The 5 Biggest Moments From the 'How I Met Your Mother' Finale

A look at what made the series' last episode so great.

ByABC News
April 1, 2014, 9:41 AM
Clockwise from left, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, Josh Radnor, Neil Patrick Harris and Cobie Smulders in "How I Met Your Mother."
Clockwise from left, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, Josh Radnor, Neil Patrick Harris and Cobie Smulders in "How I Met Your Mother."
CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

April 1, 2014 — -- There are going to be the critics that inevitably complain and say the "How I Met Your Mother" finale was too perfect. They wrapped things up in a pretty bow. Life doesn't always work out that way.

Maybe so, but "HIMYM" is more than a show. It chronicles nearly a decade of growth that any young professional can relate to and say "that's me."

And sometimes you just need a friend to give you a hug and tell you "everything is going to be okay in the end."

See What the 'How I Met Your Mother' Kids Look Like Now

Last night, we had five friends tell us that. Here's a look at the top five moments from Monday night's finale.

1 - Ted's Goodbye/High Infinity

It's the present day and the gang is at Barney and Robin's wedding. Barney gets an amazing idea to introduce the adorable bass guitarist (Ted's future wife) to Ted, but he decides he has to leave. The gang step outside to say their final goodbyes. Robin and Ted do their usual double salute, Lily says "I feel like a hug is not enough" so they do the "ET goodbye" and Barney comes up with the idea to do a high five that will be their last.

"A high five to echo throughout eternity," Ted tells Barney as they do the High Infinity.

Both Ted and Barney end up icing their hand back inside the wedding, but say "It was worth it."

(BTW, Ted didn't move, he met his future wife while waiting for the train home and the rest is romantic history.)

2 - Robin and Barney Got Divorced!?

Fast forward a few years -- and after trying to make it work -- Barney and Robin realize her career comes first. They just can't make it work.

"This isn't a failed marriage, it's very successful marriage that only lasted 3 years," Barney tells the gang.

It's ironic that just as Ted is starting his family, Robin and Barney are ending their relationship. Lily makes everyone promise the gang will be together for the big moments, but Robin ends up disappearing for quite a while, focusing on her work.

"We'll always be friends, it's just never going to be what was," Robin says in a scene dated October 2016.

3 - Barney's Going to Be a Dad!?

It's 2019 and the group - minus Robin - is at Robots Versus Wrestlers. Barney brags that he just pulled off the perfect month - 31 girls in 31 days with a new playbook. (Remember the perfect week back in 2010?)

But No. 31 is the one that did it -- and Barney is going to be a dad.

"I was about to enter my Clooney years ... my life is over," Barney says.

Nine months later, Barney is changed man once he sees his new baby girl.

"You are the love of my life," Barney tells his daughter. "Everything I have and everything I am is yours."

4 - Ted Finally Gets Married

After two kids and putting off the perfect wedding -- including a castle in France and six white horses -- Ted and his wife finally get married. We also find out her name is Tracy McConnell -- or TM just like Ted Mosby.

"Will you marry me on Thursday?" he asks her inside their apartment.

"I cant believe it, it's Ted Mosby's wedding day," Lily tells the gang at McLaren's Pub.

Meanwhile, Barney, who is a dad, scolds young girls -- instead of trying to hook up with them.

The group is all together when Marshall turns to the booth behind him and says, "Do you have any idea what happened in this bar?" to some young kids.

"What?" the kid replies.

"A lot!" Marshall says.

As for the wedding, Lily sums it up: "It was a long difficult road, thank God we finally got here."

There's also a flashback to the train scene where Ted and Tracy first meet that must have had a lot of people in tears. Fans were probably balling when we find out the mother gets sick years later and dies.

"And that kids is how I met you mother," Ted tells the kids.

5 - Ted and Robin?

After finishing his story, Ted's daughter reveals the real reason he was telling them how he met their mother.

"This is a story about how you are totally in love with Aunt Robin and you are thinking of asking her out," his daughter says.

Having lost his wife six years ago, the kids tell Ted that it is totally okay to go after Robin.

The final scene is Ted showing up to Robin's with the blue french horn, her head out the window smiling.