Paige Swanson (McKenna Grace) in Young Sheldon might be a supporting character, but she is widely popular among fans, who want to see more of her in the series. She is highly intellectual, which makes her an interesting competitor to the titular character. However, Paige’s sudden disappearance from the show has concerned fans.
Here are all the details on what happened to Paige and why she is no longer in the show.
What happened to Paige in Young Sheldon?
The Young Sheldon Season 7 finale failed to give a definite closure to Paige Swanson’s character. She was neither referenced nor had any mention in the finale.
This has led to sudden confusion among viewers who are wondering where the character ended up. Paige, a child prodigy, made her first appearance in Season 2 Episode 2 of Young Sheldon. She earns praise from Dr. Sturgis for her smartness, which makes Sheldon jealous.
As a supporting character, Paige Swanson has been in episodes only a handful of times per season. Yet, even her brief appearances had the viewers hooked since they find her arc to be complex yet interesting. Paige was last seen in Season 6 Episode 16, where she and Missy run away to Florida. But before arriving at their destination, they are caught by sheriff deputy.
Later, the two ladies are taken to the police station, following which Paige’s mother picks her up. This is the last time that viewers see her, and this abrupt conclusion has worried fans. However, Steve Holland, the show’s executive producer, has provided some clarity on her character and why she didn’t appear in the season finale.
Why Paige is missing from the Young Sheldon finale and The Big Bang Theory?
Executive producer Steve Holland told TV Line that Paige Swanson didn’t appear in The Big Bang Theory or Young Sheldon because she was not a “huge part” of Sheldon’s life.
Paige’s story arc was primarily intertwined with Missy’s in Season 6. As a result, Holland didn’t feel there was more left to conclude in Paige’s story. He also spoke about how difficult it is to get McKenna Grace on the show due to her film commitments.
Holland elaborated, “When we got into this season, especially with it being a shortened season, we never thought that Paige’s storyline was an arc that needed more closing than it got. There was a parallel; she was a bit of a mirror image of Sheldon — a different way that Sheldon could have turned out — and I think we saw that play out.”
Holland said although Paige is not mentioned in the finale and there are “dark theories” floating around online, it doesn’t mean “she went down a dark path.” Rather, the showrunners saw an opportunity “to explore another kid who had a similar thing to Sheldon and the different roads that they could take.”
