(Spoiler alert: Please do not read on unless you’ve watched the Season 2 finale of “This Is Us.”)
And you thought the flashbacks on “This Is Us” would be the death of you. (Sorry, too soon, Jack?)
Tuesday’s Season 2 finale of the NBC tearjerker dealt with many a present day problem for the Pearson family, but ultimately ended happily with Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Toby (Chris Sullivan) tying the knot — and a beautiful dream of Kate’s involving a vow renewal between Rebecca (Mandy Moore) and Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) on their 40th anniversary. (So that’s what “Old Jack” was all about.)
Of course, who would creator Dan Fogelman be if he didn’t give you something new to worry about over the hiatus? Namely, a series of flash-forwards.
In the final moments of the episode, as Randall (Sterling K. Brown) gives a toast at his sister’s wedding, we see glimpses of the future. Some seem optimistic and not too far off, and others are way down the road and hint at some serious tragedy.
“It’s taken me 37 years to accept the fact that there is absolutely zero point in trying to control the future,” Randall says. “Cause nobody knows where we’ll be. Not even a year from now.”
We then cut to Kevin (Justin Hartley) on a plane headed to Vietnam, gazing at a picture of Jack from when he fought in the war. Snuggled up next to Kevin is Beth’s (Susan Kelechi Watson) cousin Zoe — a character fans were first introduced to earlier in the episode when she showed up as the wedding photographer. The beginning of their romance is seen in a meet-cute by the punch bowl during the reception.
Next we move to Kate’s future, where things aren’t looking as chill. She approaches her now-husband Toby, lying in their bed with a vacant expression on his face. Kate tells him they need to go in to see his doctor to talk about “adjusting his meds.” What meds? Is this one of those “depressive episodes” his parents mentioned right before the wedding?
Oh, right, back to the present where Randall is giving this moving speech, while Deja (Lyric Ross) is smashing up the windshield of his car cause someone at the wedding thought she looked like his biological daughter (she’s working through some stuff, guys).
“But what we can control, are the people we choose,” Randall says. “Choosing our people is the closest we come to controlling our destiny. Because, while everything else may change, if you choose right, your people will stay the same. Whether that’s tonight, or a year from now, or 10 years from now.”
How about like 20 years from now? Cause that’s about how far off the last flash-forward seems. In the brief scene, future versions of Randall and Tess, who we first saw earlier this season, are sitting together looking completely shook. “It’s time to go see her, Tess,” Randall says to his adult daughter (pictured above). “I’m not ready,” she tells her dad. “Me neither.” See who? Beth? Is it Beth? Is she okay? What is going on here?!?
Congratulations, “This Is Us.” You’ve given fans plenty to obsess over till September. (Yes, the show doesn’t come back till September.)