Ted Mosby's Top 5 Who Almost Could

Over the last few weeks, long time fans of “How I Met Your Mother” have been quite frustrated with the turnout of events as shown in the series finale. Honestly, it wasn't a horrible ending, but it wasn't executed as well as it could have been. Okay, no spoilers about the finale here, I promise. Having said that, let's take a stroll down the nine years of the show, and look at some of the potential candidates, who could have been “the Mother”, and had even won our hearts, but didn't make the final cut. And no, I'm not putting Robin on this list, because Robin's unparalleled.

5. Naomi: Naomi who? Naomi, The -- I shall refrain from using the adjective -- Pumpkin. We've known about her but were unaware of her identity since the first season, when during a Halloween party Ted reminisces about meeting a girl a few years earlier at another Halloween party, who was dressed as a pumpkin. Ted lost her number and ever since, every Halloween he dresses as a “hanging chad” to find her. Well, he eventually does, in season seven, but they lack chemistry, and Ted finally gets over the Pumpkin. The entire case portrays how we wait patiently for something for so long, and in the end the idea of it is more appealing than the thing itself.

4. Cindy: Cindy and Ted almost could. She was a student at the university where Ted was a professor, but they couldn't date due the university policies. Ted tries to make her understand that they were meant to be together by pointing out things at her room that would signify so, but it turned out that those were all her roommate's, who turns out to be “The Mother” eventually. Only if Cindy had her own things in her room! She soon comes out of the closet, though, and it was because of her that Ted finally gets to meet his future-wife.

3. Stella: Ted's fiancé, who left him at the altar and went back to her former lover. Pretty brutal. Well, to be honest, her chemistry with Ted was overpowering. They met when Ted went to her to get rid of a butterfly tramp-stamp, and they fell in love afterwards. Ted even got close to her daughter, to whom he read bed-time stories. The best part of their relationship was the “two-minute date” that Ted takes Stella on, and precisely why she is here on the list, because it was a moment to remember.

2. Zoey: Ted's love-hate relationship with Zoey was one to cherish. They had a difference of opinion over the demolition of a certain establishment, but they had sparks too. To suppress that, Zoey tries to find a date for Ted, but only when it doesn't work out, she and Ted realise that they were in love with each other. Zoey divorces her husband, The Captain, and starts dating Ted, trying not to let their difference of opinion come in the way. But fighting gets the best of it, and Ted finally chooses his professional interest over her. Too bad, Mosby, you almost could.

1. Victoria: They meet at a wedding, and decide to never see each other again after that one amazing date (Episode: Drumroll, Please), so they don't disclose their names. But Ted couldn't get her out of his head and goes to extreme measures and finds her. They date, and it is one beautiful relationship, till Ted messes it up by trying to hook up with Robin after Victoria moves to Germany to pursue a cooking fellowship. Six years later, they meet again, but Victoria is engaged. Still, she abandons her husband at the altar and reunites with Ted. Things were going smooth and she might have gone on to become “The Mother”. But she didn't. Why? Because she demanded Ted stops being friends with Robin, which he denied. However, she did have his best interest in mind, and wished that he someday gets Robin. This random act of niceness, coupled with Ted's undeniable bonding with her, makes Victoria the champion of Ted's exes.