Fans have sad theory about Phoebe’s triplets in Friends after noticing major detail in plot

Fans of beloved sitcom Friends have a theory about Phoebe Buffay's triplets and it's a total tearjerker.

Despite Friends airing all the way back in 1995 and wrapping up in 2004, viewers are still so enamoured with the show that the analyse each and every plotline.

The smash hit show chronicles the chaotic lives of six friends: Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow) Joey Tribbiani (Matt Le Blanc), Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) and Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) and gave us a staggering 10 seasons that always seem to be on repeat on the TV schedule somewhere.

The friends would often meet up in coffee shop Central Perk to discuss their friendship, love lives and shocking escapades.

One of the most prominent and emotional storylines of the sitcom was when Phoebe got pregnant as a surrogate with triplets, and at times it was wholesome - or so we thought.

Fan theories paint this particular storyline, which lasted between series' 4-5, in a very different light indeed and it's hard to watch it any other way upon learning it.

Phoebe's surrogacy journey

In season 4 of Friends, Phoebe agreed to become a surrogate mother on behalf of her brother Frank and his wife, Alice.

The episode 'The One with the Embryos' follows Phoebe's journey to become a surrogate - and ends with the reveal that it has been a success and she is pregnant.

Phoebe agrees to become a surrogate mother for her brother, Frank. (NBC)

The birth

Phoebe's pregnancy story comes to an end during season 5 episode 3, 'The One Hundredth.'

In emotional scenes, Phoebe's water breaks, and she's rushed to hospital.

In a shock twist, Phoebe delivers three babies.

As Friends is a comedy, it's usually quite a lighthearted watch - but it's truly heartbreaking when Phoebe asks if she can keep one of the three children to raise herself.

She is told this isn't allowed and she cries while holding the newborns, before placing them in the custody of Frank and Alice.

The alternative theory

A theory on the web series After Hours suggests that Phoebe was the biological parent all along - and so had no obligation to give the children away.

In the episode of After Hours' 'How To Ruin Your Favorite Sitcoms With Simple Math', hosts Dan, Soren, Katie, and Michael turn their attention to Phoebe's pregnancy in Friends.

According to them, the timeline doesn't add up.

Ultimately, Phoebe's surrogacy procedure took place in season 4, after Christmas - and this can be surmised due to the Christmas tree in Monica and Rachel's apartment in previous episodes.

Some people believe the timeline doesn't add up. (NBC)

Then, Phoebe's positive pregnancy test was returned the very same day as she went through with the surrogacy procedure - a much more time-consuming process.

Phoebe then gives birth to the triplets shortly after Rachel's return from Ross' should-have-been honeymoon with Emily, which would have been in May as a result of the quick wedding Ross and Emily had.

So...

The theory stated that Phoebe's triplets must have been the result of a four-month pregnancy, if created through surrogacy.

The implication is that Phoebe was probably, unbeknownst to her, already pregnant, with her own biological children.

We told you it's a tearjerker.

We like to believe that in the Friends-universe, Phoebe went on to have a happy and healthy family with all of the babies she desired.