Marshall Eriksen
Encyclopedia
Marshall Eriksen is a fictional character in the American sitcom How I Met Your Mother
, created by Carter Bays
and Craig Thomas
and portrayed by Jason Segel
.
. At the start of the series, Marshall lives with his best friend Ted Mosby
and long-time girlfriend, Lily Aldrin
; he proposes to her in the pilot episode, which inspires Ted to get married and settle down.
Born in 1978 and of Scandinavian descent
, Marshall met Ted and Lily during their freshman year at Wesleyan University
. Before entering University, he seemed to have studied, for an unknown period, in a public high school in Canadian French-speaking province of Quebec, as briefly displayed in Season 6 Episode 6, at about 4'29. He is a Columbia Law School
graduate. Even though he stands at 6 in 4 in (1.93 m), he is the shortest male member of his family, which has invented the sport of "baskiceball". Marshall became a lawyer because he was interested in environmental protection
laws. Ultimately, he accepted a job at a corporate law firm where his only client is an amusement park riddled with various safety violations. He later joins the legal team at Goliath National Bank, where Barney Stinson
also works.
He and Lily have a solid, loving relationship, but it has been tested at various times throughout the series. In "Come On", Lily, who has been having cold feet about their approaching wedding, announces that she has been accepted to an art fellowship in San Francisco and leaves to find out who she is outside of a relationship. Marshall is devastated and spends the next few months in a deep depression
. When Lily returns to New York and asks him to take her back, he refuses, his pride still wounded. They eventually reconcile and resume their engagement in "Swarley
", and get married, albeit with some complications, in "Something Blue".
Marshall is fascinated with the paranormal
, specifically Sasquatch and the Loch Ness Monster
, both of which he believes are real. He can play the piano fairly well, as seen in the episode "Slapsgiving
", where he performs a song after slapping Barney. In the episode "Sweet Taste of Liberty
", he claims that he has never fought anyone before, but proves he is a formidable and experienced fighter in the episode "The Fight
", having survived several brutal fights with his brothers.
It is revealed in "Last Cigarette Ever
" that in the future, he and Lily have a son. In early 2011, after being told Marshall and Lily are capable of having a baby, Lily tells Marshall that his father had a fatal heart attack, which shakes Marshall to the core. Marshall and his friends agree his dad's last words towards him were "I love you", but they were actually about a foot cream. During his father's funeral
, Marshall says in his eulogy that the last words his father ever said to him were "...rent Crocodile Dundee III..."
In the season six finale
, Lily announces to Marshall that she is pregnant.
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
, created by Carter Bays
Carter Bays
Carter Bays is an American television writer. Along with writing partner Craig Thomas, he is best known as creator, writer, and executive producer of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. He has 70 episodes of the show under his belt from 2005-2009, and has been nominated for six primetime Emmy...
and Craig Thomas
Craig Thomas (screenwriter)
Craig Thomas is an American television writer, he, along with writing partner Carter Bays, has written episodes of American Dad!, Oliver Beene, Quintuplets and the hit CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, which they created in 2005. He has been nominated for six primetime Emmy Awards...
and portrayed by Jason Segel
Jason Segel
Jason Jordan Segel is an American television and film actor, screenwriter, composer, puppeteer and musician, known for his work with producer Judd Apatow on the short-lived television series Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared, the films Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Knocked Up, I Love You, Man,...
.
Character profile
Marshall is an easy-going, naive optimist from St. Cloud, MinnesotaSt. Cloud, Minnesota
St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 65,842 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Stearns County...
. At the start of the series, Marshall lives with his best friend Ted Mosby
Ted Mosby
Theodore Evelyn "Ted" Mosby is the titular fictional character of the U.S. television sitcom How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Josh Radnor...
and long-time girlfriend, Lily Aldrin
Lily Aldrin
Lillian "Lily" Aldrin is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by American actress Alyson Hannigan. She is the wife of Marshall Eriksen and the best friend of Robin Scherbatsky...
; he proposes to her in the pilot episode, which inspires Ted to get married and settle down.
Born in 1978 and of Scandinavian descent
Scandinavian American
Scandinavian Americans are Americans with ancestral roots in Scandinavia...
, Marshall met Ted and Lily during their freshman year at Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
. Before entering University, he seemed to have studied, for an unknown period, in a public high school in Canadian French-speaking province of Quebec, as briefly displayed in Season 6 Episode 6, at about 4'29. He is a Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
graduate. Even though he stands at 6 in 4 in (1.93 m), he is the shortest male member of his family, which has invented the sport of "baskiceball". Marshall became a lawyer because he was interested in environmental protection
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
laws. Ultimately, he accepted a job at a corporate law firm where his only client is an amusement park riddled with various safety violations. He later joins the legal team at Goliath National Bank, where Barney Stinson
Barney Stinson
Barnabas "Barney" Stinson is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Neil Patrick Harris. The character has been extremely well received by critics and has been credited for much of the show's success...
also works.
He and Lily have a solid, loving relationship, but it has been tested at various times throughout the series. In "Come On", Lily, who has been having cold feet about their approaching wedding, announces that she has been accepted to an art fellowship in San Francisco and leaves to find out who she is outside of a relationship. Marshall is devastated and spends the next few months in a deep depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
. When Lily returns to New York and asks him to take her back, he refuses, his pride still wounded. They eventually reconcile and resume their engagement in "Swarley
Swarley
"Swarley" is the 7th episode in the second season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on November 6, 2006.-Plot:...
", and get married, albeit with some complications, in "Something Blue".
Marshall is fascinated with the paranormal
Paranormal
Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...
, specifically Sasquatch and the Loch Ness Monster
Loch Ness Monster
The Loch Ness Monster is a cryptid that is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, though its description varies from one account to the next....
, both of which he believes are real. He can play the piano fairly well, as seen in the episode "Slapsgiving
Slapsgiving
"Slapsgiving" is the 9th episode in the third season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 53rd overall. It originally aired on November 19, 2007.- Plot :...
", where he performs a song after slapping Barney. In the episode "Sweet Taste of Liberty
Sweet Taste of Liberty
"Sweet Taste of Liberty" is the 3rd episode in the first season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on October 3, 2005.- Plot :Barney has decided that it is time for Ted to get out of his routine of going to the same bar...
", he claims that he has never fought anyone before, but proves he is a formidable and experienced fighter in the episode "The Fight
The Fight (How I Met Your Mother)
"The Fight" is the tenth episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 74th overall. It originally aired on December 8, 2008.- Plot :...
", having survived several brutal fights with his brothers.
It is revealed in "Last Cigarette Ever
Last Cigarette Ever
"Last Cigarette Ever" is the eleventh episode of the fifth season of the CBS situation comedy How I Met Your Mother and 99th episode overall. It aired on December 14, 2009.- Plot :...
" that in the future, he and Lily have a son. In early 2011, after being told Marshall and Lily are capable of having a baby, Lily tells Marshall that his father had a fatal heart attack, which shakes Marshall to the core. Marshall and his friends agree his dad's last words towards him were "I love you", but they were actually about a foot cream. During his father's funeral
Last Words (How I Met Your Mother)
"Last Words" is the fourteenth episode of the sixth season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother and the 126th episode overall. It aired on January 17, 2011.-Plot:...
, Marshall says in his eulogy that the last words his father ever said to him were "...rent Crocodile Dundee III..."
In the season six finale
Challenge Accepted
"Challenge Accepted" is the twenty fourth and final episode of the sixth season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother and the 136th episode overall. It aired on May 16, 2011.-Plot:...
, Lily announces to Marshall that she is pregnant.