When Robin Scherbatsky joined the How I Met Your Mother squad, she changed the group dynamics forever. Ted convinced himself that he is his soulmate, even though reality begged to differ. In Robin, Lily found her new best girlfriend and Barney found someone safe enough to be truly intimate with.
Robin Scherbatsky is the character with the most versatile story arcs: the show explored her past, her unique status as a foreigner in New York City, and her ambition. Unlike so many other sitcom characters, Robin wasn't defined by her romantic relationships.
Best: Robin's Obsession With Simon
"Sandcastles in the Sand" was one of the best episodes of season 3. James Van Der Beek played Simon, Robin's ex-boyfriend Simon who broke Robin's heart when she was a teenager. When he is back in town, she finds himself regressing to acting like a teenager around him once again, only to have her heart broken all over again.
This is one of Robin's best story arcs because it showed us that Robin is not as tough as she wants us to believe. In this episode, she showed her vulnerability. Also, this is the episode in which she first hooks up with Barney, so it's really popular among fans of the couple.
Worst: The Group Making Fun Of Her Because She's Canadian
Robin grew up in Canada and while being from another country is the kind of a situation that lends itself to many jokes, they also get old really fast. Just like in South Park, Canadians are portrayed as a somewhat silly nation.
Due to her adventurous spirit, it's safe to say that Robin is a citizen of the world rather than a girl from British Columbia.
Best: Robin's Career Development
Robin came to New York to pursue a career in journalism. She put work above all else throughout the entire series, including her relationships. When she was dating her coworker Don, she gave up a great job opportunity to be with him, only to find out that he took the job instead. That's probably the last time she even dared entertain putting her career second.
Robin stayed true to herself when it comes to her career. When Barney complained that she traveled too much, she didn't back down either and so, the two had to get divorced. She ended up being famous and incredibly successful.
Worst: Robin's Short Temper
Robin seems to have no patience whatsoever. In the beginning, she is portrayed as a laid-back and grounded character, but as her new friends got to know her better, they learned that she clearly has anger issues.
Robin often started screaming over small inconveniences. While aggressive behavior might be acceptable at a hockey game, it's definitely not around friends and family.
Best: Robin's Childhood
A glimpse into Robin's childhood offered insight into what shaped Robin into a cool girl who acts like a man. Her father wanted her be to be a boy so badly that her middle name is Charles. In order to win her father's love, Robin took up smoking, drinking, sports, and guns, which are considered traditionally masculine things.
Thanks to this story arc, Robin comes off as a well-written and complex character. Too bad that she fell victim to brutal Flanderization by the end of the series.
Worst: Robin Bullying Patrice
For reasons unknown, Robin was borderline abusive to Patrice, which definitely tarnished her reputation as one of the most likable characters on How I Met Your Mother.
For someone who put her career first, Robin should know better than to act so unprofessionally, especially since Patrice has never done anything to hurt her. This was one of Robin's worst and most unnecessary story arcs.
Best: Robin's Relationship With Barney
Robin and Barney were a modern couple: they marched to the beat of their own drum rather than follow a socially prescribed path like their friends did. When they ended up together, it turned out that they made a lot of sense: they had similar interests and they didn't suffocate each other.
Unlike Ted who loved the idea of Robin, Barney loved Robin for who she was. It makes no sense that the two divorced because Robin was working too much, since Barney was always the kind of a man who celebrated self-reliance and independence.
Worst: Robin's Relationship With Kevin
Kevin met Robin in season 7 when he became her therapist after she assaulted someone. He was one of Robin's least likable romantic interests because they simply didn't have any chemistry. Their relationship never made sense, which makes it one of Robin's worst story arcs.
Robin ended up cheating on Kevin with Barney, but they ultimately split up because Robin didn't want to(and couldn't) have kids.
Best: Robin Sparkles
When Robin was a teenager, she was a pop star in Canada, which became one of the show's most beloved running jokes. This fun fact was first revealed in season 2's "Slap Bet" when Barney comes across her secret on the internet. She lets the gang see the secret video: it was her first hit, "Let's Go To The Mall'' from the eighties.
As the series progressed, we learned more about Robin Sparkles. She made another song, a ballad called "Sandcastles In The Sand", and "Glitter" with her friend Jessica.
Worst: Ted And Robin Ending Up Together
The pilot episode of How I Met Your Mother opened up with Ted meeting and pursuing Robin, but the date didn't go well since he professed his love to her way too soon. Ted and Robin were established as the second Ross and Rachel: even though they liked each other, the timing never seemed to be right. The only difference is, of course, that we saw their relationship from Ted's point of view and he makes for a very unreliable narrator.
Barney divorced Robin because she put her work first, so why would this not be a problem for Ted all of a sudden? The two had broken up in the past before over the same issue. The ending ruined one of the biggest story arcs of the entire series: Ted and Robin realizing that they're better off as friends.