With the recent introduction of Quinn (played by Becki Newton) in Barney’s life, we can’t help but wonder if she is his bride-to-be (the producers have confirmed Barney’s future wife will be revealed in this season’s finale in a flash-forward to his wedding). How I Met Your Mother has always used structure as a narrative tool (the million-dollar-question “Who is the mother?” is built into the series title), and the goal post of Barney’s wedding is no exception. Not only will Barney’s bride be made known, but we may also finally meet the Mother (at the start of season 6, the meeting place was confirmed to be Barney’s wedding). With all these monumental reveals coming up, we can’t help but try to put the pieces together (with the help of some finale teasers).
Will It Be Quinn and Barney?
Newton is signed on to guest star in eight episodes, and although she’s only appeared in three so far, her character Quinn (aka the stripper Karma) has already managed to move in with Barney. When asked by TV Guide whether Quinn is the future bride, Newton replied, “I think she’s a very good contender,” although she admitted “they have not told me anything.” One hint may come in the form of this bit of news: TV Guide also reported Barney and Quinn get into a jam at airport security in the finale when Barney refuses to open a “metal box” (that could contain a very precious item). There was also a possible hint in last week’s episode when Quinn told Barney she would stop stripping if she ever got married. (Are the writers trying to tell us something? Or lead us on a false path?)
Or Barney and Robin?
As much as Quinn seems like the perfect female counterpart to Barney, there are surely some Barney/Robin shippers out there who are hoping the girl in the white dress is our beloved Canadian. Even Newton acknowledges Barney is “trying to be over Robin” and that “maybe we’ll never know” if he’s truly over her. A couple months ago co-creator Carter Bays confessed that while Barney and Robin “move in different directions for a little while… those two characters and those two actors have this huge, crazy chemistry that I can’t say we’re done exploring.” Sounds promising!
Other Finale Questions
According to the description of the 1-hour finale entitled “The Magician’s Code” (airing on May 14), it’s “Barney’s wedding day, his wife is finally revealed, and the gang reminisces about the time they encouraged Ted to follow his heart and go after the one that got away.” Clearly, this raises two questions: who is the one that got away? And second, is the revelation of the Mother going to be included, or will fans have to be satisfied with the announcement of Barney’s bride? Many have wondered whether the Mother will be finally introduced at the end of the series (it is “How I Met” after all, not “How I Got to Know”) or if she will be confirmed and then the show will continue with her story as part of the gang. According to IGN TV, the creators have known their end game for years, saying, “We have a plan, we just can’t tell you.”
There are so many unanswered questions, but knowing this show’s style, there will only be just enough revealed in the finale to keep us coming back for more. Who do you want to be standing across from Barney in the finale? Do you think Ted will finally meet the mother, or do you think that will be saved for another (possibly final) season?
(Images courtesy of CBS)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
Jenn grew up in Ohio before moving to Seoul, Korea, where she attended international school and failed to learn Korean. From there she went on to earn a BA in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania before settling in Seattle, where she now spends too much time pondering the power of narrative in TV shows and novels. While she loves a good smart comedy (a la Community or Parks and Recreation), her favorite current show is Breaking Bad; all-time mentions include Arrested Development, Lost and Friends. When she’s not consuming television or literature, she’s savoring pastries and searching for the city’s ultimate sandwich.
