<P> The story of how Ted met The Mother is the framing device behind the series; many facts about her are revealed throughout the series, including the fact that Ted once unwittingly owned her umbrella before accidentally leaving it behind in her apartment . Ted and The Mother meet at the Farhampton train station following Barney Stinson and Robin Scherbatsky's wedding; this scene is shown in "Last Forever", the series finale . The Mother's death from an unspecified terminal illness in 2024, also revealed in the series finale, received a mixed reaction from fans . </P> <P> An alternate ending was released in the ninth season DVD . In the alternate ending, Tracy Mosby is still living when Ted is telling the story in 2030 . In the video, future Ted is heard saying, "...When I think how lucky I am to wake up next to your mum every morning, I can't help but be amazed how easy it all really was ...", indirectly stating that The Mother is alive . The video ends right after the train passes at Farhampton station and credits start rolling, implying that Ted never went back to Robin as he lived a successful married life with Tracy Mosby . </P> <P> During its first eight seasons, the successful sitcom How I Met Your Mother often hinted at the unseen character of The Mother . Well - known actresses often made guest appearances on the show . Many fans expected that another would play one of the most - wanted roles in Hollywood, but creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas wanted an unknown . Using Anne Hathaway and Amy Adams as examples, Thomas said that "We didn't want it to be a big famous star because we didn't want the wider audience to have associations with whatever actress this would be...The whole idea is that Ted's never seen this woman before, so it better feel that way to the audience", similar to how Cobie Smulders being cast as Robin Scherbatsky had "kept the show alive" when it began . Bays and Thomas also did not want a large casting call . </P> <P> They chose Cristin Milioti after seeing her on 30 Rock and Once; her musical ability was also helpful, as The Mother had been described as a band member . After competing for the role against at least two others, Milioti filmed her first scene--for the last episode of season 8--having never watched How I Met Your Mother; she recalled, "I had ignorance on my side . So I didn't know what it meant ." Milioti learned of the character's importance only after binge watching the show during the summer . </P>

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