Marshall tries to lure Ted to the roof of his apartment, where there is a surprise party waiting for him, but Ted is too determined to keep his architecture firm alive by working all night. Meanwhile, Robin learns that Barney has special feelings for her.
This episode provides examples of:
- An Aesop: Life is full of risks. Things might work well beyond of what you expected if you are willing to take them.
- Artistic License: When Marshall is standing on the roof, about to jump, during Ted's surprise party snow can be seen on the streets below even though it is April and everybody is wearing short sleeves and summer clothing.
- Badass Biker: Marshall wants to be one after he finally took the leap. Lily defied him, however.Marshall: I did it!Lily: Baby, you did it!Marshall: I can do anything!Lily: Yes you can!Marshall: I'm getting a motorcycle!Lily: You absolutely are not!
- Big Damn Kiss: Barney and Robin.
- Birthday Episode: Ted's 31st to be exact.
- Blond, Brunette, Redhead: Barney's "Girl of the Week", Robin and Lily respectively.
- Book Ends: The beginning and ending of the episode has "Prophets" by A.C. Newman playing in the background.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: The scene where Lily lies about being pregnant is a reference to Alyson Hannigan actually being pregnant at the time. She
hides it with the 31-sign. - Call-Back/Continuity Nod: Tons;
- The centerpiece of the plot is the fact that Marshall had decided to throw Ted the exact same birthday he did the previous year, complete with the goat (which ultimately kicks Ted's ass).
- Marshall saying "I can jump that far" was one of the five word sentences every man says back in "Three Days of Snow".
- The move "The Mosby" refers to the events of the pilot episode, where Ted ruined a sure thing with Robin by saying he loved her after their first date.
- Missy the goat ruining Ted's birthday was foreshadowed all the way back in Season 1.
- Ted was brought at the same hospital he was admitted to in the previous season finale, complete with being tended by the same nurse.
- Sven, the architecture "collective" that Ted despises, was the one who rack jacked his restaurant project. They even used their Dinosaurs Are Dragons design for Goliath National Bank, simply adding a cowboy hat to the top of it.
- The climax was foreshadowed in "Three Days of Snow".
- Before he takes the leap, Ted looks back at everything that happened to him this season, specifically being left at the altar, being knocked out by Doug, the crazy bartender, getting fired and being beaten by Missy the goat at this very episode.
- The teaching job that Ted ultimately took was offered to him by Tony in in the previous episode.
- The fight between Ted and Missy the goat is set to The Foreskins' song "Murder Train".
- Casting Couch: This is implied to be the play that Barney is running on his Girl of the Week. She's an aspiring dancer fresh off the bus from Iowa, and he just so happens to be the producer of the Rockettes.
- Cross-Cast Role: Missy is actually portrayed by a male goat.
- Double-Meaning Title: The Leap could either mean the literal one at the episode's climax or Ted, Barney and Robin making life-changing decisions (career change for the former, Relationship Upgrade for the latter two).
- Earn Your Happy Ending: This is perhaps the most positive finale of the entire series, which can only be rivaled by the Revised Ending of the extremely controversial Grand Finale. Future!Ted's Call-Back to everything that happened to him this season and his resolution is perhaps the icing in the cake.Future!Ted: That was the year I got left at the altar. It was the year I got knocked out by a crazy bartender. The year I got fired. The year I got beaten up by a goat, a girl goat at that. And damn it if it wasn't the best year of my life. Because if any of those things hadn't happened, I never would have ended up in what turns out to be the best job I ever had. And more importantly, I wouldn't have met your mother.
- Eiffel Tower Effect: Shots of the George Washington Bridge and the New York City skyline are gloriously shown at the beginning of the episode.
- Event Title: Though the gang only did it at the end.
- Everyone Loves Blondes: Barney's "Girl of the Week".
- Foreshadowing: According to Future!Ted, the titular mother attended the class he'll teach.
- Heroic Resolve: The gang leaping is a metaphor for this.
- In a Single Bound: The titular leaping.
- I Was Beaten by a Girl: Ted when he realizes Missy the goat is a girl.
- Lady in Red: Barney's "Girl of the Week" is a beautiful woman wearing a bright red dress.
- Relationship Upgrade: Barney and Robin sealed it with a Big Damn Kiss.
- Samus Is a Girl: "Mr. Goat? Ted, that goat's a girl. Her name is Missy."
- Season Finale: The fourth one.
- Series Continuity Error: Before the leap, Robin, Barney and Ted are all wearing black dress shoes. However, during the jump, they are shown to be wearing sneakers. When they land, they are back in dress shoes.
- Shout-Out: The pool on the roof could possibly be a reference to the 1989 movie Weekend at Bernie's.
- Teacher/Student Romance: According to Future Ted, the titular mother will be a student at the class he will teach. Ultimately subverted, however, since they only get together after the Mother has left school. Not to mention that, as is revealed in the next episode, Ted was in the wrong classroom, so she wasn't ever technically his student.
- Theme Music Power-Up: "Prophets" by A.C. Newman played
gloriously when the gang leaps.
