Fans will always be disappointed by the lackluster finale of How I Met Your Mother, but credit should be given where it is due. This happens to be the show’s incredible skill at weaving together plot threads in such a manner that events added up to major things happening.

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Some moments were highlighted by Ted himself, while others are so subtle that they need to be analyzed for one to be marveled at how seemingly minor things were important. These are major hints and situations that got the characters to where they were in the end, so let’s see the moments that were game-changers in the grand scheme of things.

Ted Finding The Lucky Penny

Ted, Marshall, and Lily in How I Met Your Mother.

The importance of this was stressed in the episode, as Ted found a penny on a train that led to many events happening. However, its significance is even greater. It was finding this penny that made Ted name his firstborn to its namesake as she became Penny Mosby.

Along with that, had Ted not found the penny, he would have not been delayed for his meeting for a job in Chicago, thereby removing any possibility of him getting a job at the university and being able to make the GNB building to become a renowned architect. It also would have meant he wouldn’t have been at Farhampton to meet the Mother.

Stella Hating Star Wars

Stella and Ted looking at each other on How I Met Your Mother

Every How I Met Your Mother fan can agree that Stella was the worst love interest Ted had. She didn’t share his love for Star Wars either, although Ted tried to overlook this. When he got dumped by Stella, Ted resolved to only fall for a girl who loved the film as well.

This paid off, as the Mother was shown to be a huge fan of Star Wars as well. It might sound like silly nitpicking, but had Ted not made the decision to pursue a woman who enjoyed the movie, he would have tried to settle for romances that were wrong for him. Due to Stella’s hatred of Star Wars, Ted ended up finding the right girl.

Timing Of Ted And Robin's Breakup

Ted and Robin sitting together looking wistful in How I Met Your Mother

Robin considered letting go of Ted as among her biggest mistakes, although it benefitted him in his path to meeting the Mother. That’s because the two ended things at the time of Lily and Marshall’s wedding and delayed dealing with it until after the ceremony, following which Robin left to go to Argentina.

Had she not come back with Gael, then Ted wouldn’t have gotten over his head and ended up with the Butterfly tattoo. It was removing this tattoo that led him to meet Stella, eventually leading to meeting the Mother when her ex Tony offered him the job at the university where the Mother studied.

Ted Going To The Okay Club

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The craziness that happened at the “Okay” club made it one of the best episodes of the first season. It was also important in the grand scheme of things, as Ted realized he hated clubs and became friendly with the Coat Check girl.

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Later on, Ted bailed from another club in “No Tomorrow,” where he found the umbrella that belonged to the Mother. In Season 8, Ted saw the Coat Check girl again and it was by recalling their interaction that he came to the realization of the exact person he wanted. As it happened, the Mother was just that person, whom he met only a month later.

The Song Heard During Ted's First Time The Train Platform

The mother stands at the train platform

This is a moment for viewers rather than in-universe, although it’s no less important. In the Season 8 premiere, Ted arrived at the train station in Farhampton where he met Klaus. He told him about what it feels like to be with the right person, following which the scene cut to when Ted met the Mother.

This sequence had “The Funeral” playing, one of the best ones to be featured on the show. If one really listens to the lyrics, the song is in the tragic sense rather than an uplifting one. This was meant to be a major indication that the Mother was dead in 2030 and that Ted was telling the story in her honor.

Ted's Parents Revealing Their Separation

Ted's parents in How I Met Your Mother.

Some fans have claimed the scene where Ted’s parents tell him about their separation and the moment they met is an awkward one since it apparently has little meaning. However, it can be seen in the right context if one notices their clothes.

Here, both the gents were shown sharing the color in their clothing, while it was the same case for the ladies. Ted’s parents also told him that they met at an Irish bar, which is the case for McLaren’s, the location where Ted met Robin. The point of this scene was to confirm that Ted and Robin were supposed to break up just like his parents eventually did.

Robin And Barney's Dance

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It does seem as if Season 7’s premiere dance featuring Barney and Robin was meaningless since they got divorced. The significance of this moment was never supposed to be on this pair, though, instead being for Ted’s benefit.

It was when Robin realized her feelings for Barney through this dance that she had words of encouragement for Ted, who had revealed to Robin that he had lost faith in finding the one. Robin was able to convince Ted to keep holding on, revitalizing his belief in love. She also told him that timing was the most important thing for a romance, and it was true as Ted got together with the Mother and Robin when the time was right in the future.

Ted Deciding Not To Confront Stella

How I Met Your Mother Characters - Annoying - Stella

Upon first viewing, the sight of Ted walking away after seeing Stella with Tony and her daughter qualifies as one of the most heartbreaking moments. However, this played out in his favor, seeing as confronting her right then would have meant she wouldn’t have dared meet him again.

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As it happened, Stella did approach Ted months later and it was after Ted managed to convince Tony to go back to her that Ted got the job at the university. So, Ted pushing his anger down in that one moment is what allowed him years of happiness with the Mother.

Ted Telling Barney About His Hookup

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Although Ted did hook up with a girl to lose his title as the “Sexless Innkeeper,” the story of how he did what was one of the How I Met Your Mother fantasies. This had its effect, though, as Ted rubbed it in Barney’s face, who instantly regretted ever leaving his single life to be together with Robin.

It was after this that Barney started feeling weighed down by his relationship, leading to Robin feeling the same. Eventually, the two had to break up in order to be normal again, and this was kickstarted on Barney’s part after being swayed by Ted’s bragging of his debauchery.

Marshall Not Conceding Defeat To Lily On Their Bet

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Betting on their friends’ lives was a habit of Marshall’s and Lily’s, although she did some pretty bad things to ensure she won, including breaking Ted and Robin up. It did ensure they got back together in the end, owing to Marshall never losing any game or bet.

If one recalls all of their bets, they’ll realize that Marshall ultimately won every single one of them. While Lily could claim that Ted didn’t end up with Robin for some time, he did in the end. This was possible due to Marshall refusing to concede defeat when Lily asked him to, allowing for his strange gift of winning to continue and for Ted and Robin to be endgame.

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