Sheldon Cooper's dependance has shifted onto Penny, following his maternal figure Mary's exit in The Big Bang Theory, as confirmed by a new Young Sheldon post. Known to favour Sheldon, Mary left her other children to accompany Sheldon to Germany, as showcased in Young Sheldon season six's finale. But when Sheldon moved to Pasadena for postgraduate studies, he had to find someone else to replace his mother's roles. His decision, as revealed in the Young Sheldon update, was to make Penny his new maternal figure, who was his first female friend in Pasadena, proving to display attributes which resonated with him. Penny's caring and understanding behaviour towards Sheldon reminded him of his mother. Even her resilience to Sheldon's demanding requests contributed towards Sheldon's character development. While Leonard played a significant role in "The Big Bang Theory", Penny's influence and contribution were equally substantial.