When The Big Bang Theory first premiered in 2007, it launched a new generation of nerd culture. For the first time, being interested in science, comic books, and superheroes was cool, and the show wasn’t afraid to showcase the joys of loving popular culture. However, the sitcom also gave these occasionally irritating nerds some contrast in the form of their pal Penny.
Although she was an integral part of the show from the very beginning, fans didn’t know much about her. Even when she married Leonard in Season 9, she remained a bit of a mysterious figure. Yet, a popular fan theory suggests that Penny hides in the shadows of her scientist friends so that she doesn’t reveal her actual identity.
A Fan Theory Suggests That Penny Is Actually an Undercover Spy
Although she sticks out like a sore thumb, Penny is the reason a sitcom like The Big Bang Theory works. While the audience may relate to Sheldon’s obsessions with routine or Raj’s immense social anxiety, the average viewer usually isn’t a renowned physicist working at a notable university. Instead, they are more like Penny, a normal person who works a normal job and lives a normal life. Thus, she may seem painfully average, but Penny acts as the audience’s eyes, almost like an outsider looking in. The audience first meets Penny in the pilot episode, and she’s quickly established as Leonard and Sheldon’s long-suffering neighbor. Leonard’s obsession with her pushes her deeper into the friendship group, and she remains a pivotal part of its cohesiveness. So, at first glance, Penny seems to be just as important as her counterparts.
But, as soon as fans scratch the surface, they realize that they don’t actually know anything about her. Across 12 seasons, audiences never catch her surname or learn anything about her outside the fact that she’s a struggling actress from Nebraska. But, things seem a bit more suspicious when audiences realize that she doesn’t sound like she’s from Nebraska, and she never mentions her family aside from a few anecdotes that may make her seem like she had a rough upbringing. Most of the time, audiences tend to overlook these glaring plot holes and blame them on shoddy writing. However, it’s important to remember that The Big Bang Theory was written by Chuck Lorre, the King of Sitcoms, so it’s unlikely that he would forget to develop such an important character.
Yet, a popular fan theory suggests that Penny likes to keep her true self hidden because she’s actually an undercover CIA agent. Fans believe that Penny was sent by the organization to spy on the nerds and keep a close eye on their work at the university. Leonard works as a theoretical physicist, meaning that he uses technology like high-powered lasers to prove or disprove theories proposed by other scientists. Thus, it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that the CIA planted Penny opposite the men so that she could track their progress and feed their findings back to the institution.
If fans cast their minds back to Season 5, they’ll find a similar thing happened with Joyce Kim. In a flashback sequence, audiences learn that Leonard once unknowingly dated a North Korean spy who seduced him in order to learn more about his work with experimental rocket fuel. So, if the North Koreans were keen to get their hands on Leonard’s work, and were well aware that he’d fall for anything if there was a girl involved, it makes sense that the CIA would follow the same tactics.
This Would Explain the Mystery Surrounding Penny
Penny is such a weird character because she doesn’t stick to an archetype like the rest of the gang. Sheldon is a complete control freak, Howard is a blatant misogynist, Raj is an example of the American Dream, and Leonard has Freud’s psychoanalysis written all over him. But Penny will jump from a dense young girl to a mature and wise woman in a matter of seconds. Again, fans must remember that Lorre is very familiar with how important archetypes are in sitcoms, so this can’t just be an example of poor characterization. Take, for example, his other show, Two and a Half Men. Charlie and Allen may be polar opposites, but they fit into their pre-determined character types perfectly. Yet, this alluring fan theory suggests that Penny may be playing multiple parts in order to keep the boys on their toes and ensure that they never get too close.
Her work as an actress is a prime example of how Penny keeps herself guarded because it’s often used as the perfect excuse. While she works shifts at the Cheesecake Factory, Penny has a lot of free time, so it doesn’t seem weird that she hangs around Leonard and Sheldon all day. Yet, even though Penny has spent years as a lackluster actress, she never worries about the future. She never stops and wonders whether all this stress is worth her dream, or whether she will ever be able to make ends meet. Instead, she uses her job to avoid any serious questions, especially from the nerds who view her job as a bit redundant. So, as an actress, Penny can be more flexible with her schedule and can keep a close eye on her targets without them getting suspicious.
Another strange aspect of Penny’s character is her lack of experience with technology. She’s a young woman living in California, yet she steals the men’s wi-fi passwords and has no experience with online gaming. If she was actually an actress, she would have to use the internet to search for auditions and answer emails from agents and casting directors. However, it could be argued that she uses her perceived lack of intellect to learn more about what the boys are looking at online. In “The Barbarian Sublimation”, Penny draws very close to Sheldon as she becomes addicted to an online role-playing game. During this time, she hovers over Sheldon’s shoulder, examining his every move and how he communicates with others in the game. Thus, it could be said that she pretended to be interested in the game so that she could see whether the boys shared any juicy information via the platform.
This Theory Also Raises Questions About the Rest of the Cast
This fan theory has grown into its own beast, and now audiences can’t help but question other characters like Amy and Bernadette. The former joined the show at the end of Season 3 after Raj and Howard set up a fake dating profile for Sheldon. Although his friends weren’t entirely honest, they did use a lot of Sheldon’s real details, which makes him a perfect target for spies. Amy Farrah Fowler starts off as Sheldon’s double: highly intelligent, cold, and stuck in her ways. But, as the years go by, Amy loses these traits and becomes more of her own person. So, a lot of fans assume that Amy was also planted into Sheldon’s life and spent a lot of time mirroring his behavior so that he would trust her with his research.
Bernadette also adheres to this theory because Penny introduces her to Howard in Season 4. Again, Bernadette seems like Howard’s dream woman; she’s nerdy, smart, and incredibly docile. Thus, some fans believe that the CIA also planted Bernadette into the men’s lives so that she could learn more about Howard’s work at the International Space Station. This would also explain why a woman like Bernadette manages to put up with a man-child like Wolowitz.
Overall, this fan theory did wonders for the franchise because it gave a one-dimensional character like Penny so much depth. At times, she can seem like a stereotypical Californian blonde, and that’s so damaging because her wit and sharp tongue add a ton of comic relief to the show. Although fans will likely never find out if Penny actually rubs shoulders with the CIA, it’s so fun to think that the girls are working together to bring down a team of striking, yet socially inept, geeks.
