Ted and Robin are out searching for Barney at the beach. While calming Robin’s nerves about Barney possibly bailing on the wedding, he brings up Stella. This leads to Robin asking about Stella and other ex-girlfriend’s of Teds, including his top 5 best and worse relationships. We revisit Ted’s most recent interacts with Stella, Victoria and Jeanette. Robin says she thought Victoria was his best relationship and asks why they broke up. Ted reveals to Robin that they broke up because of her. Robin is shocked and flabbergasted by this admission and Ted goes further to admit that even after ALL THESE YEARS, Robin is still his #1 and he his still is in love with her. ::I’ll pause for a collective groan::: Ted wants to move on, but it took Crazy Jeanette to get him to buck up and let Robin go. Ted and Robin stay up to see the sunrise on a new day, a new day where Ted lets Robin go…metaphorically (and physically as she floats off like The Boy Who Could Fly…I mean like Ted’s childhood balloon).

Meanwhile Barney is out passing along his infinite wisdom to the next generation of single guys by teaching them how to live. First by taking them to  strip club, then to Barney’s tailor, Tim Gunn, and then a party where he hands off The Playbook before exiting “The game” once and for all.
The storyline I was most curious about was Marshall and Lily, their raw emotions from 2 weeks ago were all kinds of scary serious. Marshall is visited by a few ghosts, including present day ghost Lily, 2006 Lily, present day Robin and Big Marvin Erickson. Marshall and the ghosts work out the argument, but not before present ghost Lily warns Marshall that he might lose her if he keeps lying or not including her in decisions. Real Lily comes back and wakes Marshall up to tell him it makes sense for them to stay in New York.
Legendary Lines
  • Robin: Also that isn’t the filthiest trash he’s over slept with. Hoo, my future husband folks.
  • Ted: You know what’s weird, not seeing Star Wars until you’re 30.
  • Victoria: You would never run off with a girl on the day of her wedding? Riiiiiiiii-I’m not done-iiiiiiiight.
  • 2006 Lily: How many myspace friends do I have now? Has James Blunt put out the steady stream of #1 hits we all expect from him?
  • Tim Gunn: In relaxed fit domestic denim, I’m sorry is this a costume party and your going as 1994?
  • Tim Gunn: Would you be a peach and bump this please?
  • Barney: Ted…sorry force of habit.
  • Kyle: Are you Jesus?!
  • Jeanette: Ugh, Robin, THIS again!!
  • Barney: And most importantly, whatever you do in this life, it’s not legendary unless your friends are there to see it.
Moments of awesomeness
  • Barney’s gentleman speech
  • the stage of The Crab Shed is a dock with a pier
  • Marvin Erikson and all his infinite wisdom!
  • NPH barely kidding it together when Tim Gunn delivered both of the above-mentioned Legendary Lines and fist bumps Barney
  • Barney passing down The Playbook, written on cocktail napkins
Callbacks
  • All of Barney’s advice to Ted over the years basically rolled into one lesson
  • Ted’s ex-girlfriends
  • Marshall’s ghosts
New Jersey
  • all the green screens (nighttime, Central Park bridge, Robin floating off)
  • Ted’s I love Robin for the 100th time speech to Jeanette
  • I liked the choice of the Bangles “Eternal Flame” as Ted hopefully finally lets Robin go, in terms of the message, but it seems the twitterverse didn’t care for it.
Re-Return
Ted and Robin are on the beach watching the beautiful sunrise and Ted finally asks Robin if on their first day she gave him “the signal” to kiss her and we all obviously know the answer…
Lingering Questions 
  • Umm Zoe sucks and does not belong in top 5 best relationships. Glad to see she also made top 5 worst too. Who do you think was missing from Ted’s top 5 either best or worst?
  • Ghost Robin says “My dad did a real number on me.” which we know is true, but I still want to know about Robin’s mom. What’s her deal?
  • Bro Hell…how do you picture it?
  • Is it just me, but did you think there was a whole missed opportunity for a “Sandcastles in the Sand” reference while Robin and Ted were on the beach?
  • Speaking of missed Robin Sparkles opportunities, doesn’t she shoot off like a rainbow rocket in “Let’s Go To The Mall?” – she could have shot off like that instead of floated off.
  • Where did Lily go? and who drove her?