@znexyish said:

I expected Raj to take off. Staying with Howard is a missed opportunity. Besides what will Bernie think. Maybe he could move in with Mitch and trade Notting Hill for Silent Hill.

I think Raj did the right thing not going to London. He and Anu just never had that "spark". He needs to find the lady who makes his heart race, his eyes sparkle and his tummy flutter with butterflies. (And if he never does, a dicey burrito might bring about the same results.)

@Lemons said:

@znexyish said:

I expected Raj to take off. Staying with Howard is a missed opportunity. Besides what will Bernie think. Maybe he could move in with Mitch and trade Notting Hill for Silent Hill.

I think Raj did the right thing not going to London. He and Anu just never had that "spark". He needs to find the lady who makes his heart race, his eyes sparkle and his tummy flutter with butterflies. (And if he never does, a dicey burrito might bring about the same results.)

True but it just puts Anu in the club of characters who might have well not been on. She is there then she isn't. It probably is just about Howard and Raj's inseparable bond. When Bernie finds out that Raj could have been out of her life and that Howard is the one that kept him around she will be one unhappy Rostenkowski. So one by one the characters are taking their final bow. Wheaton, Kripke, Zack, Anu, Stuart and Denise, Pemberton and Campbell. Who is next? Nothing left for Raj to do now. Howard and Bernie have nothing to contribute either. Leonard and Bev have made up. Shamy has nothing new to do either. Might as well set the last episode in the empty apartment.

@znexyish said:

True but it just puts Anu in the club of characters who might have well not been on. She is there then she isn't. It probably is just about Howard and Raj's inseparable bond. When Bernie finds out that Raj could have been out of her life and that Howard is the one that kept him around she will be one unhappy Rostenkowski. So one by one the characters are taking their final bow. Wheaton, Kripke, Zack, Anu, Stuart and Denise, Pemberton and Campbell. Who is next? Nothing left for Raj to do now. Howard and Bernie have nothing to contribute either. Leonard and Bev have made up. Shamy has nothing new to do either. Might as well set the last episode in the empty apartment.

My guess is that the writers did mean for Anu to amount to more, but either:
A)They realized they did not start the storyline early enough and a wedding would have seemed forced.
AND/OR
B)They were aware of the negative audience reaction (among some) to Anu, and squashed that storyline.

Perhaps she was not for naught in Raj's life, though. Every goodbye brings with it some lessons for the future.

Plus, like you said, the airport scene highlighted Raj and Howard's bond, and in this case, Howard was saving his pal from what might have been a big mistake.

@znexyish said:

@Lemons said:

@znexyish said:

I expected Raj to take off. Staying with Howard is a missed opportunity. Besides what will Bernie think. Maybe he could move in with Mitch and trade Notting Hill for Silent Hill.

I think Raj did the right thing not going to London. He and Anu just never had that "spark". He needs to find the lady who makes his heart race, his eyes sparkle and his tummy flutter with butterflies. (And if he never does, a dicey burrito might bring about the same results.)

True but it just puts Anu in the club of characters who might have well not been on. She is there then she isn't. It probably is just about Howard and Raj's inseparable bond. When Bernie finds out that Raj could have been out of her life and that Howard is the one that kept him around she will be one unhappy Rostenkowski. So one by one the characters are taking their final bow. Wheaton, Kripke, Zack, Anu, Stuart and Denise, Pemberton and Campbell. Who is next? Nothing left for Raj to do now. Howard and Bernie have nothing to contribute either. Leonard and Bev have made up. Shamy has nothing new to do either. Might as well set the last episode in the empty apartment.

What can Bernie complain about, really? She's the one who told Howard to go get Raj back!

@Knixon said:

What can Bernie complain about, really? She's the one who told Howard to go get Raj back!

Sneaky thought: perhaps Bernadette is secretly (subconsciously) in love with Raj and she doesn't want Anu to have him. She wants to keep him close, in case something happens to Howard - just like Raj daydreams of - and then her true feelings will be revealed.

Or maybe she just didn't want Howard to be moping about because of losing his best friend, any more than he usually is.

Or if Raj left, Howard might have started talking to him in his sleep or blurting out his name during coitus with Bernie. Beverly would understand.

Bernadette might be the one saying Raj's name while she and Howard are making love.

Are we talking three-way here.

That would be a two-part episode in season 13.

Indian men are also typically... small. Bernie might prefer to move on to someone like Glenn.

@Knixon said:

Indian men are also typically... small.

So, now we know why all of Raj's relationships have failed.

Well they seemed okay with him up until he became more trouble than he was worth. Which is also how many men view many women.

And/or until they couldn't get more gifts/money from him.

Now if he had known the Venus Butterfly, things might have gone differently.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_Butterfly

Don't insult Raj.

What's he going to do, laugh while making his eyes say it's not okay?