Marshall Eriksen is every woman’s dream guy. He had all the good qualities, he was the redeeming factor that kept HIMYM going on. Marshall was the perfect guy, he went to Columbia Law, he lawyered people left, right and center. Marshall was strong and athletic. At the same time, he had a warm, sensitive side too.
Marshall was overshadowed by the two characters of Barney and Ted. HIMYM was mostly about Ted and Barney trying to get their ducks in a row. This, unfortunately, meant injustice to the wholesome character of Marshall. As a start, let’s count ten times Marshall said something way too profound about love.
I’m Marrying That Girl
“Yeah, I’m scared, okay? But when I think of spending the rest of my life with Lily, committing forever, no other women, doesn’t scare me at all. I’m marrying that girl.”
The fact that Marshall was the yin to Lily’s yang was established in the pilot episode. Sure, their relationship went through bumps, but Marshall was always sure about Lily. He could always speak his heart out to her. Right after proposing to Lily, he chose to tell her he actually liked olives. He’d been keeping it a secret since he was eighteen. Lily’s olive theory was debunked there and then but it didn’t matter. They both liked olives and each other. How rare is that?
Our Relationship Is Based On Mutual Trust
“So, the ring’s really off, huh? Awesome. Well, just tell her I called and tell her that she’s awesome. Really really awesome. Our relationship is based on mutual trust. I can’t breathe.”
Marshall was heartbroken to discover his fiancé Lily had taken off her ring while in a pub. As a result, he started to tear up and sing to himself. No wonder Lily called him Marshmallow.
The incident takes place in “Sweet Taste of Liberty.” Lily and Robin are drinking the night away at MacLaren’s. Lily gets jealous of all the male attention that Robin’s been getting. She calls Marshall who blames the ring on her finger. Lily takes the ring off at Marshall’s advice. Poor Marshall tears up.
Fiance’s Hot Backside That You’re Dabbing!
“You wanna mess, pal? That’s my fiance’s hot backside that you’re dabbing! Baby, Please Don’t ever take that ring off again, no matter how awesome I say that it is.”
The scene is in continuation of the previous scene. Marshall is the kind of guy who’d advise Lily to take her ring off and have fun at a local pub. But his jealousy quickly gets in the way. Which means that he sobs to himself while singing. Meanwhile, Lily accidentally sits on a grape and a gay man helps her remove the stain. Marshall waltzes into MacLaren’s and is horrified to discover a man dabbing Lily’s back. He’s relieved to learn the man is gay.
Turns out, Marshall was the jealous type, no matter how awesome he said taking off the ring was.
Come On Bro, Don’t Bogart All The Funyuns
“Come on, maybe the only sentence I know is ‘come on bro, don’t Bogart all the Funyuns,’ but I know in my heart that you understand me anyway. Because no one I know has better-understood anyone better than you and I understand each other. Is this trip going to be scary? Yes. Do I like the idea of not knowing the language? Of course not, but I believe we can do this. I love you, Lily. I love you.”
Marshall convinced Lily to take up Captain’s offer to join him on an assignment in Rome for a year. Lily was afraid to tell Marshall, and scared to throw away a perfectly comfortable life in New York. But Marshall convinced her while repeating one Italian sentence he knew. He encouraged her not to say no to her dream job in his love language.
But If It’s The Right Person, Then It’s Easy
“Being in a relationship is hard. And committing, making sacrifices it’s hard. But if it’s the right person, it’s easy. Looking at that girl, and knowing she’s all you really want out of life, that should be the easiest thing in the world. And if it’s not like that then she’s not the one.”
Marshall didn’t only know how to put a strong defense, he could also communicate thoughts about love with eloquence. This time Marshall lent a piece of advice to Stuart who almost backed out of his wedding with Claudia. Whilst Ted selfishly tried to assure Stuart about going forward with the wedding, Marshall had something else to say. According to Marshall, if committing to Claudia was such a big deal, Stuart shouldn’t have to do it in the first place.
There Are A Million Reasons Why I Love You
“Lily, there are a million reasons why I love you. You make me laugh, you take care of me when I’m sick, you’re sweet, caring and you even created an egg dish and named it after me. She puts a little Italian dressing on the eggs before she cooks them, it’s called Eggs Marshall and it’s awesome. But the main reason is you’re my best friend, Lily. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”
Nothing can beat Marshall’s spontaneous wedding vows made to Lily. Marshall and Lily got married in “Something Borrowed.” Their wedding was almost ruined due to unforeseeable circumstances. There were no flowers, nor a photographer. Marshall shaved his head and Lily’s obsessive ex Scooter was at the wedding. The two decide to get married outdoors. Barney officiates the wedding, Robin and Ted act as ring bearers.
Love Does Not Boast
“Love is patient and kind. Love does not envy or boast. It is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
Weeks prior to their wedding, Marshall and Lily decided to compile a list of horrible wedding clichés that they would keep away from. Barney cited the example of the Bible verse, first Corinthians as a regular wedding feature. Robin wanted to know what the verses were. The most telling moment was when Marshall recalled the verses.
Night Night Lily
“Hey Lily, I thought since we’re going to be apart for two whole weeks, I would sing you your night-night song. Night-night, Lily Night-night, Lily It’s time to go to bed, oh, my silly, little Lily Time to rest your little head Sha-la-la-la-la Sha-la-la-la-la..”
Before their wedding, Marshall and Lily decided to live apart for two whole weeks. Finding it hard to be apart, Marshall recorded a night-night song for Lily. Marshall wrote the song, Ted appeared behind the camera, recording it. What’s lovable is how Marshall made Ted join in on the chorus.
No Questions Asked
“I’ve never asked Lily to do anything ‘No-questions-asked’ because I’ve never wanted to. She’s the love of my life. I never keep anything from her.”
The gang had a No-Questions-Asked rule which meant they asked of favors from each other without having to explain the premise. All five of them were in a No-Questions-Asked agreement with each other. But not Marshall. Turns out he never asked Lily to do anything ‘No-questions-asked’ because he never wanted to. It was there and then Marshall told Lily he’d accepted a judgeship in New York even though the couple had agreed to move to Rome.
Love Died
“Love died. The love that made you all believe in love, that’s dead now.”
Marshall utters the devastating words at his law school party. He tells his friends how Lily called off their wedding in the summer to go to San Fransico. His friends immediately jump in with the lawyer-speak. They remind him of the precedents by Smith v. and Rosenblatt, ‘74. Furthermore, if Lily’s name wasn’t on Marshall’s lease, he wasn’t obligated to give her half the deposit when he moves.
Marshall tells them that’s not the part he’s worried about. He was mourning his dead love.
