Hah! Three years ago, when we found out that Barney would be getting married at the series finale, I predicted that Marahall would give him the last slap at the alter to prevent him from running away. I admit that that was pretty obvious, but it was still fun to watch.
In recent interviews Neil Patrick Harris said one of the things in the last episodes he most enjoyed was saying his vows to Robin. But we didn’t even get to hear them! Yes, the actual wedding felt too rushed. Yes, they went to the Robin-Ted thing one too many times. Ted - I like your friends, but I sure don’t care about you and the mother of your children anymore.
My question is, how did they manage to find someone to play the titular mother who looks almost exactly like a cross between the two female leads already on the show? 
She’s a friend of NPH, apparently they worked in a few shows together on Broadway over the years. Although he didn’t know she was going to be The Mother until after she was signed.
Kinda unrelated, Cobie Smulders did get her role in The Avengers movie because of Allison Hannigan, though. Seems she (AH) wouldn’t stop bugging Joss Whedon to cast her until he gave her (CS) an audition.
Still unrelated, her appearance there was really jarring to me for some reason, all the more so once I realized that it wasn’t just going to be a cameo. 
Every time she appeared, it was, “Oh, hi Robin.”
I think that’s why she was such a bad ass in the opening scene of the movie, to distance herself from her TV character. Because all of her subsequent appearances, including on Agents of SHIELD, she just stands around and talks. Or watches Nick Fury talk.
She’s lesbian Robin from the doppleganger episode.
Thanks for confirming that someone else sees this resemblance. Makes perfect sense that Ted would finally fall hard for someone who is half Robin and half Lily (and who got to second base with Robin which is more than Lily has).
We saw Barney say his vows to Robin this episode. It just wasn’t during the ceremony.
But – but I watched it with closed captioning on, and the legend said Robin’s up the aisle music was “Hornpipe” from Handel’s Water Music.
My sister used to do the closed captioning for television shows for awhile, and badly. I wouldn’t put too much faith in what the captions are for any show.
Last day to make predictions about the final episodes. Speculation fine, but if you have actual knowledge and/or real spoilers, please box 'em.
My guesses:
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They’ll be 2 1/2 hour eps, not 1 one-hour ep. Better for syndication.
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First ep will be the after-wedding party. Everyone says “goodbye”. Barney and Robin leave for their honeymoon, Lilly and Marshall leave for their room leaving Ted alone.
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This makes Ted sad
and it ends with him leaving for Chicago early. He gets to the train station and starts talking to the old lady we met at the beginning of the flash-forward in S7, ep 1. We see the flash-forward scene again and it ends with the mother appearing at the platform. -
The final ep will be Ted meeting the mother. Either we get to watch them actually meet–spend the ep with them talking at the train platform, maybe with some flash-fowards and realize there’s something there OR the show ends with Ted meeting the Mother (he gazes up and sees her, their eyes meet, the voiceover says “And kids, THAT’S how I met your mother”. Fadeout.) Since I think the second option would suck, I’m hoping for the first option.
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I suspect that we’ll get a happy explanation for the cryptic comment about “What kind of mother can’t make it to her own daughter’s wedding” as well. New guess? She’s got jury duty or something.
Anyone else want to get in some last minute speculation before the big finale?
I imagine this episode is going to be full of flash-forwards. Ted & Mother’s wedding, birth of their kids, maybe a break-up, moving into the house, etc. It’ll all lead up to the point where Ted’s talking to the kids, with an explanation of the cryptic dying Mother mystery at the end. No guesses on whether or not Bob Saget makes an appearance - I doubt it.
No guessing needed, the last episode is actually referred to as “Last Forever, Part 1” and “Last Forever, Part 2” by the producers.
I think (has anyone else suggested this? probably) that the final line will be spoken by Marshall, Lily, Barney, and Robin, “Ted, have you met…(Mother’s name)?” Or to the Mother “Have…you met Ted?”
Or it might be the second to last one, and the last one is, “Kids, that’s how I met your Mother.”
The only thing that I want explained is how Ted can sound like Danny Tanner in such a short time.
Nope, dead Mother and Ted winds up with Robin; just like they planned all along.
Pretty decent episode up until the very end, when it became BRILLIANT.
The kids looked as old as they always did, so I guess that was all filmed about 9 seasons ago?
Really really satisfying and touching 
I’ve said all along that Ted would end up with Robin, but after meeting The Mother (excuse me, Tracy), I didn’t want that anymore. It was a great finale, but wow, it was a lot to handle.
I HATED it!!! I know we barely knew her, but we didn’t need 9 seasons for him to end up with Robin.