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Plot Summary
The events of How I Met Your Father‘s second episode unfold one week after the events of the pilot. It begins with Sophie (Hilary Duff) in 2022 lying in bed, lamenting her very short-term relationship with Ian (Daniel Augustin). Meanwhile, Valentina (Francia Raisa) is attempting to distance herself from Charlie (Tom Ainsley) by setting him up to be friends with Sid (Suraj Sharma) and Jesse (Chris Lowell). Additionally, Ellen decides to put herself back into the dating pool.
Compared to the first episode, which was fairly fast-paced, Episode 102 is slower and arguably messier. Instead of Duff’s character being at the center of the plot, we are given more insight into Sid, Jesse, Charlie, Valentina, and Ellen. The episode begins with 2050 Sophie telling her son that the story of how she met his father has always been about the journey, not the destination. This sentiment is echoed throughout the episode with each character getting to share a bit of the limelight.
Side Quests (in How I Met Your Father Season 1 Episode 2)
Beginning at The Pemberton, we are given more insight into each of the characters’ inner worlds and aspirations.
Sid wants The Pemberton to be a place with regulars, ordering the usual, a classic blend of New York and “litty titty”, as the kids say. Jesse is still recovering from being rejected after his pining after Sophie. Ellen is ready to get back into the dating game after being inspired by Sophie’s triumphant walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Lastly, Charlie looks forward to establishing a friendship with Sid and Jesse.
When the gang reunites at Club F.O.M.O. we see the situation devolve as one by one each member of the group drifts away to do their own thing and each having had gone to the club with their own motives. This ultimately results in each of these How I Met Your Father characters becoming distracted, kicked out, or leaving Club F.O.M.O. for The Pemberton.
Back in the Atmosphere
At the Pemberton Valentina and Sophie makes up with the rest of the gang and finally sit together at a table to talk and enjoy some drinks. This is where the episode closes, but this is also where it gets very interesting. Stay with me, allow me to put my English degree to use.
At the start of this How I Met Your Father episode, it is revealed that Sophie’s comfort sing is “Drops of Jupiter” by Train. According to Valentina, she listens to and sings this song whenever a relationship or potential relationship fails. The line, “Tell me, did the wind sweep you off your feet? Did you—” is sung by Sophie twice. The sweeping wind in this, of course, is the relationship with Ian that never came to fruition and that amazing first date she had with him.
At the end of the episode at The Pemberton, Jesse plays “Drops of Jupiter” and reveals that it is also his go-to song. Keep in mind the night’s events at Club F.O.M.O. and how the situation devolved. With everyone back at the bar, Sid has regulars, and Charlie has established his usual drink order, gin martini with a twist.
At the close of this second episode of How I Met Your Father, these two groups of people solidify their relationship as one group. In the background, the first third of Train’s “Drops of Jupiter” plays (specifically 00:00 to 0:1:13). Returning to 2050 Sophie and the retrospective narration, she reflects on that night with her friends at The Pemberton where she decided to stop texting Ian, to stop living in that transient, shooting star moment of the past, and to live in the moment instead.
Train says it best. Heaven was overrated, now Sophie is back in the atmosphere.
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