Line #22 Recap/HowIMetYourMotherS4E05ShelterIsland


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/himym_4x05.jpg]]
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3	Ted and Stella agree to get married in three days, but Stella's devastation at the presence of Robin, Ted's ex, forced Ted to make a rash decision.
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6	!!This episode provides examples of:
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8	* AnAesop: In-universe example with the Arc Words. Future Ted thinks this is so important that he mentions it to his kids at the start of the episode, unlike most episodes where he saves the moral for the end.
9	* ArcWords: "Never invite an ex to your wedding." It looks like it's connected mainly to Ted's ex Robin, his close friend, but the ex who causes the drama and no wedding... is actually Stella's ex Tony, the father of Stella's daughter.
10	* BeingGoodSucks: One of the engaged couples decides to compromise the "no exes rule" which led to a devastating result, as Ted the DisposableFiance soon finds out.
11	* BlahBlahBlah: When the gang remembers some examples of Lily freaking out before her wedding, by the third "issue", all Marshall could hear was Lily crying and babbling, since after a while every other thing became just noise.
12	* BookEnds: Future Ted's narration starts and ends with the ArcWords "Never invite an ex to your wedding."
13	* CallBack: Ted's past romantic history with Robin is a very integral part of the episode.
14	* ContinuityNod:
15	** In Season 3's [[Recap/HowIMetYourMotherS3E20Miracles Miracles]], Ted's reason to break up with Stella was because she was inviting him to her sister's wedding in six months. Said event gets stalled because Nora breaks up with her fianceé, so Stella suggests getting married there so her wedding deposit won't be wasted.
16	** Marshall, Lily and Barney are playing [[Recap/HowIMetYourMotherS2E17ArrivederciFiero Zitch dog]] on the way to the island. Marshall again wins.
17	** Before deciding to leave due to the "no ex rule", Robin approaches Barney [[SexForSolace for "solace"]], referring to their [[Recap/HowIMetYourMotherS3E16SandcastlesInTheSand history]].
18	** Robin is working and living in Japan, something Future Ted mentioned in his narration in the season 2 finale.
19	** Lily attempted to calm Ted down by stating that the bride will always have problems at her wedding, referencing to her own experiences towards the end of season 2.
20	* DisposableFiance: Ted is engaged to Stella and about to marry her... but she ditches him right before the wedding. He's devastated but surprisingly, all of his friends sense she was not the right woman for him.
21	* DownerEnding: Ted, ever the romantic guy in love with love, in love with his fiancée and very eager to be married, gets left at the altar. This episode is actually considered one of the most downer of all the series' downer endings.
22	* TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry: Despite Stella and Nora loving each other, Stella was pissed at her sister for stealing all the details of her perfect wedding and including it into hers.
23	* FlexibilityEqualsSexAbility: Barney, trying to get straight-laced Ted to agree to have a bachelor party, tells Ted that he's lined up "three of the most physically and morally flexible exotic dancers you've ever seen." When Ted rejects the offer, Barney tells him he's still going to have his night with them anyway. Also, Nora, Stella's sister, informs Barney that she's a yoga instructor in order to seduce him.
24	* KickTheDog: Again, one of the series' most infamous examples. Ted tries to have everyone reunited on the biggest day of his life, even if that means Tony and Robin attend the wedding. This results in Tony and Stella rekindling their feelings for each other and leaving Ted at the aisle.
25	* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Ted, in an attempt to brighten Stella's mood (she was dejected because Tony wouldn't let Lucy come) invites Tony to the wedding as a way of ensuring that Lucy was present at her mother's wedding. This directly led to Stella leaving Ted at the altar and going back to Tony.
26	* ThePlace: The episode is called "Shelter Island". Shelter Island is the venue of Ted and Stella's wedding.
27	* RedHerring: The episode builds up Robin's presence as the reason the wedding implodes due to Stella's concerns about having Ted's ex there. Turns out, it was ''her'' ex that disrupted events.
28	** PlayedForLaughs with Barney's hookup. Given how Stella's sister Nora was throwing herself at Barney throughout the episode, it's clearly intended to seem like she is the girl who is in his bed when Robin comes by his room. However, after Robin walks away, Nora herself shows up, and it's revealed that the girl is actually the hotel receptionist.
29	* RunawayBride: Stella leaves Ted right before their wedding. She just writes him a note and runs away with her ex Tony who is the father of their daughter Lucy.
30	* SillySimian: Robin's co-anchor in Japan is a chimpanzee. Not very professional, but comic relief and a joke poked at the Japanese wacky media. This is actually one of the tipping points for Robin to quit her job and return to New York.
31	* StatusQuoIsGod: Robin lives in Japan for a grand total of half an episode, having moved there at the end of the [[Recap/HowIMetYourMotherS4E04Intervention last episode]] and revealing that she is moving back to New York at the end of this one.
32	* StrawVegetarian: Nora, Stella's sister, was engaged to a vegan guy, and when Ted met her, she was repeating all the vegan speeches against meat consumption. After she gets dumped, Nora is furiously eating a big steak while venting to Stella and Ted.
33	* TakeThat: To retro-hippie vegans. Stella's sister almost married to a vegan at a eco-resort, and Ted makes some jokes at their expense, and the gang are horrified to find out that the resort doesn't serve any alcohol or meat.
34	* TimeSkip: It has been three months between last episode and the current events. Robin has been working as a newscaster in Japan, Ted had been living with Stella in New Jersey, and Stella's sister's wedding is due in a few days.
35	* WhamEpisode: One of the series' biggest. Ted was about to get married, the wedding is on... and he gets left at the altar.
36	* WhamShot: The person Robin sees on her way back... is Stella, Ted's bride, wrapped up in Tony's jacket on the ferry, traveling with Tony and their daughter Lucy.
37	* UnresolvedSexualTension: Discussed. In fact, this is Stella's main basis for her "no exes at the wedding" rule. It can bring some feelings and memories back.

Context Recap / HowIMetYourMotherS4E05ShelterIsland