Now that the cat's out of the poorly-contained bag, and 'How I Met Your Mother' has officially been renewed for a full ninth season to carry us into 2014, the question remains how much of the current season will be altered to delay the show's inevitable reveal. Some have theorized that season 9 could actually involve the mother rather than delay her reveal for the very last episode, but what does Craig Thomas have to say on the matter? What about the ninth season does the series creator say will be different from all the rest?

While 'How I Met Your Mother's' appeal often rests on the strength of its characters alone, many fans have remained anxious for the CBS comedy to finally deliver on the promise of its title, and introduce Ted Mosby's future wife once and for all. The recent addition of a ninth and final season would seem to delay the inevitable revelation, but series co-creator Craig Thomas sees the change as a blessing in disguise.

Talking with TVGuide, Thomas previewed that the new season would feel strikingly different from the others, so much so that "It's going to be a new way to tell the story. You're never going to mistake a season 9 episode from one of the previous eight." While both Bays and Thomas previously made clear they wrote the first half of season 8 as a build-up to a finale, Thomas admitted that having only 10 more episodes "would have felt a little disappointing. My fear is that it would have felt rushed. I would have always looked back with regret. It was by no means a guarantee that it would go to season 9, and we were scared for a minute that it was going to be eight and out."

So, what do you think? Do you think the mother will be woven into the final year, setting 'How I Met Your Mother' season 9 apart from the previous eight? Will the reveal be saved for the last episode? Give us your theories in the comments below, and don't forget to check out Robin Sparkles' return in tonight's all-new episode "P.S. I Love You!"

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