HIMYM fans had been crying out for more of Cristin Milioti as The Mother during season 9, and to celebrate the 200th episode of the series they got exactly that. The Mother-centric episode, complete with her own version of the title sequence, was a charming insight into the titular character that the audience knew little about and showed all viewers what a wonderful choice Milioti was to play one of television's most awaited reveals. The episode took an immediately sombre tone as on her 21st birthday The Mother received the news that her boyfriend Max had died. Believing that he was "the one" much of the episode thereafter focused on her trying to move on in a perfect parallel of Ted's own struggles with Robin, but with a twist. She did eventually find the strength to move on in the present day as her boyfriend Louis proposes to her at the Farhampton Inn. Instead of giving him an answer she goes outside to make a moving speech to Max about knowing she needs to find a way to move on and declines the proposal. This leads to Curtis finally being able to tackle his worries for the single Ted by placing her in the room next to his, where she goes on to display Milioti's Broadway talents with a ukelele rendition of La Vie En Rose. It isn't just the emotional story of The Mother's struggle to move on that gives this milestone episode such strength, the supporting cast that comprise her friend group are surprisingly well realised characters to say that most of them are introduced solely for the one episode. The return of Cindy helped the case, but Kelly, Louis and Darren were all well-realised characters to help explain The Mother's history. The endless references and showing The Mother's involvement in existing scenes made sure that Bays and Thomas showed viewers how The Mother was always close by, and furthermore explained just how Ted had so many near misses in meeting her. It was also revealed that she was the first exception to Mitch's Naked Man "2 out of 3 rule" and her presence in Ted's wrong classroom on his first day as a teacher. Trivia Fact: By showing that The Mother's 21st birthday was during the events of 'Pilot', where Ted states he was 27, the episode reveals that there is a 6 year age gap between the two.
