SPOILERS: What fresh hell is this? - S9

[Nutz]

The finale might about Raj.

He takes Claire to the wedding reception and Penny has already told Emily about it, so both girls turn up. This of course still leads to a 'hilarious' argument about fidelity involving all the couples and someone leaves. (They like someone to leave in a finale).

I agree, TPTB do Seem to like the "someone's leaving" cliffhanger, but I don't think they'll do it this time since whoever leaves will have to come back with only a little time passing (a week or two) unless they want to start season 10 With Bernadette giving birth and I can't see Molero wanting to give up all the shrieking food cravings, horny hormones and other pregnancy "jokes" that I'm sure he thinks are funny.  

Plus having someone leave only works as a cliffhanger if the audience cares if the character comes back or not. Which leaves out Raj, Emily or Claire and Having Howard be the one to bail would bring up being just like his father and abandoning his child (might be a little dark for these writers)

P.S. Raj showing up with Claire and Penny inviting Emily does seem to be in the writers "borrowed" from another sitcom wheelhouse.