HIMYM – Trilogy Time

Just in Time for the Season Finale, Ace Demonstrates that Even our Fave Shows Know What’s Up

Do you know why I love How I Met Your Mother?  It is not because it’s a fantastic love story in reverse with all kinds of twists, turns, and backstories…but rather because they reference Star Wars at least 5-6 times a season and will often spend an entire episode relating something to it.  For instance, in Season 3 Ted is in a new relationship with Stella and he comes across a disturbing discovery: Stella has never seen Star Wars.  Shocked, he turns to Marshall for advice:

Marshall: She’s never seen Star Wars? Ted, the only people in the universe who have never seen Star Wars are the characters in Star Wars and that’s cause they lived them Ted, that’s cause they lived the Star Wars.

Later, Stella goes on to watch the masterfully epic film, A New Hope, and lies to Ted about liking it.  That’s when I knew Stella wasn’t going to end up with Ted- HOW DO YOU NOT LIKE STAR WARS?

Now, it’s the 7^th season and the writers at How I Met Your Mother took it to another level with “Trilogy Time”.  This was something I already tried to implement for myself many years ago but have not lived by its creed like I should.  So, I’m laying down a new How I Met Your Mother rule that we should all live our lives by.  Every three years you should watch the original trilogy of Star Wars in one sitting.  Before each sitting, you should reflect on the last time you “Trilled it up” and then imagine how awesome your life is going to be three years from then, the next time you watch. 

Marshall: If you’re not Trilin’ it at least once every 3 years….the Dark Side wins.

Well put, Marshall.  Who would want the Dark Side to win?

So, here’s what you’re going to do- Set aside 382 minutes to watch the Trilogy in all ofits magical glory, make a plan for your future and then make that plan happen.  Believe me when I say in three years when you sit down to watch the Trilogy again, your life will be that much more awesome:

Ted: Every three years we sit down and Tril it up, agreed?
Marshall: A-greedo!

You’ll be older and smarter and hopefully living your dream.  But, that’s just what How I Met Your Mother taught me this week. 

Also worth noting:  In one of the last scenes of this particular episode…they flash forward to 2015 and show the next Trilogy time.  Ted’s daughter had been born and Barney is complaining about how Ted had to bring a chick with him- this was to show that in three years, things really can go from crap to amazing.  Also, Barney leans down real close to the kid and whispers, “Han shot first.”  True story.

The hour long season finale of How I Met Your Mother will air on March 14^th at 8:00PM on CBS.