From the very beginning of How I Met Your Mother, Robin had no desire to be in a serious relationship. However, things got complicated when she fell for Ted. The two were complete opposites, as Ted was a hopeless romantic and Robin found his outlook on love to be a bit corny.
She didn't like the emotional side of relationships, and sharing food with her date forced Robin out of her comfort zone. It's easy to miss because of how cynical she acts, but there are several gestures that prove Robin is more romantic than she seems.
Giving Barney His Dream Bachelor Party
To an outsider, Barney's bachelor party would be an act of hatred. Most people would be outraged that their significant other would put them through something so cruel. But Barney isn't most people, and Robin knows what her fiancée likes better than anyone else.
Her plan is so elaborate that it demands a willing suspension of disbelief to buy into. One can only assume that it took weeks to put the whole thing together and it required serious dedication. Robin giving Barney the bachelor party of his dreams, no matter how insane, is one of the most romantic things she's ever done.
Kissing Ted On New Year's Eve
There were several times Ted and Robin were relationship goals in How I Met Your Mother, and they weren't even a couple for many of their best scenes. In an adorable moment between the two, Robin makes a pact with Ted. Since both of their dates had abandoned them, they agree to kiss each other at midnight.
Kissing when the clock strikes twelve seems like something Robin would find cheesy, but it turns out to be the opposite. Even after her date shows up, Robin ditches him to chase after Ted, and they share a New Year's kiss outside the limo.
Tackling A Woman For Barney
This is arguably Robin's most romantic and selfless gesture, even though Barney had no clue that it happened. After realizing she still had feelings for Barney, Robin sent a girl to chase after him and sabotage Barney's relationship with Nora, one of his most memorable on HIMYM.
It took a lot for Robin to put Barney's happiness above her own, but she ended up tackling the girl before she had the chance to ruin Barney and Nora's date. The incident led to Robin getting arrested, and she was even forced to attend court-mandated therapy.
Passing Up Her Dream Job For Don
Robin had always put her career before her love life, so giving up such a massive opportunity to be with Don was one of the biggest signs of her character development. The main characters can be ranked by work ethic in How I Met Your Mother, and there's no arguing that Robin deserves one of the top spots.
But she realized that choosing a man over a job doesn't make a woman any less of a feminist—it just means that she's doing what makes her happy. Robin's decision backfired when Don accepted the position she declined, but as Ted later pointed out, it shows how much she's grown.
Going To Stop Barney From Proposing To Patrice
Barney never had any intention of proposing to Patrice and their entire relationship was part of Barney's ploy to propose to Robin, instead. His plan went along without a hitch, and Robin fell right into his trap.
There were a lot of things wrong with the way Barney manipulated and lied to her, but Robin going up to the roof, under false circumstances or not, took guts. With Ted's support, Robin went to stop the proposal and tell Barney she was still in love with him.
Telling Ted Not To Marry Stella
Ted and Robin had the most complicated relationship in the show. They never got over one another, even when they were convinced they had moved on. Confessing her feelings for Ted at his wedding is one of the most stereotypical moves in the book.
However, Robin didn't let that stop her from being honest and she told Ted that there was still something between them. Ted might have rejected her, but Robin knew if she didn't say anything, she might spend her whole life regretting it.
Refusing To Sell Barney's Apartment
Barney's apartment is filled with reminders of the kind of person Barney was and always will be. He spent a fortune installing expensive features that helped him get girls to sleep with him, and even some that forcibly eject them from his apartment.
It's understandable that Robin didn't want to live there, but she comes around after seeing how important Barney's home is to him. While it is proof of Barney's dreadfulness, Robin accepted his flaws when she agreed to marry him. Not selling the apartment was Robin's way of showing Barney that she loves every part of him.
Burying A Locket For Her Future Wedding In Central Park
In a gesture that shocked everyone, Robin buried a locket in Central Park as a teenager with the intention of coming back for it when she got married. The locket wasn't there when she returned, and this was one of the moments that foreshadowed Barney and Robin's divorce in How I Met Your Mother.
Robin had drunkenly dug it up when Ted got engaged to Stella because she thought she lost her chance with him. While the locket caused some serious complications, Robin burying it was proof that she always wanted to get married, even if she was afraid.