Over its nine seasons, hit sitcom How I Met Your Mother seen the central five characters develop massively. Coming in as fresh faces in their twenties, still figuring out a lot of aspects in life, the group settles in their lives throughout the story of Ted meeting his children’s mother.

The character who perhaps changed the most, was the show’s most iconic character, Barney Stinson. While the finale did undo a lot of the brilliant work done in early seasons, Barney still underwent many changes throughout the show, developing his character. Here are ten of the most significant ways Barney Stinson changed between How I Met Your Mother’s first season and the finale.

FINDS OUT HE IS ONE QUARTER CANADIAN

Barney’s disdain for Canada is well documented throughout the show with his tormenting of Robin, and insults towards the country, claiming at points to have never even heard of it.

In the season seven episode “The Slutty Pumpkin Returns,” though, it comes out that Barney himself is one-quarter Canadian. Barney reacts awfully to this news, and from there, Barney goes from tormenting to tormented about the country and nationality.

OPENS UP ABOUT HIS PAST

Barney is known as a cool, corporate, suit-wearing, womanizer, with a severe lack of care, and a lack of empathy for others. Fans find out early though that Barney had not always been like that.

It is revealed that Barney was once in a relationship with a girl Shannon, and worked in a coffee shop, intending to join the Peace Corps with her until a man in a suit called Greg Fisher took her. This past life is brought up again in later episodes as, despite his womanizing ways, Barney lost his virginity at twenty-three after sleeping with an elderly friend of his mother.

REVEALS HIS JOB & GETS HIS REVENGE

Barney’s job is a mystery throughout the show, answering “please” anytime someone asks. In season nine, however, Barney finally reveals it to Ted and Robin when he gets to the point of drunkenness that he can only tell the truth.

He reveals that “please” is an acronym, standing for “Provide Legal Exculpation, Sign Everything.” This job ultimately means Barney is a scapegoat for AltruCell, and then GNB. But, after his wedding, Barney reveals to the man who hired him and who stole Shannon from him, that he has been working with the feds, and gets Greg arrested.

HE MEETS HIS REAL DAD

Barney’s tough upbringing and strained family life become well documented throughout the show. His mother lied to him constantly, even making him half believe Bob Barker is his birth father. In season six, though, Barney’s father is revealed to be his uncle Jerome.

Later, Barney meets his biological father, his wife, and another son. Barney is bitterly disappointed by his father and needs to be convinced by the gang to meet him again. Eventually, their relationship did have some growth, with Jerome even attending Barney’s wedding.

GIVES RELATIONSHIPS A SHOT

Known as a loner, a womanizer, a guy who is anti-marriage, anti-commitment, and anti-relationship, Barney always loved his single lifestyle. Eventually, through the show, though, Barney did come to give relationships a shot.

He goes into a toxic relationship with Robin before breaking up. He later meets Nora, who gives Barney a second chance, and the two seemed to work well until Barney cheated on her with Robin and dumped her at the promise Robin would dump Kevin, and they would be together. Then there was Quinn, who Barney seemed to fall for, even getting engaged, before it became apparent they could not work.

WORKS ON HIS INSECURITIES AND ISSUES

Barney is a deeply flawed person in a lot of ways, but one that fans cannot help but adore. He has a plethora of personal issues and problems evident throughout the show. As the show goes on, Barney does show growth and works on a lot of these.

He opens up more about his emotions about things while still being reserved. His abandonment issues are something that Barney grows with and works on. He helps his friends when they do not even know it, despite giving an image of being too cool to care, he does, and that care grows continuously. As well as all that, Barney seems to slowly grow out of a lot of the issues with his mother, even if some remain, He stops lying to her about a fake family and learns not to believe some lies she told him growing up. Overall, he grew as a person, and in his maturity.

FALLS IN LOVE

Barney is a frequent hater on love. He is a single guy who sleeps with an insanely unhealthy amount of women, and that is the life he wants to lead for a good portion of the show. That is until Robin.

The two were together for a while but broke up. But, even throughout his other relationships, Barney never got over Robin. He fell, and remained in love with her, going from the most anti-love person on the show, to at a couple of points the one who craved it most.

MARRIES (& DIVORCES) ROBIN

Perhaps even more than love, Barney appeared to despise the idea of marriage. But, when he knows that he needs Robin and is madly in love with her, he sets up an elaborate play to get her back and marry her.

The long drawn out plan known as “The Robin” worked. The two got engaged and the entire ninth season built around their wedding. The wedding came, but in the finale, it is revealed that they divorced three years later, much to the anger of fans.

HE HAS A BABY

Following the divorce, Barney goes back to his womanizing ways. He aimed further than he ever had with his goals as a player going for the perfect month, thirty-one women in thirty-one days. On the last day, Barney got the woman pregnant.

Barney was so against having children and was dreading the day. But, when the day came, and Barney saw his baby girl, Ellie, for the first time, he fell in love. He told her how much he adored her and cried as he held her in one of the shows most emotional moments.

HE GIVES UP THE PLAYBOY LIFESTYLE

When Barney’s daughter is born, it changes Barney. While he was not in a relationship with the mother, known affectionately as Number Thirty-One, Barney reveals in the future, that he is happy raising his daughter.

Ellie made Barney realize he has to settle down, he has to give up the sleeping around, and he gains a whole new perspective on life. He even scolds two young girls who not long before he would have simultaneously hit on. Fans may hate the finale, and what it undid to Barney’s character, but the final piece of growth is undeniable despite its bumpy road.