"The Final Page" is the sixth and final Christmas episode of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, and the only one that is a two-parter, aired in the show's eighth season. The episode's events take place immediately after those of the previous Christmas episode, "The Over-Correction".
Synopsis
Part 1
When the group is at MacLaren's, when Marshall Eriksen and Barney order the same drink, at exactly the same time, Marshall "jinxes" Barney. Future Ted then explains that five years earlier, when Barney broke a jinx set on him by Marshall, he got hit by a bus. Since then, Barney started taking jinxes very seriously and began jinxing others. The group then celebrate jinxing Barney for the first time in many years. Barney applauds them and asks them to say his name (to break the jinx), but Ted tells him that this will be a long jinx.
With the construction of the New GNB Headquarters finished, Ted decides to call his architecture professor from Wesleyan, Professor Vinick, who once said that his building design was terrible and that he "would never be an architect", to invite him to the opening to show him that he did become an architect. Marshall says that Professor Vinick is Ted's "pit guy", which Lily explains is someone that a person has been obsessed with for so long that they would throw them in a pit in their basement like in The Silence of the Lambs. Ted says that he would never do that, and Robin sides with him, saying that there is no one that she hates so much that she would throw them in a pit. But Lily says that Patrice, Robin's coworker who is dating Barney, is Robin's pit person. Marshall and Lily further say that they would be the "pit persons" of Daryl LaCoutre, an acquaintance from Wesleyan, who become obsessed with them after playing a game of hacky sack with them in freshmen year. Lily says that Daryl is still obsessed with them and keeps trying to contact them.
Later, Ted gets an RSVP from Professor Vinick, declining the invitation, since he doesn't recall Ted. This makes Ted furious, he and decides to drive to Wesleyan, accompanied by Marshall, Lily, and Barney, to confront Professor Vinick. At Wesleyan, Ted sits at the back of a class taught by Vinick, thinking about how to confront him, but is impressed by the lecture he is giving. After the lecture, Ted sees Vinick, telling him that he is an old student of his and shows him a drawing of the GNB building, but Vinick says that it is hideous and again tells Ted that he will never be an architect.
Meanwhile, while at Wesleyan, Marshall and Lily run into Daryl, who lives down the street from the campus and has a hacky sack stand there, called "The Three Hackmigos", after him, Marshall and Lily. Daryl invites Marshall and Lily to his house to "give them something". He takes them to the basement of his house, making Marshall and Lily scared as they think he is going to murder them, which they blurt out when he returns with his hands behind his back. However, Daryl tells them that he only wanted to give them a check for a hundred thousand dollars for coming up with the idea of "The Three Hackmigos" with him. Lily apologizes to him for acting like idiots and tries to accept the check, but he says it's fine and he doesn't need the their validation since he is doing great. He then tears the check, instead of giving it to them.
When Lily tells this to Ted, who has made a 3-D model of his building to get Vinick's approval, he realizes that he doesn't need Vinick's approval, and is about to throw the model of his building when Vinick sees him, and tells him that it's sad that he made a model of his building to prove some sort of point, but when Ted tells him that he was about to throw it away, Vinick doesn't believe him.
At World Wide News, Sandy tells Robin that it is time for year-end reviews and that they get to fire some people. Robin tells Sandy that unlike him, she doesn't fire people for personal differences. However, she sees Patrice's files and calls her in. She realizes that Patrice is indeed in her pit and decides to fire her. When Patrice asks her why she is getting fired Robin makes non-work related excuses, like no one should be as happy as her and that her cookies are only "pretty good". Before leaving her office, Patrice asks Robin if is this is really about her, but Robin tells her that it's not and Patrice hugs her. Robin apologizes to her and tells her that seeing her with Barney has brought back some old feelings and she doesn't like feelings, but she tells her that that is neither her nor Barney's fault, it's just hard seeing them together. She later tells Sandy that she didn't fire Patrice.
On their way back from Wesleyan, when Marshall and Lily get out of the car to get some snacks, Barney shows Ted an engagement ring, which causes Ted to say Barney's name, ending his jinx. He tells Ted that he is going to propose to Patrice, and when Ted reacts to this, Barney jinxes him. He tells Ted that he would surely tell him that he is moving too fast or over-correcting, but he is not. He was slept with a lot of women and this has left him feeling nothing but broken, but with Patrice, for the first time in his life, he feels settled and happy and he wants to feel this way forever. He says the following night, on the roof of the World Wide News building, Patrice's favorite spot in the city, he is going to propose to her. He tells Ted that he will unjinx him if he doesn't try to talk him out of this nor tell this to anyone else. Ted agrees to these conditions and Barney unjinxes him. When Marshall and Lily return, Barney tells them that he tricked Ted into unjinxing him, and in turn jinxes them. He asks Ted if he has anything to talk about, but Ted says he doesn't.
Part 2
After finding out about Barney's plans to propose to Patrice, Ted deliberates on whether to tell Robin about this, when he sees her at MacLaren's. However, before Ted can speak to Robin, Marshall, and Lily walk in and start talking about the opening of the new GNB Headquarters, which takes place the same night. Ted tells them that he is nervous, but the others say that they will be there to support him, although Marshall and Lily say that they will have to leave a little early, as it will be their first night away from Marvin since he was born, and they have made plans to spend a romantic evening together at a hotel while Mickey babysits. Ted says that it's okay, and he appreciates that they are coming, because Barney is not, which surprises the others. When Marshall and Lily leave, Robin asks for the reason. Future Ted says that this was his chance to tell Robin about Barney, but instead Ted lies, saying that he doesn't know the reason and asks Robin to be his date to the opening.
Before leaving Marvin, Lily hands Mickey a list of his nightly schedule and Marshall tells him about his lullaby. Just as Marshall and Lily come out of the apartment, Marshall gets a call from Ted, telling him to come to the bar. He tells Lily that he has to meet Ted and will see her later. At the bar, Ted tells Marshall about Barney's plans. He says that he knew that he had to tell Robin, but he asked her to be his date to the opening instead. He says that Robin deserves to go after Barney one last time, if that's what she wants, and he tells Marshall that he is going to tell Robin about Barney's plans. Marshall tells him not to, saying that deep down, Ted thinks that he is going to end up with Robin which Marshall agrees with. Marshall wants Ted to be happy, and if Robin can make him happy, then why help her go after another man. Ted says that she might still be in love with Barney and not telling her would be selfish and he can't do that. He says that Robin is his friend, but Marshall says that she has always been more than that and Ted knows this. Before leaving to see Lily, Marshall makes Ted swear not to tell Robin about Barney's plans.
While at the hotel, Lily calls Mickey to check on Marvin and see if he's missing her, but Mickey tells her that the baby didn’t even notice that she was gone. When Lily says that she wants to sing Marvin his lullaby, Mickey tells him that he did that and Marvin is already asleep. When Marshall and Lily arrive at the opening of the GNB building, Marshall notices that Lily is drunk. When they see a baby there, they start missing Marvin. They sit in a corner, crying, while singing hos lullaby to a picture of him.
Meanwhile, Ted finally tells Robin that Barney is getting engaged while they are on their way to the GNB building. He says that although Barney asked him to keep it a secret, he thought she deserved to know in case she wanted to do anything about it. Robin tells Ted that she is not chasing after Barney anymore. She claims she just got done being crazy and why would she want to throw herself back in that pit? Ted replies because she is in love with Barney. Robin claims that she isn't and is happy for Barney. Ted asks her if it doesn't bother her that Barney is going to propose to another woman on top of the World Wide News, and Robin freaks out, because that is her favorite spot in the city. She then says that although that one detail stings, it doesn't mean that she is in love with Barney. She says that she hopes it goes well for Barney, but tonight she wants to be at Ted's building, celebrating with him. She then asks Ranjit (their limo driver) to take them to the GNB building. However, when the car stops Robin looks outside to see the World Wide News building. Ted tells her to go get Barney, but she says that she already told him that she is done chasing Barney. Ted says that she is clearly not over Barney. Robin says that she can't keep making a fool of herself, but Ted says has no regrets about chasing after her because it led to her being his friend. He then tells her to get out of the car.
When Robin opens the door to the roof, she sees it decorated with rose petals and candles. Then she notices a piece of paper on the floor. It has a play from Barney's playbook written on it, called "The Robin". It explains that everything he did, beginning with her break up with Nick, was all part of his plan to get her back.
After Robin finishes reading it, she notices Barney standing in the corner and starts yelling at him. She tells him that he has gone too far. He lied to her and manipulated her, how could he think that she could kiss him and trust him after this. She says that this ploy is proof of why they will never work. She thanks him for setting her free because how could she be with a man who thinks that this trick, this enormous lie could make her ever date him again. Barney simply asks her to turn the page over. On the back of the page are the words "Hope she says yes." She then sees him on his knee. He proposes to her; after a moment of silence she says yes.
Ted's building is dedicated and he gets a toast and shakes hands. Marshall and Lily go back home to see Marvin, and happily look out the window to see the snow falling. Barney and Robin are shown in each others arms, happily engaged. Ted somberly looks out the GNB window.
See also
External links
How I Met Your Mother Wiki: The Final Page - Part One
How I Met Your Mother Wiki: The Final Page - Part Two
"The Final Page - Part One" at the Internet Movie Database
"The Final Page - Part Two" at the Internet Movie Database