Marshall from How I Met Your Mother seems to be the luckiest of guys at first. He is dating his one and only soulmate, Lily; he lives with his best friend Ted; and he has loving parents. He went to an Ivy League university and got himself a law degree. Later on in the series, he becomes a father and effortlessly nurtures his existing relationships. While it's true that Marshall is a great partner and a friend, he often shows up as one at the expense of himself.
Each character has a tragic side to them. Because he is a pushover who doesn't know his worth, this amazing guy often ends up struggling the most out of the whole friend group. Everything isn't always as blissful in someone's life as it looks from the outside, and Marshall is a more tragic figure than it seems when you dig a little deeper.
Lily Left Him To Pursue Her ion
Marshall and Lily were introduced in season 1 as soulmates, but it didn't take long until Lily started showing her true colors, the worst things she has ever done to him.
The truth of the matter is that she could have easily found an art school in NYC. She wasn't honest about the fact that she felt suffocated. Who knows, maybe she wouldn't have come back if it wasn't for Barney going there to get her.
Lily Doesn't Get Along With His Overbearing Mom
The sad thing about Lily not getting along with his mother is twofold. He has to continuously pick sides when the two women meet, and he is blind to the fact that Lily is usually right. His mother is attached to her children in an unhealthy way since she loves to meddle in their lives and fails to see them as adults.
Family means a lot to Marshall and it's really sad that he chose to spend his life with a woman who doesn't feel the same way about his family as he does, even if Lily isn't entirely blameless in feeling the way that she does.
He Is Made Fun Of For Being Emotional
Marshall has an emotional side and he refuses to apologize for it. From preferring fruity cocktails over whiskey neat to celebrating his inner sassy goddess, Marshall is often made fun of for not being manly. He is a pacifist who hates fighting, even though he is great at it thanks to his childhood and his older brothers.
Barney made fun of Marshall for wearing a night gown rather than cool pajamas. Luckily, Marshall doesn't seem to bothered about it.
He Often Gets Homesick
In the episode "Little Minnesota," Robin is feeling down because she is missing Canada. Marshall takes her to the Walleye Saloon where he feels at home. It's where Minnesota natives gather and talk about the Vikings. Robin often talks about Canada in one way or another.
Marshall, too, feels out of place in the Big Apple, but it is not discussed as often as Robin's situation is.
The Settler And The Reacher
The "the settler and the reacher" theory was first introduced in "Jenkins." Ted and Robin agree that Marshall is the reacher in his relationship, implying that Lily settled for him and that she is out of his league. Ted was being a horrible friend when he said that about his supposed best friend Marshall.
Lily, too, instantly identified herself as the settler. When she realizes that the attractive coworker Jenkins kissed Marshall, she goes about the issue in the most immature way possible, punching the other woman and also never bothering to validate Marshall's feelings throughout the whole incident.
He Is A Doormat
Marshall struggles to stand up for himself when needed. He could have dated so many other women besides Lily. It could be argued that his unconditional loyalty to Lily is romantic, but realistically, he is also incredibly codependent. He doesn't know how to be alone at all.
His life revolves around helping other people. He was taught by his parents to always be polite, but he often abandons all respect and concern for himself because of it.
He Had To Get A Corporate Job
Marshall is a seriously underrated character in regards to what he feels ionate about. He became a lawyer because he wanted to save the planet and fight global warming, a noble pursuit indeed.
The saddest thing about Marshall's career path is that there is not a lot of money in environmental law. With a baby on the way, he had no choice but to sell out and go work for the same corporation that Barney worked for, which was soul-crushing for him. On the other hand, it was one of the nicest things Barney ever did for him, proving that their friendship is just as valuable as Ted and Marshall's.
"I'm Not Ready For This."
One of the saddest moments on How I Met Your Mother was definitely the scene where Marshall finds out that his father had died. The script that Jason Segel got stated that in the end of the episode, Lily will tell him that she is pregnant.
As she delivers the devastating news, Marshall's reaction is raw, painful and realistic— something that is quite unusual for sitcoms. "I'm not ready for this..." he mutters as Lily weeps on his chest.
Lily And Her Grand Rome Plan
Marshall and Lily had two major fights throughout the series. The first deal breaker was Lily's decision to leave Marshall and go to San Francisco. The second big fight was very similar: Lily got a job offer from The Captain to work as his art consultant in Rome. Meanwhile, Marshall got an offer he couldn't refuse: He could become a judge and have an actual say in the world.
The saddest thing is that Lily couldn't understand his point of view at all. She accused him of going behind her back. That's pretty ironic coming from a woman who deliberately broke up several of Ted's relationships, proving that she is a master manipulator.
His Best Friend Is Too Needy
Marshall is a truly patient man. He offers to all his friends when they need it, so much so that he finds himself lacking the great system that he deserves. He has to listen to Ted going on and on about being single while over-romanticizing this elusive idea of love. Marshall has endless patience with him, but Ted has none for Marshall. He is a difficult roommate too as he is nitpicky and an insufferable complainer.
Ted is outspoken about being jealous of Marshall and Lily. Marshall in return kind of puts up with him, just like he does with Lily.