'Big Bang Theory' Season 8 Finale Recap: Cliffhanger Leaves Fans Heartbroken

"Big Bang Theory" promised a Season 8 finale that would "change" the show's relationships as well as a cliffhanger – and it delivered!

The main focus of last Thursday's final episode was on Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Penny (Penny Cuoco-Sweeting). An indirect pressure coming from Sheldon (Jim Parsons) forced Leonard and Penny to examine their relationship. Sheldon pointed out that they'd been engaged for a year but hadn't set a date yet.

Leonard said since they love each other, "it doesn't matter if we get married tomorrow or a year from now or 50 years from now."

Penny then told Leonard that she had nothing planned for the evening. On impulse, the couple then decided to elope to Las Vegas.

On their way to Vegas, Leonard had second thoughts. He confessed to Penny that he once got drunk after kissing another woman while they were still dating but before they got engaged. Penny questioned the timing of the revelation and assumed Leonard wanted to sabotage their Vegas wedding. He told her he was totally committed to the idea, and both agreed to continue. They drove on despite looking really unsure about their plans and future together.

This would have been a good cliffhanger, even if it was the only one. However, what left the viewers heartbroken didn't come from that story arc. But before we get to that, let's look at the other relationships in the show and where they ended up in the finale.

Raj (Kunal Nayvar) and Emily (Laura Spencer) were still dating and getting to know each other, but Raj decided to break up with Emily because she was simply just too weird for him. She took him to a graveyard to make out and Raj tried to break it off with her. He chickened out and told her he loved her, getting deeper into the relationship he really wanted to be out of.

Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) and Howard (Simon Helberg) were happily married but still sharing their home with Stuart (Kevin Sussman), the opposite of an ideal housemate. Howard and Bernadette decided to talk to Stuart about moving out, but when they sat down with him, Howard revealed it's his birthday, so instead of telling him to move out, they presented with a birthday cupcake. The only truly happy couple was miserable because they were just too nice.

Back on the real emotional cliffhanger of the episode, entitled "Commitment Determination," Sheldon and Amy (Mayim Bialick) didn't have a normal relationship. In fact it had been a very rocky one, brought on mostly because Sheldon didn't have a grasp of basic human emotions and Amy always tried to deal with his weirdness. It was obvious that they loved each other, but it was clear that Amy was struggling and was unhappy with the way their relationship was moving along—they had been dating for two years and they hadn't consummated it.

So in the episode, while Amy and Sheldon were kissing, Sheldon stopped to ask whether or not he should start watching "The Flash." Amy got angry, and Sheldon couldn't understand why. Amy then disappeared for most of the episode and returned only in the end through a video chat with Sheldon where she said, "Being your girlfriend is so challenging, emotionally, physically... This isn't easy to say because I love you, but I need some time to take a step back and re-evaluate our situation. I hope you understand."

After Amy ended the call, Sheldon turned to a statue of Gollum on his desk, sadness on his face.

"Well Gollum, you're an expert on rings," he said to the "Lord of the Rings" figurine, before reaching into his desk. "What do I do with this one?" And he pulled out a beautiful engagement ring in a black box.

That was the heartbreaking scene – an emotional cliffhanger, leaving viewers wanting for more, and the perfect season finale for a show that has always been about relationships. Although the show is first and foremost a comedy, this season finale was surprisingly emotion-filled, affecting the millions of viewers who had grown to love the different characters of the show.

Now, everyone's looking to Season 9 for the answers to a lot of questions: Will Penny and Leonard get married in Vegas? Will Bernadette and Howard ever kick Stuart out of their home? Will Raj ever have the guts to really tell Emily what he feels or will their relationship really go the distance with Raj learning they are right for each other after all?

And will Sheldon have the chance to ask Amy to marry him and, if yes, will she agree? If no (not given another chance, or she doesn't accept), how will Sheldon cope?