The teaser for The Big Bang Theory’s season 12 finale has been released, and it highlights the series’ incredible twelve year journey. After first airing on September 24, 2007 on CBS, the show quickly gained notoriety and a host of passionate, die-hard fans. The award-winning sitcom is coming to an end, and this new teaser indicates that the final episode will be an emotional one, for cast members and fans alike.

The show originally starred five main characters: Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons), Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki), Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg), Rajesh Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) and Penny (Kaley Cuoco). After the success of the show, and once the characters had been established, the time came for growth, and that is exactly what the show provided. The introduction of Bernadette Rostenkowski (Melissa Rauch) and Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) had positive responses from fans, and the show has undeniably had an amazing twelve-year run. The show’s success even led to the production of a spinoff, Young Sheldon, a show starring Iain Armitage as a nine-year-old Sheldon Cooper. The third season has yet to premiere, and already CBS has renewed Young Sheldon for a fourth season.

The teaser video to TV Promos’ Youtube page certainly reflects how emotional the cast must have felt about filming the final two episodes. The 23rd episode is called “The Change Constant,” and the 24th and final episode of the show is called “The Stockholm Syndrome.” The video begins where the show started, with the first episode. The first interaction between Leonard, Sheldon, and Penny reflects how far the show and each character has come. For instance, later in the teaser is a scene of Sheldon and Penny hugging, and Sheldon’s personal growth can be found in his response when he says, “I used to hate these hugs, now they’re just extremely irritating.” The characters are still themselves, through and through, but the audience has seen the show grow from a nerdy comedy about scientists and their discomfort with the opposite sex to a show about people who have become a family.

The show is ending, but fans will not have to say goodbye to the entire Big Bang Theory universe just yet, as the prequel spinoff is still going strong. While another spinoff was considered by the show’s creators, it was later scrapped. Characters from The Big Bang Theory will be making appearances in Young Sheldon, including Leonard and Penny, so even if the actors do not appear, fans can still expect to learn about the younger versions of their favorites in the spinoff. Jim Parsons will also continue to play the adult Sheldon and narrator in Young Sheldon, so if fans are having a particularly hard time letting go of their favorite sitcom, they at least have these developments to look forward to.

This new teaser certainly reflects the hit show’s incredible journey over the years. And if the feelings prompted by this teaser are any indicator of the emotions the finale will inspire, fans can expect to whip out the tissues! All good things come to an end, and that includes The Big Bang Theory. Luckily, it’s not really a complete ending for some characters, but a new beginning, as they will soon appear again in the spinoff.

More: How Leonard & Penny’s Big Bang Theory Ending Can Still Be Satisfying

Source: TV Promos