How I Met Your Mother season 9 keeps Marshall Eriksen away from the rest of the group for most of its episodes, and there is a good reason as to why he is off on his own adventure for so long. How I Met Your Mother season 9 brings the long-awaited meeting of Ted Mosby and "The Mother", Tracy McConnell. The season has the gang making their way to Farhampton to celebrate the shocking event of Barney Stinson and Robin Scherbatsky's wedding, and running into plenty of delays along the way.
Marshall Eriksen runs into significant delays while trying to make it to Farhampton. Because of this, much of his part in HIMYM season 9 is spent on a road trip with a companion, Daphne, as they both try and make it back to New York. Marshall's scenes in season 9 are almost entirely spent in a car, contemplating his decision to become a judge and phoning into conversations with the rest of the How I Met Your Mother gang.
The explanation for this part of How I Met Your Mother season 9 comes from Jason Segel's real life. Reportedly, the actor did not want to return to the final season of How I Met Your Mother, as Jason Segel wanted to focus on other projects. However, a deal was worked out behind the scenes that kept Jason Segel in HIMYM in order to see Marshall Eriksen's story resolved. This deal seemingly let Segel film more on his own schedule, allowing him to pursue other projects at the same time. This scheduling freedom seems to have come hand in hand with changes to the script that kept Marshall on his own and not dependent on scenes with the rest of the main cast. Unfortunately, the revised storyline meant much less screen time for Marshall Eriksen in HIMYM season 9 and very little interaction with the rest of the group, but was a worthy compromise to keep Jason Segel's character around through the finale.
Can Marshall Return In How I Met Your Father?
Since How I Met Your Mother's conclusion, Jason Segel has seemingly changed his outlook on participating in the show. According to the show's director, Pamela Fryman, Jason Segel is keen for more HIMYM and wants the show to come back for season 10. Even if this proves not possible, Segel's eagerness to return to the series fuels speculation and excitement for a possible Marshall Eriksen appearance in How I Met Your Father season 2. With the first season of the reboot already having some shocking How I Met Your Mother cameos, it would be easy for Marshall Eriksen to swing by MacLaren's pub one more time.
Marshall was unfortunately away from the rest of the gang for most of How I Met Your Mother season 9 due to Jason Segel's scheduling deal, but this decision was still better than not having him there at all. Having Marshall Eriksen not be in the HIMYM finale would have been a jarring move, and ultimately keeping the character in the ending allows for an easier potential return to the series, be it in cameo form or otherwise. With Jason Segel's excitement to return, viewers can remain hopeful that Marshall rejoins the franchise, either via How I Met Your Mother season 10, or in the list of surprise HIMYM cameos on How I Met Your Father.