'How I Met Your Mother' Season 9, Episode 18 'Rally' Recap

This week's episode of "How I Met Your Mother" was another frame for flash backs and flash forwards, a chance to tie together another bucket load of loose ends before the conclusion of the series. This one worked better than most of this season's similar episodes have, though, and some important revelations were delivered in a humorous manner (as opposed to irrelevant facts delivered in a markedly unfunny way, which had been the norm in many episodes thus far).

After Barney's night of being "truth serum drunk," he's unconscious in the grip of an epic hangover, and the gang is desperate to wake him up in time for the wedding photo shoot. While Lily and Robin try everything they can think of to revive Barney, Marshall and Ted set off to reconstruct the secret formula for Barney's "Hangover Fixer Elixir," the glowing green concoction that Barney has used over the years to perk each of them up when they needed it the most.

In the process, we discover some small things about the past—Ted isn't really allergic to bacon—and some ho-hum things about the future—Marshall will be elected to the New York State Supreme Court, and Ted's wife will publish a book.

But we also get some real gems—finally, a kiss between Lily and Robin (with shocking results), and the origin of Marshall's "Big Fudge" nickname. There's also an ambiguous hint that Barney and Robin might not remain childless forever, although that one could be a red herring.