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The Exploding Meatball Sub

‘The Exploding Meatball Sub’

Season 6, Episode 20 -  Aired April 11, 2011

Lily does her best to support Marshall when he quits his job at GNB to take a position at the NRDC. Barney, however, is distraught to no longer be working with Marshall. Meanwhile, Ted and Zoey don't see eye-to-eye on anything.

Quote from Barney

[After Barney gets off the phone with Marshall, he trashes his own office:]
Robin: Oh, my God!
Barney: How long have you been there?
Robin: You don't remember?
[flashback to three minutes earlier:]
Robin: Hey. I was in the neighborhood. I just wanted to check in on you. You seemed, um, you seemed really upset the other day.
Barney: Oh, no, I'm fine.
Robin: Okay. Well, um, you want to go grab some lunch?
Barney: Sure. Hey, are you okay if I invite Marshall to join us?
Robin: Yeah.
[present:]
Barney: Right. So, um... Chinese?

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Quote from Ted

Ted: You know, just because Zoey and I are a different kind of couple than you and Marshall doesn't make us a worse couple.
Lily: You're right. If you and Zoey are happy, then who am I to judge? I'm so sorry.
Ted: Oh, my God, is that how support feels? It's so warm and wonderful. Oh, Lily, I've been so unhappy.
Lily: But I thought you liked being challenged.
Ted: Nobody likes being challenged! Couldn't she agree with me just once, even on something little, like... like what movie to see or what topping to get on our pizza or... oh, I don't know my lifelong dream of building a skyscraper in New York City?!
Lily: Well, in her defense, hamburger pizza, Ted? What are you, 12?

Quote from Lily

[Ted and Lily talk outside the airport, near two police officers:]
Ted: Wait, what do you mean you're going to Spain?
Lily: You were right. If I hear myself say "Baby, you have my full support" one more time, I swear I'm gonna murder someone!
Ted: What are you gonna tell Marshall, huh? And when are you coming back?
Lily: I honestly haven't thought it all the way through, and I don't intend to. All I know is that I'm a ticking time bomb, and if I don't do something for me right away, I swear I'm gonna explode!
Ted: Wow, tha... That's an evocative metaphor to use for your nonthreatening, totally patriotic emotions. U.S.A.!

Quote from Marshall

Lily: Listen, Marshall, I-I need to talk to you about something.
Marshall: No, you know what? Me, too. Um... I want to thank you for being so supportive of me in all this. I've been at the NRDC for less than a week, and I've already done more to be proud of than in two years at GNB. I can't believe how good it feels. But now, it's time for me to find a way to help the Earth and get paid for it, because I can't put that burden entirely on you. So, starting tomorrow, I'll look for something with a paycheck. What do you think?
Lily: Baby, you have my full support.

Quote from Future Ted

Zoey: Ted.
Ted: Hey! What are you doing here?
Zoey: This is really important to Marshall, so I came to show my support.
Ted: This you can be supportive of?!
Zoey: What is that supposed to mean?
Ted: I have the chance to build a skyscraper in the best city on Earth, and who's the one leading the charge
to kill that dream? My girlfriend!
Zoey: Whoa, whoa, whoa. What about my lifelong dream of not seeing every beautiful building in Manhattan bulldozed?
Future Ted: [v.o.] And in that moment, I realized, though I really cared about Zoey, I couldn't do this for the next 50 years. I had to break up with her. But then... [Ted sees Zoey with the "graduation goggles"] Kids, some couples always support each other, and some couples always challenge each other, but is one really better than the other? Yes. Support is better. Way better. But I'd have to learn that the hard way.

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