The Epic Transformation in the Alternate Ending of How I Met Your Mother

Summary

The How I Met Your Mother alternate ending addressed fan frustrations by keeping Tracy alive and happily married to Ted.

In the alternate ending, Ted and Robin do not end up together, aligning better with the overall narrative. Moreover, the presence of the kids is omitted, allowing undivided attention on Ted's personal journey and romantic experiences.

The beloved sitcom How I Met Your Mother faced a wave of criticism following its finale in 2014. However, an alternate ending was later revealed that addressed fan expectations. While some elements, such as Ted meeting the Mother and glimpses of their life together, were satisfying, the final scenes took a surprising turn. In the aired ending, the Mother was unexpectedly killed off, allowing Ted to reunite with Robin after her divorce from Barney. Dedicated fans felt deceived by this twist. As a result, there was a strong demand for an alternate ending, which the creators eventually delivered. The new ending addressed many of the frustrations fans had and provided a much happier conclusion. However, not every aspect of the alternate ending differed from the original.

What The How I Met Your Mother Alternate Ending Changed

Tracy Does Not Die

The death of Tracy, the mother, was a heartbreaking moment for the show's audience. Although the show's creators foreshadowed Tracy's illness in an earlier episode during her dinner with Ted, her sudden passing in the final episode felt like a manipulative move to reunite Ted and Robin, which left viewers feeling cheated.

The alternate ending disregards any mention of her illness and concludes by Ted stating, "That's how I met your mother." Moreover, the concluding monologue portrays her in the present tense, emphasizing moments of waking up beside her every day. Evidently, Tracy is alive and enjoying a blissful marriage with Ted in the alternate ending of How I Met Your Mother.

Ted And Robin Don't End Up Together

Ted's iconic romantic gesture is beautifully depicted in the climactic scene of the finale. Standing outside Robin's window, he holds the blue French horn, symbolizing their profound connection. The undeniable truth becomes evident as they reconcile, reaffirming that their love story was destined all along. Interestingly, in the alternate ending of HIMYM, mention of Robin is absent after Ted's marriage, which is not surprising considering his commitment to Tracy.

The Kids Don't Make An Appearance

In the alternate ending, Robin and Barney do end up divorcing, but it is implied that Robin embraces a new path in her life while maintaining a friendship with Ted. This choice aligns better with the overall story as the show consistently highlighted the incompatibility between Ted and Robin.

How I Met Your Mother revolves around Ted's narration of how he met the mother of his children. In the original ending, Ted engages in a conversation with his kids (played by David Henrie and Lyndsy Fonseca) where they question his motives for telling the story and encourage him to pursue Robin instead. However, the alternate ending omits the presence of the kids, concluding the episode immediately after Ted finishes recounting his tale.

This makes sense for two reasons - first, the kids only appear in the original ending to convince Ted to pursue Robin once again, and there is no comparable role for them in the alternate ending. Moreover, on a practical level, all the scenes with the kids were filmed at the beginning of the series to prevent the actors from aging as time progressed. Consequently, it would have been impossible to bring them back for an alternate ending, as they would suddenly appear nine years older. Both David Henrie and Lyndsy Fonseca had surpassed their teenage years when the series concluded.

Marshall Loses The Lily-Marshall Bet

The long-term bet between Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan) centers around the relationship between Robin and Ted. While Marshall has always been convinced that Ted and Robin would end up together, Lily's bet is on Ted marrying someone else. Ultimately, the win goes to Marshall as Ted asks Robin out in the final clip of the show. However, in the alternate HIMYM ending where Ted stays with Tracy, it suggests that Lily has won the bet.

Robin Continued Her World Trip

Robin's ambition to be a renowned journalist and explore the globe has long been known to the audience. While Robin indeed fulfills her aspirations, her companions are left disheartened by her absence during significant moments in their lives. In the final moments, fans witness Robin's homecoming to New York City, where she chooses to reside in her familiar old apartment.

What The How I Met Your Mother Alternate Ending Kept The Same

In the alternate ending of How I Met Your Mother, Robin's return to New York is omitted, allowing fans to assume that she is still fulfilling her role as a globetrotting journalist. This alternative conclusion offers a more satisfying conclusion for Robin's character, aligning with her long-term aspirations that were emphasized throughout the series. It is a natural fit for her to prioritize her career and ambitions rather than settling back into her previous life. The alternate ending effectively reinforces the recurring theme in Robin's storyline of valuing her dreams above all else.

Lily And Marshall's Story

Lily and Marshall, the beloved couple in modern sitcoms, are undisputedly regarded as one of the finest. Their compatibility was extraordinary, and their relationship experienced genuine highs and lows throughout the series, rather than being completely torn apart. The reason why the finale resonated with fans was because it respected the authenticity of Marshall and Lily's love story.

Despite a brief split in season 2, Marshmallow and Lilypad continued to captivate fans with their endearing relationship, ultimately concluding the series in happiness and triumph. In both the original and alternative ending, Lily and Marshall aged gracefully together, cherishing their children and embarking on adventures like living in Italy. Additionally, Marshall's ascension to becoming a Supreme Court Judge added another layer of fulfillment to their story.

Robin And Barney Divorce

The divorce of Robin and Barney in the penultimate episode was a major disappointment for fans. Both the original and alternate endings of How I Met Your Mother maintained this decision as a constant. The characters realized that their marriage brought them unhappiness and chose to get divorced. Despite the intense dislike from many fans, this aspect of the controversial finale remained unchanged. The general consensus was that Robin and Barney were meant to be together, and their divorce was mainly to facilitate Robin being with Ted in the original ending. The decision to maintain this storyline in the alternate ending likely remained unchanged due to the practicalities of showcasing their divorce before the final scenes.

The Love Of Barney's Life

Many fans were convinced that Robin was the ideal partner for Barney. However, they eventually divorced, and it wasn't until the final episode that he discovers his true "love of his life" - his daughter, Ellie. This conclusion was a fitting way to wrap up Barney's storyline in How I Met Your Mother. Witnessing Barney's heartfelt reaction to seeing his daughter for the first time and hearing him express how she means everything to him was incredibly touching.

The alternate ending of HIMYM does not modify Barney's narrative and maintains it as it was presented in the original show. This scene also showcases the significant changes that Barney has undergone, while also highlighting the aspects of him that remain unchanged. It was a phenomenal conclusion for a beloved character and one that was perfectly suited to the series.

The Characters Drifting Apart

In the penultimate episode, it is revealed that "hanging out together in Maclaren's, being young and foolish" is no longer one of the things that will occur. As lives evolve, friendships can drift apart. How I Met Your Mother showcased the reality that even the closest of friends can eventually take different paths.

The show concluded in a highly realistic manner, with each character embarking on their individual journeys. Marshall and Lily find tranquility outside the bustling city, Barney starts a new life as a father, and Ted and Robin continue to reside in New York. Both the original and alternate endings depict the evolution and transformation of the friendship circle over time. The storyline was well-received by fans, so it's unsurprising that it remained untouched.

Ted Has The First Conversation With Tracy At Farhampton

The show centers around the events that led Ted to meet Tracy, the mother of his children. Throughout the show, they had multiple near encounters, but it was at the Farhampton station where they finally spoke for the first time when Ted accidentally bumped into her. This sequence is present in both the real and alternate endings of How I Met Your Mother.

While the alternate ending concludes with this conversation at the station, in the actual ending, it occurs before Ted's conversation with his kids. This change is mainly practical, as it involves editing together a new ending from existing footage. However, it does create a heartwarming moment to conclude the show and arguably offers a stronger alternative ending for How I Met Your Mother.