‘How I Met Your Mother’ Breakdown: ‘The End of the Aisle’

SPOILERS AHEAD, so proceed with caution, you Mother lovers!

Season Nine, Episode 22: “The End of the Aisle”

Written by: Carter Bays & Craig Thomas; Directed by: Pamela Fryman

The final episode before the legen-waitforit-dary(!) finale. As the title suggests (although it could’ve also been named “The Locket, Part Three”), we finally (presumably) get to see Robin walk down the aisle and experience the start of TV’s most epic wedding EVER.

Quick Breakdown

Sunday 5:28 p.m., 32 minutes before the wedding.

Robin has cold feet!! Of course she does. Every sitcom wedding has to have a cold feet episode (no matter how trite that trope has become). Robin’s issues stem from not having that locket she loves so much — which she confesses to Ted. Ted can’t believe he’s having his third runaway bride situation, but at least this time he can help. When he leaves her room, he pulls the locket out of his pocket. (Looks like he dove into the river to retrieve that blasted locket.)

Ted goes to Barney’s room and gives him the locket, telling him that Robin needs Barney to give her the locket so she will go through with the wedding. When Barney returns to his room, he goes back to writing his vows. Marshall and Lily pop in and try to help inspire some loving words. But Barney is quick to dismiss their help because he knows what their vows were and they’ve broken them all.

Knowing that Robin has her locket, Ted goes back to her. The jig is up, though, because Robin knows that Ted found the locket, not Barney. She could tell that he was lying to her, and that’s what’s really got her freaked out. Barney lies about everything. “You know what ‘legendary’ means? Not real,”she emphasizes. His initials are B.S. to boot. Robin fears that she’s marrying the wrong man. Maybe she should be marrying Ted?

Barney knows that Marshall purposefully ignored Lily’s plane sickness despite vowing to love her “in sickness and in health.” And he knows that Lily contributed to an embarrassing photo of Marshall that went viral in what he dubs the “Bearded Wonder Woman Incident of 2007.” And while Marshall still holds up his vow to make Lily breakfast in bed every Sunday morning, they realize that the passion that once was has faded.

Ted thinks Robin’s desire to marry him instead is absurd. It would never work out. While she still remembers him as the guy who stole the blue French horn for her, Ted informs her that he’s “not that guy anymore.” He’s changed over time, and he could never come between what Robin and Barney have. She’s unconvinced and runs out of her room, locking Ted inside in the process. She runs out of the Inn, through the party tent and straight into The Mother, knocking her over. “And that’s how Robin met your mother,” Future Ted tells the kids.

Marshall takes Lily to the altar and they update their vows, taking into account the years that have passed between them. They vow to work on their flaws. Lily will try to cry less during this pregnancy. And Marshall will try to uphold at least 80% of his vows that day. It’s all very heartwarming and just what I didn’t need from television’s most successful couple — but at least Barney sees their touching moment.

The Mother, after brushing herself off, deduces that Robin is trying to run out on her wedding. Robin waits for some sort of pep talk, but The Mother only has one bit of advice. (How convenient that she’s had such an integral role in everyone’s lives.) She tells Robin to close her eyes and take three deep breaths. Robin follows this advice, and when she opens her eyes again, The Mother has left and Barney is standing in front of her. He really wanted to tell her that he’s decided on his vows, and there is only one: “I am always going to be honest with you.” He follows this up by confessing that Ted gave him the locket. Robin’s fears have suddenly dissipated (and Ted pops up in the background to see that all has gone well).

5:59 p.m., one minute before the wedding.

Barney starts having a mini-freak out at the altar. Marshall gives him a big smack on the face. Thus ends the slap bet, and Barney can now enter a new stage of life without the residual fear of being slapped across the face. “I’m free!” he exclaims.

The music plays, and Robin walks down the aisle. Future Ted expounds on the merits of love while we have a montage of the exchanging of vows. There is a real ring bear cub that walks down the aisle with the rings hanging around his neck. “Love’s the best thing we do,” Future Ted says overly poignantly.

Rating

B

The episode feels pretty anticlimactic, despite the final resolution for that whole locket saga that has been popping up all season. We finally get to see Robin walk down the aisle and marry Barney, but the moment’s impact is lost thanks to the cliché last minute turmoil that Robin has undergone. At least we know the end is here, and next week is the final hour of HIMYM.

Now for some random thoughts and my favorite moments of the night…

There is a painting of The Last Supper hanging in Barney’s room. Is that some Biblical symbology for the episode’s place in the series?

Marshall, upon entering Barney’s room: “What are you writing?” Barney: “It’s my wedding day, what do you think I’m writing?” Marshall: “A suicide note?” He high fives Lily.

After reminiscing about his wedding, Marshall says, “Man, 2007 was a long time ago.”

The Mother, upon deducing Robin’s plight: “As a kid, I was a bit of a detective.” She’s so made for Ted.

When Robin reaches the altar, Patrice leans over and says: “You’ve never looked more beautiful, Robin.” Robin: “Nobody asked you, Patrice!”

Future Ted, expounding: “That was a long weekend.” It sure was.

After the one hour finale next Monday, CBS really wants you to watch the premiere of their new show that’s just like itFriends with Better Lives. #FWBL

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