[s8e20] The Time Travelers -

: Narrator Ted (from 2030) reflects that if he could actually travel back in time, he wouldn't go to the show. Instead, he would run to the apartment where The Mother (Tracy) lived at the time. The 45-Day Speech

In the How I Met Your Mother episode " The Time Travelers " (S8E20), the story centers on a night in April 2013 when Ted Mosby finds himself alone at MacLaren's Pub .

: Barney eventually snaps Ted back to reality, pointing out that everyone else—Lily, Marshall, Barney, and Robin—is busy with their own lives. Barney is planning his wedding, and the others are at home with their families. Ted is sitting alone at the bar with two tickets to a show he will ultimately attend by himself. [S8E20] The Time Travelers

The episode concludes with an a cappella performance of Billy Joel's "The Longest Time" by Ted, Barney, and their multiple imaginary future selves.

This scene is widely considered one of the series' most heartbreaking moments because, as revealed in the finale, Tracy passes away young. Re-watching this scene through that lens reveals that the loneliness Ted feels in 2030 is the true catalyst for the story, as he is mourning the time he lost with her. Musical Tag : Narrator Ted (from 2030) reflects that if

Ted imagines himself knocking on Tracy’s door and delivering a moving speech about how they will meet in exactly 45 days . He expresses a desperate wish for those "extra 45 days" with her, even if it meant being punched by her current boyfriend.

: Ted spends the episode interacting with "future" versions of himself and Barney who argue over the potential outcomes of the night. Meanwhile, Marshall and Robin debate over who invented a cocktail called "The Minnesota Tidal Wave". : Barney eventually snaps Ted back to reality,

While he appears to be debating his future selves (Ted from 20 hours and 20 years in the future) and Barney Stinson's future selves about whether to attend "Robots vs. Wrestlers," the episode takes a sharp emotional turn when it's revealed that the entire interaction was a figment of Ted's imagination . The Core Story