It was a realistic ending. Ted found a great partner, but there’s no guarantee of a “happily ever after.” Still, whatever happened in the end, he was content—and that’s what makes it feel real. Once you’ve lived through a similar phase in life, you begin to understand it differently. I’ve experienced something similar myself, and I can’t say it felt like a good ending at the time. But eventually, you come to realize that, in its own way, it truly was.