Barney Stinson is considered to be the funniest character by most fans of How I Met Your Mother, but the character also evolves a lot throughout the run of the show.
Neil Patrick Harris, as an actor, brought an extreme amount of depth to the character as the writers began to develop him into a much more nuanced person. This article will look at why Barney is the character in the show who has the most growth as a person, therefore having the best character arc in the series.
Stinson's Hangover Fixer Elixir
This magical cure that every member of the group has had at some point is a really gross concoction that no one can pinpoint the exact ingredients of. After talking about it throughout the episode Lily, Marshall, Robin, and Ted realize that Barney was just there to literally talk them through these rough times. He was there when no one else would be there, this seems out of character and yet it shows tremendous growth and kindness.
Bringing Lily Back
When Marshall and Lily broke up in seasons one and two, it was not a fun time for fans of the on-screen couple, and it took Barney going to California to get her to come back.
This did not get told to the audience or the group for a while after she returned, but it showed a lot of growth and was a major stepping stone in Barney's overall story arc as a character in the long-run of the show.
Always There For Mom
Barney is very secretive for a long time about his personal life until the gang follows him to his moms house one day and finds out he is a sweet momma's boy. Ted barely sees his parents, neither does Robin, and Lily doesn't really, either. Marshall is the only one that is also very close with his family, so he is understanding in the closeness of them. Barney is one of the only people that is truly always there the entire timeline of the show for his mother.
Wanting Commitment
Finally admitting to himself that he wanted commitment was a very big moment for Barney; he had cut himself off since he had his heart broken as a young man for a guy in a business suit. He since became that guy, essentially, by wanting commitment and being vulnerable he was showing more growth than he had shown than any point in the series. Audiences were apprehensive at the idea of the character changing too much, but NPH was moving a character forward, and it was working.
Giving Ted The Button
When the GNB building was finally going to be started, the Arcadian was going to finally be demolished. Ted and Barney argued about who would get to press the button many times.
Barney had a realization that he wanted it for simple reasons and that it meant a lot more to Ted. Giving it up showed that he didn't need to be "that guy" that needed everything he wanted anymore. That was another brick in the wall that showed the growth and natural progression for his character arc in the show.
Forgiving His Father
There was no reason that Barney should have forgiven his father, but he was a continuously growing character. The writers were making this character more and more human and relatable, as he wanted to get to know his father. There were a few false starts, but, with the urging from his friends—especially Marshall, whose father had recently passed—he reconnected with his dad. He forgave him and kept a relationship with him, displaying a level of maturity and growth that not many show.
Confessing To Nora
After Barney and Robin have a night in bed together while they are dating other people, they eventually agree to confess to their significant others and give it a shot together. While many obstacles get in both of their ways, Barney confesses about cheating and even states that he does not believe it was a one-time thing and that he does have feelings for Robin.
Waiting for Robin back at the bar so that they can give it another try, she walks in with Kevin, and he is heartbroken, but this moment is so big for his character's depth and growth, as he shows that he is more vulnerable and mature than he ever has been and that he's willing to take a leap of faith.
Asking For Ted's Permission
Barney used an elaborate plan to set up his proposal to Robin, but, before he did, the last bit he had to do one last thing, and that was tell Ted to see if Ted would tell Robin. Ted did not, therefore giving him his blessing and releasing Robin to Barney, thus proving he is over her.
Without actually asking Ted, he asked him this huge question, and it showed that he would not do this without the blessing of the man he considers a brother. The writers were growing Barney a lot in the final three seasons, and viewers generally liked the character's arc and how NPH portrayed him.
Giving Up His Career
Doing pretty much whatever it took to make things work with Robin throughout their relationship, Barney even gave up his career. This was a very big moment not just for Barney, but also for audiences, who finally learned what it was that Barney did, working as a mole for the FBI.
He leaves his career behind to support Robin in her blossoming career, and yet, things are still falling apart, viewers now know that this is because she always loved Ted. But Barney giving up everything to be a good husband is the most selfless act ever did, and it represents an unprecedented amount of growth for the once-selfish character.
Becoming A Father
Barney finds out that one of his random hookups is pregnant in the series finale. Never giving a name to the gang, he is scared at first, he but knows this is happening. When Barney meets his daughter Ellie for the first time, Neil Patrick Harris delivers one of the best performances in the entire run of the show.
The writers use an earlier bit of dialogue Barney said about never falling in love and have him say it to his daughter, showing that this character was always meant to fall in love. The love that Barney was meant for was a love that is deeper than any other he has chased, a love he can provide that he never got, the love of a father. This is the biggest growth that a character written like Barney can have, an amazing bit of circular storytelling by the writers, fulfilling a character arc that many fans agree shows the most growth and is the most well-rounded out of all the main characters in the series.