Sheldon Cooper from Nobel Prize-winning-physicist is an insufferable roommate, an annoying boyfriend, and truth be told, quite mean for someone who doesn’t get how sarcasm works. But Sheldon is also a total show-stealer on the show, and also the biggest reason why the sitcom had such a historic run.
Sheldon was given a really nuanced, intricate personal background which gave way to the spin-off Young Sheldon. Even as an adult, he was quite an enigma. There were quite a few aspects to his personality, which were never discussed on the show, and it’s time fans explore some hidden details about Sheldon.
Is Actually Quite Non-Maintenance
Sheldon may be a really picky eater and have some compulsive tendencies, but he’s not someone who splurges a lot on himself. His biggest vices are all budget-friendly, be it his weekly round of comics or other pop culture merchandise.
In fact, he’s so unbothered about his own expenses that he doesn’t even cash some of his paychecks. When he loans money to Penny he tells her that almost everything he wants to buy for himself hasn’t been invented yet, so he has quite a bit of money saved up.
Not A Healthy Eater
It’s surprising that someone as smart as Sheldon is quite irresponsible about his eating habits. The boys mostly depend on takeout food, and Sheldon noticeably only eats ‘fun’ stuff like Thai food, pizza, Indian, and an occasional burger.
His favorite food is spaghetti with cut up sausages and his go-to dinner is usually diced chicken over brown rice with hot mustard and soy sauce. However, considering that Sheldon worries about his health, shouldn't he be quite particular about eating healthy? The only thing he is quite vigilant about is the fiber content in his morning cereal, apart from that his diet is hardly balanced.
His T-Shirts Are Indicators Of His Mood
Red Lantern tee.
The Red Lantern Corps is a fictional supervillain organization which has appeared in the Green Lantern universe and their power originates from rage. Since Sheldon channels rage and disturbed energy the entire episode, and even gave in to his dark side the t-shirt was very reflective of his mood.
Wanted To Impress Penny When They First Met
The pilot episode introduced an aspect of Sheldon’s character that was never carried forward; he never tries to pilot episode of TBBT, Sheldon very obviously wants to impress Penny, although without any romantic interest.
He tries to show off his equations on his board and is relieved when Penny finally sees how smart he is. He then invites her to lunch and even lets her use their bathroom, which was a huge step considering how closed off he really is.
Can Be Quite Possessive
Sheldon may claim himself as someone who doesn’t get attached in usual ways, but Sheldon may be the most territorial person in the entire group. He brings a childlike sense of possession into each of his relationships, romantic or otherwise.
This was why he got so worked up when Amy went to a wedding with Leonard, with the latter suggesting that something is going on between them. It was also seen when Stuart asked Amy out on a date. Let's not forget how he reacted when Leonard went to Priya and Raj’s house for dinner instead of hosting everyone over at their apartment.
Couldn’t Shake Off His Christian Upbringing
Sheldon has often talked about the cultural and religious differences between him and his Texan family, specifically his mother. His mum is an Evangelical who tries her best to make Sheldon see the relevance of God. And though Sheldon is dismissive of his mother’s religious faith, he hasn’t been able to shake off all facets of his Christian upbringing.
It’s why he can’t bring himself to say swear words out loud, and in spite of not believing in creationism or the idea of an absolute god, he has often resorted to praying when in times of crisis.
Subconsciously Thinks Leonard As His Surrogate Father
Sheldon referred to himself as Leonard’s surrogate family once. Subconsciously, Sheldon and Leonard developed an ersatz parent-child dynamic, where Sheldon expects Leonard to drive him everywhere, take him to the dentist and take care of him when he’s sick.
Sheldon’s father ed away when Sheldon was young so it’s possible that Sheldon craved a father figure or someone in his life who would give him some direction. The grounded and caring Leonard was thus assigned many dad-like roles. The roommate agreement, too, was a look into how Sheldon’s mind worked and how dependent he was on Leonard.
Nervous About The Idea Of Death
It has become quite clear that Sheldon is very nervous about aging and death. He has tried to unsuccessfully chart a chronology calendar where he tracks how long he can be expected to live. He is nervous about growing old, especially without accomplishing all that he wants to.
His fear of death had also seeped into his day-to-day life as he once decided to never drive and attempted to live in the world as a virtual presence because he simply didn’t want to face the perils of human living.
Silent Treatment Is His Go-To Confrontational Technique
Sheldon may have learned the hard way that when he explains his anxieties or demands to people they don’t quite understand it, and even may make fun of him. So freezing them out is something he does a lot so he doesn’t have to confront them verbally or even ask them to explain their behavior.
Interestingly, people with social anxieties usually resort to the silent treatment when they want to let someone know they are upset so Sheldon’s behavior makes complete sense.
His Favorite Superhero Is Batman, Not Flash
Despite all the Flash t-shirts and his love for dres as the speedster, Sheldon’s favorite superhero is Batman. Not only does he have several Batman memorabilia strewn around his apartment, he also wants him and Amy to dress up as Batman and Robin for Halloween and he even seeks guidance from the Bat-verse for day-to-day life via make-believe scenarios.
In the episode "The Irish Pub Formulation," Sheldon tells Leonard that he can't keep a secret and compares himself and Leonard to Batman and Alfred. “You know I can't keep a secret! Alfred knows that Barbara Gordon is Batgirl. Which I've now just told to Batman! See, I cannot keep a secret!” he remarks.