[Spoiler alert! The following article contains spoilers from the latest episode of “The Big Bang Theory”]

Sheldon and the gang can’t catch a break in the latest episode of “The Big Bang Theory.” After what seemed like an enormous high, personal and professional struggles shook up the group’s living situation.

After Colonel Richard Williams tasked the boys with a nearly impossible endeavor, the genius power of Leonard, Howard and Sheldon prevailed and the group opened the episode toasting to their accomplishment. After a solid year of work, they were finally ready to field test - as Raj would constantly remind them, without him. However, their party was cut short the following day when they went to their top secret Air Force security lab to find that the U.S. government had seized their research and would be moving on without them. Despite their protests, Colonel Williams had shockingly little sympathy.

“As you know, the primary focus of the United States military is people’s feelings,” Williams quipped.

Completely distraught over losing all of that progress and the acclaim they thought they’d receive, the boys return home dejected. Sadly, their timing couldn’t be worse as Amy had just shared with the girls (and Raj) that she was offered a research fellowship at Princeton for the summer. Obviously, it’s a great and important opportunity for her, but she’s worried what the time apart would do to Sheldon. In an effort to goad her into breaking the news, Penny suggests she brings it up as soon as the upset trio walks into the apartment. Instead, Amy opts to reveal that Raj will be moving into Burt’s garage and out of Leonard and Penny’s hair.

The following day, Amy tries to brace Sheldon for the big news by making him his favorite oatmeal… plain. The ruse doesn’t work and she’s forced to tell him the truth. Although he’s visibly shaken by the thought of being without her, he constantly reminds her that it’s a big opportunity that he wouldn’t want her to turn her back on. Still, she can’t help but notice he’s acting funny - even for him.

Penny and Bernadette side with Amy, arguing that if the roles were reversed, Sheldon would be on the first train to New Jersey.

“Second if there’s teens on the first,” Penny notes.

While Amy gets her pep talk, Leonard and Raj find Sheldon playing “sad harmonica” in the vacant third-floor apartment. Leonard takes a moment to remind his friend that his oddities often make him an unsupportive boyfriend, the subtext being that he should toughen up for Amy’s sake. Heeding the advice, albeit a bit too enthusiastically, Sheldon returns home with a new luggage bag for Amy’s trip, metaphorically green lighting her research gig.

“The salesman said it can survive a plane crash,” he remarks. “So… perhaps you should ride inside of it.”

Realizing this is one of his last nights with Amy, Sheldon acknowledges that, while it’s not her birthday, he’d like to engage in “frenzied lovemaking” with her. The very articulate and clinical cries of their passion interrupt Raj’s final goodbye and thank you to Leonard and Amy in the hall as he finally returns the key to their apartment.

The episode ends with Sheldon walking Amy outside as they question what life will be like for him, living on his own for the very first time.

“What if I become strange and eccentric?” he wonders.