How I Met Your Mother: 10 Worst Breakups

For a while there, it really seemed like the writers had showed their hand and revealed The Mother with the introduction of Stella.

Ted's courtship of the Dermatologist was the linchpin of the second half of season three, followed up with Ted's proposal to her as the season finale cliffhanger. Add in a liberal sprinkling of cryptic clues that are casually dropped by Stella that allude to her status as Ted's future wife, and it looked like the show was ready to commit to the resolution of the search for "The One".

Only it wasn't to be. In quite possibly the most humiliating Mosby moment, Stella gets cold feet on the day of the wedding when her ex-boyfriend is brought to the ceremony location by Ted. Stella realises she can't go through with the wedding, and leaves the island with her daughter and old flame after leaving a "Dear John" note for her blindsided fiancé.

While Stella turned out to not be The Mother, the effects of her actions on Ted are explored throughout the remaining seasons.

Indeed, multiple episodes are dedicated to exploring the psychological trauma of being left at the altar, all of which are handled with a sense of caution that truly outlines the vulnerability of Ted. To be that close to lifelong happiness, only for it to be pulled away at the 11th hour is something one truly never gets over, and was a milestone in the development of the show's protagonist.