how i met your mother
James reveals his secret to Barney during episode 2 of "How I Met Your Mother." CBS

“How I Met Your Mother” returned for its ninth and final season on Monday. The CBS sitcom had a special hourlong premiere, airing episode 1, “The Locket,” followed by episode 2, “Coming Back.” Read on to find out what happened in episode 2.

It’s now Friday at 12 p.m., 54 hours before the wedding is set to take place. Fortunately Ted, Barney, Robin and Lily were able to make it to the hotel in one piece (Marshall is still trying). But just because they are at the hotel doesn’t mean they can relax until the wedding.

Poor Ted realizes just how alone he is at the hotel when Curtis, the concierge, keeps rubbing it in. “Countless babies have been conceived within these walls,” he tells Ted. “And one grisly murder.”

Misery loves company, though, and Lily gets ranked right up there with lonely Ted when she learns that Marshall never got on his flight with Marvin. And while Ted mopes around trying to act like he’s fine, Lily decides to take a different approach by paying Linus, the bartender, to keep a drink in her hand at all times.

Hanging out all together at the hotel, “How I Met Your Mother” viewers welcome back Barney’s brother, James (guest star Wayne Brady). Barney recounts a tale about the old Stinson curse that struck his family in Moscow in 1807. According to the legend, two Stinson brothers hit an old gypsy woman with their wagon, and were struck with a curse that made them “hornier and hornier.” But Barney explains that his brother lifted the curse on his family the day that he married his husband, Tom.

What Barney doesn’t know is that James cheated on Tom (repeatedly) and is now getting divorced. Robin fears that the news will destroy Barney, and begs James to keep the divorce a secret. But the drinks Lily’s been drinking proves to be a problem when she accidentally blurts out the news in front of Barney.

Barney leaves and Robin goes chasing after him, believing that he’s going to head straight to a strip club. But Barney surprises her by instead explaining that he’s going to James’ room. When they get there he shows Robin that he decorated James’ room with a “love is awesome banner” and erotic cake to surprise his brother and Tom for their anniversary.

“I don’t need them to make me believe in true love anymore,” Barney tells Robin, and the pair snacks on a dingdong and move the decorations out of the room.

Meanwhile Marshall and his archenemy Daphne are still bent on returning to New York but come across some bad news – there are no more flights out thanks to bad weather. In a race to get to the car rental place, Marshall lucks out in getting the last car … but it’s an offensive car for an environment lover to be driving. That’s the least of his problems, though, when he learns that the car rental place is out of car seats for Marvin.

Daphne offers up a plan to Marshall: She’ll rent the car, pick up a car seat and then come back for him. While it seems like an obvious trap for her to take the keys and run, Marshall trusts her and not only hands over the keys … but also gives her $100.

When Daphne doesn’t initially return, Marshall fears that he’ll never make it to New York … fortunately she does come back though, car seat and all.

Episode 2, “Coming Back,” ends with Ted interacting with the Mother , but it’s not what you think. In a flash-forward to a year later, “How I Met Your Mother” shows that Ted brought Cristin Milioti’s character back to the Farhampton hotel.

“One year ago today I made a promise to myself at this table,” he tells her. “I’m coming back and I’m bringing you.”

What did you think of episode 2 of “How I Met Your Mother”? Let us know your thoughts on “Coming Back” in the comments section.

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