# How I Met Your Mother: The Ducky Tie Spoiler! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 27, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743 "2011-09-27T04:26:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/41 "2011-09-29T07:02:56Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > People keep saying that - what was the explanation? I didn’t watch the episode, but there was a clip of Russian Ted standing on a small stage wearing nothing but the pineapple. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/42 "2011-09-29T10:14:39Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The perfect ending would be to go through everything, all the way up to the finale, and have the mother be some total stranger that we’ve never seen before. Then have Future-Ted tell his kids “Just kidding. I met your mom in a bar.” The perfect ending will be the final slap-bet slap, followed by Marshall saying “five,” and black. I guess have Ted give the mystery Mother a first kiss just before, or something, if you want to say the focus of the show is still Ted’s quest. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/43 "2011-09-29T10:23:05Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Those who don’t want to be spoiled should not read what’s in the spoiler boxes. :smack: Nice thought except the spoiler tags were added by a moderator. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/44 "2011-09-29T12:42:56Z")
> [@Sue\_Duhnym](#): > > d evolving along the way? Callbacks in 2021 to stuff we’re watching now? So the big reveal would be that the kids are adopted and it’s about how ted meets their birth mother? ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/45 "2011-09-29T14:26:53Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > Nice thought except the spoiler tags were added by a moderator. :smack: aaaaaand now it makes sense. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/46 "2011-09-29T14:29:32Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > So the big reveal would be that the kids are adopted and it’s about how ted meets their birth mother? Oh no. Here’s a chilling thoguht: are we absolutely certain that Ted is talking to his own children? ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/47 "2011-09-29T15:09:50Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Oh no. Here’s a chilling thoguht: are we absolutely certain that Ted is talking to his own children? Ooh, I know! In a loving tribute to Seinfeld’s awesome last episode, Barney is hit with a class action paternity suit. As part of the eventual judgement, his various friends/enablers are forced to adopt and raise two of his bastard offspring! So, the kids are actually Barney’s. Their mother will be some poor girl that Barney has banged and forgotten. In the final episode Ted meets her doing the walk of shame out of Barney’s apartment. After all, Old Ted always says “kids” and “your mother”. He never says they’re his kids. The wackiness writes itself! It’s gold, Jerry! Gold! -Joe ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/48 "2011-09-29T15:24:07Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > After all, Old Ted always says “kids” and “your mother”. He never says they’re his kids. The wackiness writes itself! It’s gold, Jerry! Gold! Final episode: Ted meets some woman and within five minutes goes back to her place – where he meets her two kids, and starts regaling 'em with the story of how he met their mother. Which he could have covered with a brisk _“I thought she had a cute smile and so bought her a drink at my favorite bar five minutes ago,”_ but he wanted to bring 'em up to speed on why he was at that place in his life. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/49 "2011-09-29T15:43:07Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Oh no. Here’s a chilling thoguht: are we absolutely certain that Ted is talking to his own children? I’ve seen this idea thrown around before. I’ll just say that I’d be _very_ surprised if they turn out not to be his own kids. It seems like that wouldn’t really be in the spirit of the show. Personally, I’m just enjoying the show because it’s funny and I like the characters, and the Mother Mystery is secondary to me. But I have a feeling that when all is said and done, there won’t be any tricks or backpedaling or retconning. It will all fit together somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/50 "2011-09-29T15:47:12Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > I’ve seen this idea thrown around before. I’ll just say that I’d be _very_ surprised if they turn out not to be his own kids. It seems like that wouldn’t really be in the spirit of the show. > > Personally, I’m just enjoying the show because it’s funny and I like the characters, and the Mother Mystery is secondary to me. But I have a feeling that when all is said and done, there won’t be any tricks or backpedaling or retconning. It will all fit together somehow. Yeah, people who don’t think they’re actually Ted’s kids are just a little too much in the ‘Usual Suspects’ zone. They’ll be his kids. Or, if they really want to go dark with it, it could be a “kids, the courts have mandated that I need to come here and tell you how I met your mother before I murdered her in that alley. However, since they’re going to execute me right after I finish the story I decided to drag it out as long as possible…” -Joe ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/51 "2011-09-29T17:37:15Z")
I’m pretty sure in the early episodes where the kids talked, they called Ted “Dad” at one point. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/52 "2011-09-29T17:40:08Z")
have there ever been any important black characters on this show? it’s not really important, and I don’t really care, but I’m just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/53 "2011-09-29T17:41:26Z")
Barney’s gay brother, played by Wayne Brady, has appeared several times. That’s about it, barring a few people dated by Ted or slept with by Barney. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/54 "2011-09-29T17:46:22Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > have there ever been any important black characters on this show? it’s not really important, and I don’t really care, but I’m just curious. _How I Met Your Mother_ is set in the _Friends_verse, in which Manhattan is peopled almost exclusively by European-Americans. Occasionally a non-white will show up for, ah, amorous interactions, but that’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/55 "2011-09-29T17:51:22Z")
I disagree. James, and more recently his father (Sam? played by Ben Vereen) are very important. While the cast could use more diversity, it’s not completely bereft of it. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/56 "2011-09-29T17:53:43Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I disagree. James, and more recently his father (Sam? played by Ben Vereen) are very important. > > While the cast could use more diversity, it’s not completely bereft of it. Oh, the lack of diversity doesn’t matter to me much. I’m too busy laughing at Barney and Marshall, lusting after Lily and Robin, and wondering why Ted doesn’t get punched in the schnozz more often. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/57 "2011-09-29T17:54:08Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > _How I Met Your Mother_ is set in the _Friends_verse, in which Manhattan is peopled almost exclusively by European-Americans. Occasionally a non-white will show up for, ah, amorous interactions, but that’s about it. Aisha Tyler lived there for a little while as well. She managed to bag _two_ Friends. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/58 "2011-09-29T17:56:47Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > \However, since they’re going to execute me right after I finish the story I decided to drag it out as long as possible…" > > -Joe Ted really does go on about a bitch. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/59 "2011-09-29T18:01:15Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Aisha Tyler lived there for a little while as well. She managed to bag _two_ Friends. That’s what I was referring to. 😃 Though in fact I recall a few black background characters. One of Monica’s coworkers at her first restaurant, for instance. They were few and far between, though: probably an effort to forestall any crossovers with _Law & Order_. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/60 "2011-09-29T18:08:11Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > _How I Met Your Mother_ is set in the _Friends_verse, in which Manhattan is peopled almost exclusively by European-Americans. Occasionally a non-white will show up for, ah, amorous interactions, but that’s about it. Well, there’s always Fantasy Guy from Barney and (formally) Marshall’s office. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743.md?page=4)