any. Tensions between Penny and Leonard rise even more when Leonard sarcastically says marrying Zack was "a good call", which leads to Penny calling him out for throwing her mistakes in her face and being a jerk about this situation. Finally, Penny and Leonard make up and she tells him that when they get married, it will be for real, for love and jokingly for money and lovingly strokes his chin.
In "The Hesitation Ramification" and "The Occupation Recalibration", Penny gets a part in the TV series "NCIS" and is very disappointed when her scene is cut and not aired. Frustrated and tipsy, she sees her life crumbling when Leonard reminds her that she still has him. She agrees with him and probably to show some advancement in her life, she kneels down and proposes to him. All Leonard can utter is "Umm", much like when he wouldn't succumb to her drunken advances after her Halloween party in "The Middle-Earth Paradigm". Penny gets very upset since she doesn't think he wants to marry her. After she storms out, Leonard is afraid to ask her if their relationship is now over. The a couple of days later he does visit Penny who assures him that they are still together and that he did the right thing not agreeing to her proposal because she was a mess. Now she has rethought her career and decides to quit the Cheesecake Factory and focus all of her time on acting. Leonard does support her though he is obviously worried about her.
In "The Locomotive Manipulation", Leonard and Penny spend Valentine's Day at home while the other couples travel to Napa Valley. The two of them also agree to look after Cinnamon while Raj is busy at work. Things go well until Cinnamon accidentally eats the chocolates Penny got for Leonard. This prompts a trip to the veterinarian, where Raj gains a potential love interest in the vet that treats Cinnamon.
In "The Table Polarization", the gang wants to add a dining room table to Apartment 4A which Sheldon objects to. Penny gets Leonard to pick out a dining set that she likes and gets Leonard to stand up more against Sheldon. Sheldon objects to Penny changing Leonard to stand up against him. Penny points out that Amy has changed Sheldon who agrees and then decides to break up with Amy, but Amy stops him.
In "The Friendship Turbulence", Penny, despite what Leonard is telling her, is reluctant to accept a part in a sequel to her terrible killer ape movie. Leonard encourages her to keep trying. When her car finally breaks down after years of the "Check Engine" light blinking, Leonard buys Penny a used car so that she won't have to get her job at the Cheesecake Factory back to pay for repairs. Penny is touched by the gesture and immediately kisses and hugs Leonard tightly.
In "The Mommy Observation", Raj has a murder mystery night where they speculate where they will be twenty years in the future. The couple starts thinking about how they will deal with each other's success. Penny figures that Leonard will follow her around if she is famous and making a lot of money while Leonard thinks that he might be tenured at a university and can't move around. Finally Stuart ends the argument saying that he thinks that they have the strongest relationship he knows. Penny brought Leonard out of his shell and Leonard got Penny thinking about her place in the bigger picture.
Engagement[]
In "The Gorilla Dissolution", Leonard and Penny get back in her apartment after she got fired from her killer ape movie. Penny wants to start making smarter decisions about her life. She says that they could get married and Leonard asks her to be serious, to which she is. Leonard wonders if he is a smart decision, like choosing a healthy boring bran muffin. Penny doesn't care what pastry he is because she is CHOOSING HIM. Leonard is still talking about being a pastry like a Cinnabon or a Strawberry Pop Tart; something that she is excited about. Penny tells him to forget about it. Leonard does want to marry her, but feels that she is just feeling sorry for herself because she was fired. Penny explains that it may seem that way, but getting fired made her realize that fame and fortune is not what is going make her happy. Leonard wants to know what will make her happy. "You, you stupid Pop Tart!" she yells at him. Leonard finally says that he guesses that he is in, which also bothers Penny. Leonard then retorts that it's an excited "I guess, I'm in" and they agree that they are engaged which still seems somewhat anti-climactic to both of them. To change the mood, Leonard pulls a diamond ring out of his wallet that he has had for a couple of years, gets down on one knee and asks Penny formally. Penny says "Oh my God, yes!" He slips the ring on her finger that still has ape hair glued to it and they lovingly embrace.
In "The Status Quo Combustion", Leonard and Penny announce their engagement; however, the gang is more excited about Raj and Emily hooking up. Leonard goes searching for the missing Sheldon and finds him at the railroad station leaving LA to think about all the changes in his life. Leonard wants him to come home, but Penny convinces him that he should let Sheldon go.
In "The First Pitch Insufficiency", Lenny goes on a double-date with Shamy where Sheldon is bragging about their relationship is so much better than theirs. Shamy has an 8.2 out of ten for relationship stability based upon well proven criteria. Leonard looks at it; however, Penny doesn't want to take the test. She already has his doubts and doesn't need them confirmed. They are engaged and still have very little in common which scares her. It also scares Leonard, but he still wants to face all their problems together. His reassurance really touches Penny and Amy who would like Sheldon to say things like that.
In "The Hook-up Reverberation", Raj tells the gang that Stuart didn't get enough insurance money to reopen his store. The guys decide to give him the money and were enthusiastic about owning a comic book store. Leonard talks to Penny who wonders why they should even be talking about finances. Leonard say that they are getting married. Then Penny wonders if her mounds of credit card debt will affect them financially. What is her current financial position?
Finances would later be a concern in "The Expedition Approximation". Penny sells the car Leonard gave to her after getting one from Zangen, and gives the money back to Leonard. He insists that she keep the money since the car was a gift, and that he really doesn't need it. After passing the money back and forth, they go to Howard and Bernadette for advice on how to deal with finances. This doesn't work well as Bernadette and Howard get into a heated argument over Bernadette making more money, and Howard making unnecessary purchases. During the visit, Penny and Leonard both agree that they should use the Wolowitzes' situation as an example of what not to do in the future, so that money doesn't get in the way of their love. Even though Penny is concerned about how Leonard will feel since she is making more money than him, he assures her that things will be okay. His mother used to emasculate his father at everything, especially through finances, considering she made more than him. Later, they decide to share the money and have sex on the it piled on their bed.
In "The Prom Equivalency", Amy and Bernadette throw a do-over prom on the roof of the apartment building. Penny is at first reluctant to attend the party because they always disappoint her, but Leonard tells her that he really wants to take the most beautiful girl to the prom, this time. She wears her old red prom dress. The roof is decorated wonderfully and Penny really gets into the mood. While others are still getting there, Penny and Leonard dance alone without any music on the roof. First, they conclude that they probably would not have approached each other if they had been at the same prom, but at least they are happy to be together now. They are both definitely in a romantic mood, while Penny is also glad they aren't having the drama normally seen at proms.
In "The Space Probe Disintegration", Leonard tells Sheldon that his attitude is why he and Penny are not living together. After a tearful period thinking about them him moving out, Sheldon let's him go one night a week to stay at Penny's. Sheldon still sleeps on her couch that night. Leonard and Penny are finally living together once a week even though he had often spent nights with Penny.
In "The Colonization Application", Leonard goes to the dirty book store and gets a sex painting kit, where they cover themselves in body paint and have sex on a canvas. Not satisfied with their first try, they do it again to prove that they are not a boring couple. Happy with the next one, Penny will not hang it in her apartment. To ensure it doesn't go to waste, they plan to give it to Sheldon and tell him that William Shatner painted it.
In "The Fortification Implementation", Leonard and Penny appear on Wil Wheaton's podcast for him and Penny to talk about and take calls about their horrible ape movie. Actor/director Kevin Smith calls in and is a big fan of the movie and he loved Penny's performance. He wants Penny to audition for his new movie "Clerks 3". Leonard reminds her that she already has a job. Penny and Leonard have an intense discussion about her career. She reminds him that they could have a wonderful life if she becomes Wealth or rich and famous. Leonard is just trying to protect her after all her other acting disappointments. Penny just wants him to be happy for her. He was happy for her when she got her current job that pays a decent wage. Decent? She makes twice what Leonard makes. Penny has been putting together a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds with her broker. Leonard says he doesn't have one because he doesn't have any money. Penny wonders who the mature one now in this relationship is. Penny asks him if he would feel better if she did something stupid like sneaking out from work and trying out for a Kevin Smith movie. Leonard agrees and Wil Wheaton comments that Penny just played him like a violin.
In "The Graduation Transmission", Leonard plans on taking Penny with him to New Jersey to watch him give a commencement speech at his old high school; however, a big storm on the East Coast cancels their plans. To make him feel better, Penny sleeps with him, makes him pancakes for breakfast, and buys him a graduation cap and gown, revealing that she convinced the school to let him give his speech over Skype. After the ceremony is done and the speech is over, Penny comments on how Leonard's speech was the best she's ever heard.
When Beverly and Mary come to visit in "The Maternal Combustion", Leonard and Sheldon get into an argument over the attention Sheldon's getting from Leonard's mother while the women themselves argue over religions and ideals. Penny arrives to see them and be by Leonard's side to comfort him over how he feels about his mother. It's also implied that the engagement ring was a re-purposed drill bit diamond that cost less than a real one. Despite this, Penny isn't too fazed by it.
In "The Commitment Determination", Sheldon keeps pushing them for a wedding date. The couple insists that they aren't in a hurry, are in a good place emotionally and are concentrating on their careers. Thinking about the wedding details they decide on a small church wedding dressed in black tie tuxes and no releasing of butterflies. Suddenly Penny smiles and sits close to Leonard. She tells him that she's free that night. They could go to Vegas and just get married. Leonard agrees. Sheldon is happy for them, but still doesn't want them to sit in his spot. Driving to Vegas, Penny is very happy and glad that they took their time to get to know each other. No surprises and no regrets. Leonard has one regret where he was drunk and made out with a woman on his North Sea expedition. Penny was not happy, but still wants to marry him. They were last seen still heading to Vegas to a wedding chapel.
Marriage[]
In "The Matrimonial Momentum", Penny and Leonard finally do get married in a little ceremony in a Las Vegas wedding chapel. When it comes to their vows, Leonard tells Penny, "Penny, we are made of particles that have existed since the universe began. I like to think those atoms have traveled 14 billion years through time and space to create us so that we could be together and make each other whole." Penny is very touched, though she hadn't prepared any vows. She ad-libs that due to them being best friends, she quotes the song "You got a friend in me" to Leonard making him cry.
Leonard carries Penny across the threshold and everything seems fine until they start to kiss. Penny can't help but think about Leonard kissing that other girl. Leonard tries to downplay the experience. He says he feels guilty every time he sees her. Penny finding out that he works with her and sees her on a regular basis doesn't make her not happy at all. The last scene of them together is both of them arguing as they come up the stairs of the apartment building and they each go into their own apartments.
In "The Separation Oscillation Leonard finally confronts Mandy, his kissing buddy from the North Sea, about the incident and it doesn't seem to mean much to her. Leonard also realizes that he really was trying to sabotage the relationship. Penny too realizes she has been trying to sabotage their relationship since she's afraid of losing him to someone else (again). Both of them agree to embrace their happiness and not let their doubts cloud their judgment again. Leonard then confesses, "I've loved you from the moment we met and I will keep loving you until the end of time." Penny is very touched and tells him that that was the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to her. He follows that with getting down on one knee and asks, "Penny Hofstadter, will you please stay married to me?" She replies "Aw, damn it, you topped it." and they kiss. They head into the bedroom to formalize their marriage. Later Sheldon gives them a wedding present - a trip to San Francisco for the three of them. Sheldon still thinks he's in their relationship.
In "The 2003 Approximation", Leonard finally moves out of his apartment and moves in with Penny into her apartment. The sleeping arrangements are still a little complicated. Even though they are living together in 4B, they sometimes sleep in 4A, in Leonard's old room. This is due to Penny having a change of heart at the last minute after feeling sorry for Sheldon, who was having a hard time dealing with his breakup with Amy and Leonard moving out.
In "The Helium Insufficiency" it is also apparent that Leonard is still maintaining an office in 4A.
In "The Sales Call Sublimation", Penny convinces Leonard to visit a psychiatrist so that she can give her a sales pitch for her meds. Both end up talking to her discussing their insecurities. Leonard seems out from under his mother's influence and wants to do things without worrying able how his mother judges him. Penny is told that she might be replacing his mother because Leonard is turning her into her, which is not true.
In "The Valentino Submergence", Leonard and Penny go out to dinner for Valentine's Day, have to wait for an hour and suffer through an unsympathetic maitre D'. Penny decides to flirt with her, gets nowhere and gets called "ma'am". She tries to get him to acknowledge that they are almost the same age; however, he is 21 and she is 31. Next she drags Leonard out of the restaurant "while she is still young". After a fast food meal in the car, they look for something young and fun to do. The "Moulin Rouge" movie is too late, no skinny dipping or dancing either. They end up dressed up as cupids breaking in on Sheldon's "Fun with Flags" programs yelling "Happy Valentine's Day" and that they are "young and fun".
In "The Positive Negative Reaction", they discuss having children one day. Penny says she is not in a rush, but someday they can. Leonard adds that he thinks they would make amazing parents.
In "The Solder Excursion Diversion", Penny and Bernadette help out Leonard and Howard with their project. When the men leave to get more solder, they get sidetracked with a special screening of "Suicide Squad". Raj rats them out to the girls after he finds out and they decide to get revenge, but it isn't necessary as the men returned apologizing with flowers and the offer to take them out to dinner.
In "The Big Bear Precipitation", Sheldon spills the secret about Leonard's secret bank account, making Penny angry. She and Leonard get into an argument after he brings up her credit card debt. When discussing the situation, Penny explains that she's also been keeping a secret from Leonard; she hasn't been happy about her job having to flirt to get her sales; however, she will keep at it because it is the responsible thing to do.
In "The Viewing Party Combustion", Leonard and Sheldon fight about having a Roommate Agreement meeting and Penny takes Sheldon's side due to her sibling feelings for him. Amy tells Leonard she's sometimes annoyed at the closeness of their significant others and reveals to him that she uses Sheldon and has him add things to the Roommate Agreement to get her way and not fight with Leonard. Leonard becomes mad and he and Amy confront Penny and reprimand her for always defending Sheldon, but in the end everyone reconciles.
In "The Line Substitution Solution", Penny agrees to spend some time with Leonard's mother, Beverly, so that they can have a stable relationship. It's revealed that Beverly only had trouble getting along with Penny due to being upset about not knowing about the wedding, so they decide on having another ceremony for everyone being involved with it. Later that night in "The Convergence Convergence", she tells Leonard about the idea of the redo ceremony, and that they can include their friends and family this time. Leonard agrees to this, and he also decides to invite his father.
In "The Conjugal Conjecture"; the actual ceremony is officiated by Bernadette. Penny tells him how happy he makes her and how glad they did elope. Leonard just tells her how much he loves her and that he can't believe she is with him. He adds that he doesn't care if he knows why.
In "The Cohabitation Experimentation", Sheldon and Amy move into Penny's apartment for a five-week cohabitation experiment after Amy's apartment suffers a plumbing problem. The Hofstadters are so excited about finally having a place of their own that they put on music (which Sheldon would never let them do) and have a private dance party in their underwear.
In "The Fetal Kick Catalyst", Penny is signing autographs for fans of the Serial Ape-ist movies where the fans think that she is a terrible actress and can't believe that the nerd Leonard is her husband. The fans sit around Leonard as he tells his story how he won the hot actress and they think Leonard is awesome.
In "The Veracity Elasticity", Leonard learns from Howard that Penny has secretly been moving his collectibles into storage. Although he's mad that she doesn't feel guilty about it, he does understand that she really hasn't been feeling comfortable like she belongs there. He allows her to redecorate their room any way she wants it. Upon seeing Penny's new design for the bedroom, he immediately hides some of her stuff in her old closet.
In "The Birthday Synchronicity", Bernadette has a false alarm trip to the hospital before she has her baby interrupting both Lenny and Shamy who are trying to have sex.
In "The Holiday Summation", the Hofstadters cheerily head off to cut their first live Christmas tree and have a horrible experience. Leonard lets go of the axe sending it flying, the tree slips off the car roof while driving it home and Leonard collapses under the tree while carrying it up The Stairs. After getting it into the apartment, they find an animal lurking in the tree. It ends up being shoved down The Elevator shaft.
In ”The Romance Recalibration”, Penny feels that Leonard is no longer trying in their marriage; specifically he sits around in his underwear playing video games and never brings her flowers. Leonard thinks that he is the only one in their marriage that has ever worked at it. Leonard follows Penny to the spa that she took Amy instead of Leonard and they decide that they do have some challenges in their marriage. Reluctantly, both ask Sheldon to prepare them a Relationship Agreement like his and Amy especially since he and Amy appear to be so happy living together.
In "The Emotion Detection Automation", Leonard and Penny have an argument over her drug-dealing brother Randall coming to Pasadena, an argument where Leonard's friendly, reasonable and thinking-carefully personality goes the other way around.
In "The Escape Hatch Identification", Beverly thinks Leonard and Penny are trying to keep their "terrible" marriage intact since they took Raj in for a while and also asked Randall to live with them, which is not true since Leonard and Penny are fine in their marriage and are not looking for roommates but are instead being generous to let someone they know quite well to live with them til they can get a house of their own.
In "The Proposal Proposal", Bernadette suggests that Leonard and Penny should have a baby in order to try and calm Howard and Bernadette's worries about having another baby so soon. Leonard and Penny say that they're not gonna have a baby just to make Howard and Bernadette feel better, but when they are ready or when Leonard is certain Penny is going to leave him. They also celebrate their second wedding anniversary, which they'd forgotten about.
In "The Bitcoin Entanglement" (S11E09), Leonard and Penny visit Zack to reclaim Leonard's old laptop that Penny had given him years ago, as it contained a large amount of now priceless Bitcoins. Zack also shows them an old video a drunk Penny made after she broke up with Leonard seven years before. She did love him, but was scared of a permanent commitment. This helps them make up after they got into a fight, as Leonard initially believed Penny didn't care as much about their relationship as he did.
In "The Matrimonial Metric", after the gang gets mad at Amy and Sheldon for testing them to see if they should be in their wedding party, Sheldon apologizes to Leonard and asks him to be his best man, which delights Penny. Meanwhile, Penny has an epiphany. Leonard says that Amy should choose her as Maid of Honor since they are best friends. Penny denies it until she realizes how much time they spend together and how much they support each other that Amy is her best friend. She runs over to Amy's saying that she can chose who wants, but she's an idiot if she doesn't choose her because they are best friends. Amy is ecstatic that Penny says this and hugs her calling her "Bestie!" Both Leonard and Penny will stand up at the altar for the Shamy wedding.
In season 11, Leonard and Penny are just happy together and Penny just wants to stay thin and have money rather than get a house and have a baby immediately.
In "The Bow Tie Asymmetry", when the wedding is delayed due to the absence of the bride and groom, she explodes when she finds Sheldon, Amy and Leonard doing science instead of getting married. Sheldon agrees with Penny so the wedding starts.
In "The Conjugal Configuration", Larry Fowler is hiding out in Sheldon and Amy's apartment. Mrs. Fowler comes over demanding that her husband return. He decided to take a break from their marriage. His wife comes over to talk things over with Penny and decides that she is a good person and they should become friends. Penny marches over to 4B and demands that Larry go home. Penny also gets mad at Leonard when he compares their relationship to the bickering Fowlers, but forgives him when he points out that they aren't like them in terms of personality.
In "The Procreation Calculation", Penny declares that she doesn't want to have children because their life is so great as it is and because of her experience on babysitting Howard and Bernadette's daughter Halley made her think she would be a terrible mother. Leonard then declares that that is one thing on his bucket list that he'll never do like when he wanted to own a Batmobile. In the end, Penny does rent him a Batmobile for the day.
In "The Imitation Perturbation", Leonard reminds Penny of their first kiss on their couch during her Halloween party as they host one for the gang. Penny can't remember it until she admits that she does, but she was drunk and mad at Kurt. She would rather remember their first official kiss as at Leonard's birthday party where she gave it freely. Leonard agrees that that will be their first official kiss.
In "The Grant Allocation Derivation", Leonard has to distribute some excess university grant money, which he takes very seriously. Penny finds that very sexy being decisive until Leonard can't decide between the last three proposals.
In "The Propagation Proposition", Zack and his new wife Marissa want to have a baby, but Zack is infertile. They decide to ask Leonard to help them out since he thinks he's nice and smart. Leonard said yes and wants to help them out. Penny was against it and then said that he could do it since she had decided to not have any children and he really wants to be a father.
Leonard, at first, was willing to help them out until the events of "The Donation Oscillation", when he decided he didn't want a child in the world that he and Penny weren't going to raise. Along the way, Penny decided her "no child" plan was not worth it and decides on giving parenting a try.
In "The Laureate Accumulation", the Coopers are trying to get some Nobel Prize winners on their side to counter their rivals' publicity tour and can't get any to come to their university reception due to Sheldon's condescending attitude though other colleagues. Leonard and Penny visit the Nobel winners and convince them to come. Penny tells them how nice Amy is.
In "The Decision Reverberation", Penny convinces Leonard to be more confident in himself, which leads to him being more demanding of Sheldon and becoming a co-lead on a new project. Penny winds up proud of her husband.
Pregnancy[]
In "The Stockholm Syndrome", Penny announces she is pregnant with their first child. When Penny returned from drinking with Sheldon at The Cheesecake Factory, they hopped into bed without "wrapping" something. Penny was unsure about the whole baby thing during most of the season because she thought she would be a terrible mother, but when Leonard changed his mind doing sperm donation to Zach and Marissa, Penny decided on giving parenting a try. Both Penny and Leonard are very excited on becoming parents in their own ways. Leonard and Penny are keeping it a secret since it could outshine the Nobel Prize victory. When the girls were at the tailor's for their dresses, Amy was ecstatic when Penny's dress needed to be let out and didn't even care why, so the secret was still intact.
The secret comes out on the plane when Sheldon, who's a germaphobe, suspects that Penny's sick as she keeps running for the plane's lavatory. Rather than express happiness for them, Sheldon is relieved he won't get sick and outs the pregnancy. Leonard is mad that Sheldon (who only cares about his Nobel Prize) doesn't congratulate them instead Sheldon told him that in his own words "any idiot can have a baby" which was the last straw for Leonard on putting up with Sheldon's selfish attitude and decides that he and Penny (with the promise of pickled herring on the plane because of her cravings) are heading home. Penny is very sick and claims that she still has to be there for Amy, with Leonard doing the same for Sheldon. The two of them even comment on how taking care of Sheldon has made them more than prepared for having kids since, despite being older than them, he was like their own practice child.
During the Nobel Prize ceremony, Sheldon acknowledges that he may have not been the best friend in the world, and he says Leonard and Penny are his best friends. He has each of them stand up to be acknowledged.
In the last scene with the entire group, Leonard and Penny share a kiss as he rubs her belly to feel their baby.
Trivia[]
- Interestingly, this is the only major relationship on the show that was not set up by someone else or a third party. Howard and Bernadette were set up by Penny, Sheldon and Amy were set up by Howard and Raj, who posted Sheldon's information on a dating site and set up a date, and Raj and Emily met through online dating. Raj and Anu were set up by Raj's father. Even Raj and Cinnamon were set up by the Wolowitzes since they got him the dog. Stuart and Denise did not meet online as Denise is an employee at the comic book store hired by Stuart. The way she applied, if that was online or in person, was unknown.
- Their whole relationship started with Leonard's infatuation with Penny followed by her appreciation of how loyal, faithful and what a great guy he is. Being that cute and that smart also turns her on. He tested her vision of his faithfulness when he did drunkenly make out with another girl Mandy Chow on his North Sea expedition, though it didn't mean anything to Mandy.
- This is also the only relationship that has broken up more than once.
- This relationship remained broken up the longest by 2 years as Howard and Bernadette broke up for understandable a year, Sheldon and Amy remained broken up for a few weeks,
- At various points in the series, each of the guys (save for Stuart, who served as the "tool" to improve their relationship) have acted as Leonard and Penny's "third wheel". Howard spent his time with the couple when Raj started working for Sheldon to keep his visa valid ("The Pirate Solution"), Raj spent his night with them when Leonard wanted to talk to Penny about their issues ("The Date Night Variable") and he also interrupted their one-night stand ("The Love Car Displacement"), and Sheldon puts himself into their relationship constantly, even going so far as to behaving like he was their child, and worming his way into their marriage. He also called their relationship "Our Marriage".
- Leonard is the only one of the guys who is bespectacled (wears glasses) while Penny is the only girl who doesn't wear glasses.
- Interestingly, it was through the actions of Leonard and Penny's relationship that Howard was made into a better man. If Leonard hadn't told Penny about his girlfriend pact with Howard and if Penny never said "yes" and chosen Bernadette, Howard and Bernadette wouldn't have met and bonded over their dislike of their overprotective mothers and then... Howard would still be alone and a creepy pervert. And who knows how long it would've been before he was reformed? Bernie also thinks that he is a sexy astronaut like Buzz Lightyear".
- Leonard admits in "The Fetal Kick Catalyst" to a previously unknown proposal to Penny that was written by a skywriter; however, Penny didn't look up and missed it. Therefore, Leonard didn't count it.
- Penny's promiscuous ways ended as soon as she began dating Leonard, much like Howard's perverted ways dialled down after he started seeing Bernadette.
- Much like Howard and Bernadette, they both faced a situation where one of them doesn't want children while the other one does and then both couples ended up having kids.
- Coincidentally, it's the husband who wants kids while the wife is opposed to it. There is even an episode where Bernie's father visits and help her gain some insight on how special parenthood can be. Penny's father Wyatt also wants her to have kids.
- Another interesting fact is that both couples had opposing views on sex when it came to the initial stages of their pregnancies. In "The Proposal Proposal", Bernadette said "no" to sex with Howard, while Penny agreed to sex with Leonard in "The Stockholm Syndrome". Both of these instances involved the argument: "[We] can't get more pregnant".
- Leonard and Penny have been seen mostly to be a better couple than Sheldon and Amy, Howard and Bernadette and Raj and Emily for these reasons:
- SHAMY
- Sheldon is acting crazy and not wanting to do things with Amy, but also doing things to her that Leonard and Penny have done or barely done. These include:
- Lip kissing (Done mostly by Lenny)
- Sleeping together (Done mostly by Lenny, barely by Shamy)
- Treating each other respectfully and like lovers, not like dogs or crap (Done mostly by Lenny)
- Acting mature and supportive (Done by both couples)
- Hugging (Done by both couples, mostly Lenny)
- Not skipping events to do other things (Done mostly by Sheldon)
- Being scared of sex (Sheldon, previously)
- Being immature, stubborn and selfish (Sheldon)
- Being very overprotective and pushing for intimacy (Amy)
- Sheldon is acting crazy and not wanting to do things with Amy, but also doing things to her that Leonard and Penny have done or barely done. These include:
- HOWARDETTE
- Bernadette upsets Howard by denying wanting to have kids and Howard upsets Bernadette by treating her more like a mother than a wife. Neither of these two happens with Leonard and Penny, until "The Procreation Calculation" where she says she may not want kids. But, she would soon change her mind, especially after Leonard gets her pregnant.
- Howardette can't handle their marriage financial issues any better than Lenny can. Howardette's issues stem mainly from Bernadette making "a lot more" than Howard, which tends to be hard for men to take due to psychological and social archetypes, and Howard likely being somewhat insecure about his maturity, having lived with his mother until recently and probably be worried that he may be viewed by his peers as a "mama's boy". He also feels that he can spend his wife's money on any frivolous thing he can. On the other hand, Penny probably does not make more than Leonard even with her new sales job, even though Leonard would probably enjoy being in a position of perceived inferiority no more than Howard, given the former's high-achieving family and distant, overly demanding mother.
- REMILY
- Raj and Emily are very different and Emily's creepy and sinister while neither Leonard nor Penny are creepy or sinister. But while it's said, Leonard and Penny are very different people, but no one seems to notice the things that Leonard and Penny have in common which are that they both have one brother and sister each and that both of them have had issues with their opposite-gender parent growing up.
- Remily is no longer in effect as Emily broke up with Raj and moved on to a better woman like all his other exes leaving the show soon later
- SHAMY
- While it has been sometimes said that Leonard and Penny have nothing in common, this is not totally true. There actually are several things they have in common which have rarely or never been mentioned.
- They each have one brother and one sister.
- They are the second-born child of their respective parents (possibly).
- They had issues with the opposite-gender parent while growing up.
- They are the love of each other's lives
- Their careers are in some ways similar; while Leonard is a smart, brilliant and successful scientist and physicist and well-educated and accomplished academic, his work in experimental physics somehow appear to mirror Penny's average education status and her pharmaceutical sales career in which she has often had to flirt with doctors to make sales. This makes it similar due to Leonard's work being sometimes derivative and his friends having more accomplishments, as well as him being the least successful of his family.
Quotes[]
Leonard Asks Penny Out
- Penny: I swear to God, I am done with guys like that. You know, macho, with the perfect body and the hair, and the money.
- Leonard: Yeah, that must get old quick.
- Penny: You know, just once, I would like to go out with someone who is nice, and honest, and who actually cares about me.
- Leonard: What about me?
- Penny: What about you what?
- Leonard: What about if you went out with me?
- Penny: Are you asking me out?
- Leonard: Um… yes… I am… asking you out.
- Penny: Wow.
- Leonard: I was just going off your comment about the nice guy…
- Penny: No, I know, I got that. Yeah, totally.
- Leonard: (continuing through Penny) …thing and honest but, it’s no big deal…
- Penny: Yes.
- Leonard: Yes what?
- Penny: Yes, I will go out with you.
- Leonard: Really?
- Penny: Yeah. Why not, I mean, what do I have to lose?
- Leonard: Yeah. That’s the spirit.
- Leonard and Penny's First Date:
- Penny: Hi.
- Leonard: Hi.
- Penny: come on in.
- Leonard: Thank you. You look very nice.
- Penny: Thank you. So do you.
- Leonard: I made an eight o’clock reservation.
- Penny: Okay, great, listen, um, maybe we should talk first.
- Leonard: Oh. Okay. But before you say anything, have you ever heard of Schrodinger’s Cat?
- Penny: Actually, I’ve heard far too much about Schrodinger’s Cat.
- Leonard: Good. (He grabs her and kisses her.)
- Penny: Alright, the cat’s alive, let’s go to dinner.
Leonard and Penny's First Breakup
- Penny: (opening door) Hi.
- Leonard: Yeah, hi, listen, I know what’s been bothering you about us, and I have the answer.
- Penny: What are you talking about?
- Leonard: First I want to say that it’s not Sheldon’s fault, he tried very hard to keep your secret, if Howard hadn't drugged him he would have taken it to his grave.
- Penny: He told you?
- Leonard: Yes, but it's okay. Now that we know what the problem is, there’s a simple solution. (Hands her a brochure.)
- Penny: Pasadena City College?
- Leonard: A place for fun, a place for knowledge. See, this man here’s playing hacky sack, and this girl’s going to be a paralegal.
- Penny: Wow, I get it, because Dr Leonard Hofstadter can’t date a girl without a fancy college degree.
- Leonard: Well, it’s really not that fancy, it’s just a city college.
- Penny: Right, but I have to have some sort of degree to date you?
- Leonard: That doesn't matter to me at all.
- Penny: So, it’s fine with you if I’m not smart.
- Leonard: Absolutely. (She slams the door in his face) Okay, this time I know where I went wrong. (Looking up and seeing the camera) Oh, bite me!
Arctic Farewell
- Penny: Oh, Leonard, what time is it?
- Leonard: It's 7 a.m. I’m sorry it’s early, but we’re leaving soon, and I needed to talk to you.
- Penny: Okay.
- Leonard: What did you mean when you said you’re going to miss me?
- Penny: Um, I don’t know. You’ll be gone and I’ll notice.
- Leonard: (indicating the blanket) Okay, well, um, what about this? What does this mean?
- Penny: Wine, credit card and late-night television are a bad combination.
- Leonard: All right, fine. What about that really long hug? What did that mean?
- Penny: That wasn't a long hug.
- Leonard: It was at least five Mississippi’s. A standard hug is two Mississippi’s tops.
- Penny: Leonard, I don’t know what to tell you. It was just a hug.
- Leonard: Glad we cleared that up.
- Penny: Yeah.
- Leonard: I guess I’ll see you.
- Penny: Okay, have a safe trip.
- Leonard: Thank you. Bye.
- Penny: Okay, bye. (Penny closes the door. Says to herself) It means I wish you weren’t going.
Third Season Relationship Restart
- Penny: Leonard, you’re back.
- Leonard: Yeah, I just stopped by to say… (She grabs him and kisses him passionately) Yeah, so, hi!
- Penny: Hi! (They stumble, kissing, into her apartment and slam the door shut)
- Howard: Dammit, I should have gone over and told her we were back.
- Raj: (Sarcastically) Yeah, it was first come, first served.
Leonard's "I love you, Penny" Confession
- Penny: Having a little trouble catching your breath there?
- Leonard: No, no, I’m good. If my P.E. teachers had told me this is what I was training for I would have tried a lot harder.
- Penny: Do or do not. There is no try.
- Leonard: (Shocked) Did you just quote Star Wars?
- Penny: I believe I quoted Empire Strikes Back.
- Leonard: Oh, my God. I’m lying in bed with a beautiful woman who can quote Yoda.
- (They Kiss)
- Leonard: I love you, Penny.
- Penny: Oh. Oh. Thank you.
- Leonard: You’re welcome. I just wanted to put that out there.
- Penny: Oh, yeah, no, I, I’m, I’m glad.
- Leonard: Good. Glad is good.
- Penny: Yeah. Yeah. No, no. Um. So, it’s getting pretty late. We should probably go to sleep.
- Leonard: Yeah.
- Penny: Okay.
- Leonard: Yeah.
- Penny: Hmm.
- Leonard: Yeah, probably.
- Penny: Okay, good night, sweetie.
- Leonard: Good night. (Penny looks shocked.)
Third Season Breakup
- Penny: Leonard, stop pressuring me.
- Leonard: I’m not pressuring you.
- Penny: Yeah, you are! Just back off!
- Leonard: Okay, I’m sorry. I’ll shut up.
- Penny: I didn't mean shut up.
- Leonard: Fine. Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.
- Penny: (Begins to cry) No, this isn't fair to you, Leonard. I’m sorry.
- (She runs out sobbing)
- Sheldon: Wait! Where are you going? Penny, come back! I’ll get you ice cream!
- Leonard: No, let her go.
- Sheldon: Are you insane? If she leaves, it’s over!
- Leonard: I’m pretty sure it’s already over.
Penny's "I Love You" Confession
- Leonard: Hi.
- Penny: Hey. Shouldn't you be out with your gang spray-painting equations on the side of buildings?
- Leonard: Come on, I’m sorry.
- Penny: I just can’t believe you don’t trust me.
- Leonard: I feel... Of course, I do.
- Penny: Then why did you embarrass me in front of my friend who, by the way, knew exactly who you were?!
- Leonard: Really?
- Penny: Your picture’s on my refrigerator!
- Leonard: Oh. You know, I’m really starting to not like this guy.
- Penny: What is your problem? Do you use up all your thinking at work and then have none left over for when you get home?
- Leonard: I don’t know. It’s hard sometimes. Everywhere you go guys hit on you, even if I’m standing right there. And they are all taller than me. Why is everyone always taller than me?! You know what? This is all in my head. It’s my problem, not yours.
- Penny: Leonard. Why do you always do this? Listen to me. You are the one I’m with. You know I love you. So would you please relax--because you are driving me crazy!
- Leonard: You know that’s the first time you ever said that you love me.
- Penny: Yeah...
- Leonard: Are we supposed to pretend it’s not a big deal?
- Penny: (Tearing up) That’s exactly what we’re going to do... because you’re about to make me cry and we both know that if I start crying, you’re going to start crying.
- Leonard: You’re right, you should go.
- Penny: All right! [Runs downstairs crying]
The Engagement
- Penny: Oh, my God. What a day.
- Leonard: Can I get you anything?
- Penny: No. I need to start making some smart decisions.
- Leonard: With your career?
- Penny: With my life.
- Leonard: Like what?
- Penny: I don’t know. We could get married.
- Leonard: Come on, be serious.
- Penny: I am.
- Leonard: Why? Because I’m a, a smart decision?
- Penny: Well, yeah.
- Leonard: So I’m like a bran muffin.
- Penny: What? No, that’s not what I’m saying.
- Leonard: No, it’s exactly what you’re saying. I’m the boring thing you’re choosing because I’m good for you.
- Penny: What does it matter? The point is, I’m choosing you.
- Leonard: Well, it matters a lot. I don’t want to be a bran muffin. I, I want to be a Cinnabon, you know? A strawberry Pop-Tart. Something you’re excited about even though it could give you diabetes.
- Penny: Sweetie, you can be any pastry you want.
- Leonard: No, no. No, it’s too late. I’m your bran muffin. Probably fat-free and good for your colon.
- Penny: You know what? Forget it. I never should’ve brought it up.
- Leonard: You know I want to marry you, but you’re only doing this because you got fired and you’re feeling sorry for yourself.
- Penny: Okay, it may look that way, but getting fired from that movie was the best thing that could have happened to me, okay? I finally realize I don’t need to be famous or have some big career to be happy.
- Leonard: Then what do you need?
- Penny: YOU, you stupid Pop-Tart!
- Leonard: Oh. Then I guess I’m in.
- Penny: Really? You guess you’re in?
- Leonard: Not like, I guess I’m in. Like I guess, I’m in!
- Penny: Okay.
- Leonard: So is that it? Are, are we engaged?
- Penny: Yeah, I think so.
- Leonard: All right.
- Penny: What’s wrong?
- Leonard: I’m not sure. Just feels a little anticlimactic.
- Penny: Yeah, it kind of does, huh?
- Leonard: Oh, I know. This might help.
- (Leonard pulls a ring out of his wallet)
- Penny: Where did you get a ring?
- Leonard: I’ve had it for a couple of years, not important. Penny, will you marry me?
- Penny: Oh, my God, yes.
- Leonard: This would have been so much more romantic if you didn’t have monkey hair on your finger.
- (They kiss and hug each other tightly)
The Wedding Decision
- Penny: Um, I’m free tonight.
- Leonard: Are you saying you want to get married?
- Penny: Vegas isn’t that far away.
- Leonard: I’m in. Let’s do it.
- (Penny squeals and they hug and kiss tightly)
- Sheldon: After all these years. I’m really happy for the two of you.
- Penny: Oh, thank you.
- Leonard: Thanks.
- Sheldon: Now get out of my spot.
Leonard and Penny's Wedding:
- Minister: Before I go any further, have either of you prepared your own vows.
- Penny: No.
- Leonard: Yes.
- Penny: You wrote vows?
- Leonard: Yeah.
- Penny: Well, I don’t have any. You’re kind of making me look bad.
- Leonard: It's okay. I don’t have to say them.
- Penny: I’ll come up with something mushy. You’ll cry. We got this.
- Leonard: Penny, we are made of particles that have existed since the universe began. I like to think those atoms have travelled 14 billion years through time and space to create us so that we could be together and make each other whole.
- Penny: (Overwhelmed) Wow.
- Minister: Penny.
- Penny: Right..um..okay. Leonard, I mean, you’re not only the love of my life. I mean, you’re my best friend. You’ve got a friend in me. You got troubles. I got them, too. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you. We stick together, and we can see it though…cause you got a friend in me.
- Minister: Isn’t that the song from “Toy Story”?
- Penny: He loves that movie.
- Leonard: (crying) I do.
Leonard and Penny's Second Wedding
- Stuart: Nice to see you again, Dr Hofstadter. I’m uh, Leonard’s friend Stuart.
- Beverly Hofstadter: Nice to see you, too.
- Stuart: Hi. I'm Stuart.
- Alfred Hofstadter: Oh, I’m Alfred, Leonard’s father.
- Stuart: Oh. Oh, hi. Uh. I’m sorry. Did you like to sit together?
- Together: No.
- Stuart: I was wondering why the first row was available.
- Bernadette: Okay, I think we’re ready.
- Amy: {Playing Wagner’s Bridal Chorus on her harp. Penny enters on her Dad’s arm.}
- Sheldon: Why do people cry at weddings?
- Mary Cooper: They’re practising for what's coming later.
- Susan: Thank you for cleaning yourself up for your sister’s wedding.
- Randall: And thank you for my new teeth.
- Wyatt: Welcome to the family, Leonard. Don’t lend your new brother-in-law money.
- Bernadette: We’re here today to celebrate love.
- Beverly Hofstadter: (Sigh)
- Alfred Hofstadter: Sigh louder. No one heard you.
- Stuart: Really. I can move.
- Bernadette: Not just Leonard and Penny’s love, but the love for them as well as each other.
- Sheldon: Speaking of love. STD’s among the elderly are sky-rocketing.
- Bernadette: Love is patient, but it’s not going to put up with all the side-chatter. So let’s knock it off.
- Howard: At least she’s yelling at someone else for a change.
- Bernadette: Howard!
- Penny: Okay, I understand everyone’s a little tense today, so I’m just gonna get to the important stuff. Leonard standing here with you in front of our family and friends is bringing up a lot of feelings. Like what a good idea it was to elope the first time. But also how incredibly happy you make me. Thank you for marrying me. Hopefully for the last time.
- Leonard: Penny…as a scientist, my job is to figure out why things happen. But I don’t think I’ll ever understand how someone like me could get to be with someone like you. You know…maybe…I don’t need to understand it, I just need to be grateful. I love you, Penny.
- (Leonard kisses Penny)
- Penny: Oh.
- Bernadette: Anybody has anything snarky to say about that? Didn’t think so.
- Alfred Hofstadter: I’d like to say something. Beverly, I know that we don’t bring out the best in each other. But something wonderful did come out of our relationship: that young man right there.
- Beverly Hofstadter: I couldn’t agree more.
- Stuart: That’s beautiful.
- Bernadette: Thank you. All right, let’s continue.
- Sheldon: Yeah, excuse me. I need to say something to someone pretty special. I just can’t wait any longer.
- Amy: It’s happening.
- Sheldon: Leonard. You and I have had our ups and downs. But I have always considered you my family. Even before the recent threat of our parents fornicating like wrinkly old rabbits. I don’t always show it, but you are of great importance to me. Both of you.
- Penny: Oh.
- Leonard: Thank you.
- Bernadette: Okay. I now pronounce you husband and wife. And the weird other husband that comes with the apartment.
Leonard and Penny Are Expecting
- Leonard: Was Amy suspicious when they had to let your dress out?
- Penny: No. She was so happy, she didn’t even question it.
- Leonard: Someones gonna figure it out. Why don’t we just tell people?
- Penny: No. It’s too early. I haven’t even wrapped my head around it.
- Leonard: I have. My head is wrapped…
- Penny: Yeah, well. If something else had been wrapped, we wouldn’t be in this situation.
- Leonard: Excuse me, but if I recall, you’re the one that went out drinking with Sheldon, then came home and attacked me.
- Penny: What? Attacked you? I said: Do you wanna?
- Leonard: Yeah. And I was helpless.
- Penny: Uh-huh.
- (they kiss)
- Leonard: So. Do you wanna?
- Penny: (smiles) Well, I can’t get more pregnant.
- Leonard: We’ll see about that.
- Penny: Uh-huh.
- (they continue to embrace and kiss)