The Magician's Code

I've just finished watching the hour-long finale of How I Met Your Mother; and as promised, Barney's bride is revealed.

I have to be honest and say that there are times during this season when I was worried that it wouldn't be Robin. But of course it's Robin! I mean, they can't just bring some woman in for Barney to marry! More on this later...

Welcome Marvin Wait-for-it Eriksen! Not quite sure how they spell his middle name, but it really is the coolest middle name of all time.

The Ted storyline is – meh. I mean, yes, I loved Victoria; and yes, I thought she and Ted would have made a great couple. But haven't we hashed this one already? Haven't we moved on from this relationship? I did have the feeling that it would be her, when they said that the gang was trying to convince Ted to go after the one that got away. It's obvious that, out of Ted's relationships throughout the show, Victoria was the only possibility. But seriously, after his "I love you" to Robin earlier this season, and now Victoria *again*, I'm getting tired of this. It's New York City; there are other women around! Come on, writers, move on!

Back to Barney and Robin. I had a feeling that the bride reveal would be the final scene of the season, and it was. I was quite disappointed at that. I wanted to see more of what happened between Barney-Quinn and Barney-Robin. Instead, they left us with Barney getting engaged to Quinn and then suddenly jumping to Robin being the bride. This means season 8, at least the early parts of it, would be about what broke Barney and Quinn up before moving on to Barney and Robin. I really wanted the whole Quinn issue to be resolved – and I had high hopes since Becki Newton has a new series next fall (The Goodwin Games) – so that season 8 would focus on Barney and Robin's relationship. I guess something about Ted and the mother too, but mostly BRoTP. I still maintain that Barney and Robin's relationship should be full of awesome, unlike the one they created in season 5.

But hey, it's guaranteed that they'd get back together, which in turn means that season 8 should be (quite) full of BRoTP awesomeness.

However, it was quite a disappointing season finale. Other than the Ted/Victoria thing, nothing was unexpected – and even this one was on the bad side of unexpected. Well, if I'm completely honest, the whole season hasn't been their strongest.

They promised us Robin's growth throughout the season, and I don't really see it. Taking a step towards committed relationships? Barely. I mean, I don't even understand the whole Kevin thing. Other than that we all like Kal Penn, and preventing a Barney/Robin reunion earlier in the season, it had no significance whatsoever. Her career taking off? Well, I think it happened; can't be sure, since they just breezed right through it.

Barney's proposal to Quinn? Pretty damn awesome! How are they gonna top that for Robin's?

When the season started, they had so much promise, especially for us BRoTP fans. But with every turn, they managed to disappoint me.

My biggest disappointment(s) of this season, hands down, is how they handled Robin's feelings and actions towards Barney. The season started with them showing us that Robin still had feelings for Barney, but he was infatuated by Nora a second time. And they got us excited in November, only to break our hearts, and then just dropped the subject like nothing significant had happened. They also forgot to make Robin apologize for, or even acknowledge, the horrible thing she did to Barney. This really made it hard for me to root for Robin this season. And then suddenly, it ends like this. Not saying that I didn't like how it ended – of course I want Barney and Robin to be together – but they somehow managed to make me barely care about them anymore!

Just... be better next season, please? And give us more BRoTP! Good ones!



Side note: at first glance, I thought Robin had a baby-bump when Ted went to see her in her wedding dress; I had to rewind and look more closely to find out I was imagining things. Or was I?