Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Stuart Fails To Save The Universe episode "Spoiler: Gary Dies." Stream it with an HBO Max subscription and read at your own risk!
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe got off to a hot start, bringing back a major character from The Big Bang Theory only to kill him off later. Raj Koothrappali made his big return to the 2026 TV schedule, though he was a lot different than fans may remember, and he died quickly. While that was shocking, I am thrilled about the doors it potentially opens.
Stuart was on a mission to save the universe after it was thrust upon him by another version of himself from the same universe as where The Big Bang Theory takes place. For all intents and purposes, this Stuart is largely the same as the one fans remember, minus the fact that everyone here lived in a post-apocalyptic wasteland that had giant moths and other fearsome creatures. Here's how the first leg of the adventure played out, and what it sets the stage for in future episodes.
How Raj Died On Stuart Fails To Save The Universe
Stuart and friends crossed paths with Raj when they were taken captive in an effort to try to fix the universe. They learned the universe was broken thanks to a quantum device built by Leonard, Sheldon, and Howard, and Raj believed he had a way to fix it. They just had to find the device, but there was one major obstacle in their way.
Barry Kripke, the jerk character from The Big Bang Theory, had seized power when the world collapsed and was now a dictator over the Pasadena area. The world had gone to hell, but as far as he was concerned, it was fantastic. As such, he didn't want to change things and was hellbent on preventing anything that may change the status quo.
This led us to the episode's end, in which Raj, Bert, and Stuart found the quantum device. Raj got to work trying to fix it, but before he could make too much progress, he was shot in the back by Kripke. He died, but Stuart, Bert, and Kripke jumped to another reality in which the circumstances are presumably as off the wall as what we saw in the trailer.
There Are, Presumably, Plenty Of Other Versions Of Raj (And Other Beloved Characters) In The Multiverse
Raj is dead, but as we've learned in the best superhero movies, no one is truly dead in the multiverse. There are, presumably, other versions of Raj, just as there are other versions of everyone else.
So, his death opens the door to the characters seeing him again, and maybe seeing some other wild cameos from people from The Big Bang Theory cast as well. After all, if you can kill, transform, or change versions of these people with little to no permanent consequences, the sky's the limit on the wild things the writers can do to these characters.
It's one of the reasons I love Stuart Fails To Save The Universe more than The Big Bang Theory. I feel like the door has been enthusiastically swung open for even more actors we know and love to show up and act out these crazy and shocking storylines, and then come back again for another.
However, it's not the only reason I am here for this show. I also love how this episode made Bert Kibbler look super cool, as he created homemade grenades to blow Kripke's minions up.
On that note, I do wonder how Bert and Stuart will be able to move forward with Kripke, who they just witnessed kill a friend in cold blood. I'm not sure I'd trust him on this mission, as he wasn't exactly a stand-up guy before the apocalypse either. Then again, people change, and anything is possible in the multiverse, so maybe he'll surprise everyone as the series continues.
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe continues on HBO Max with new episodes showing up on Thursdays. Continue to stick with the series as they explore this brave new universe they were sucked into, and wait for more potential cameos from people from The Big Bang Theory.
