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Recap / How I Met Your Mother S 6 E 20 The Exploding Meatball Sub

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Barney is dismayed at Marshall leaving GNB to join an environmental organization due to the fact that he never got to execute a prank as revenge for Marshall pointing out a stain on Barney's clothing.


This episode provides examples of:

  • Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Barney's list of possible revenge plots against Marshall is, in order: 1) poison; 2) cut brakes; 3) frame for treason; 4) prank call really late.
  • Beer Goggles: Discussed by Robin when she tells the gang about "Graduation Goggles", where one reminisces about all of the bad things about school/work/relationships, etc. in a nostalgic sense because you’re leaving.
    Robin: The point is you can't trust graduation goggles. They are just as misleading as beer goggles, bridesmaid goggles and that's just a bulky outdated cell phone in his front pocket goggles.
  • Belligerent Sexual Tension: Ted and Zoey's relationship has apparently remained this way since they got together, with Lily pointing out that they bicker and argue constantly.
  • Both Sides Have a Point:
    • Ted argues that couples need to feel challenged every once in a while, but he later realizes he's miserable in a relationship where he never receives support.
    • After criticizing Ted for having a conflictive relationship with Zoey, she eventually concedes that she can't judge what makes Ted happy. While Lily and Marshall's relationship based on unconditional support is definitely better, Lily reached a point where Marshall's needs overpowered hers, to the point that he has stopped trying to have kids with her. Fortunately, he recognizes this without knowing that Lily was about to break.
  • Disproportionate Retribution: Barney is frustrated after Marshall quits GNB, and Robin thinks it's because of his own abandonment issues projecting on Marshall. It turns out that he wanted to prank Marshall for pointing out that he had a tiny spot of marinara sauce in his tie. It took Barney 10 years of faking a terminal illness and $30,000 in medical bills just to give Marshall the sandwich.
  • Here We Go Again!: In The Stinger, Barney successfully gets his revenge on Marshall with the exploding meatball sub. However, he ends up getting some marinara sauce on his clothes again, which Ted points out, earning Barney's ire and presumably resulting in him plotting vengeance against Ted.
  • Masochism Tango: Ted fights with Zoey about everything but claims that he prefers to be "challenged" by Zoey as opposed to Lily and Marshall who agree on everything. However, he ultimately realizes that although he cares for Zoey, he can't spend the rest of his life at war with her. And then graduation goggles persuade him to stay with her (for now, anyway).
  • My Hovercraft Is Full of Eels: Lily's attempt to flee on a vacation that she and Marshall planned is (initially) covered by her asking Ted to translate for a Spanish guest of Marshall's when she picks him up from the airport. First he says "I'm not half sick at my name is Spanish" in response to Lily's request then follows up with "we'd like to get inside you and proceed forward" to the guest. The guest, doesn't speak Spanish however, revealing Lily's ruse.

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