The ‘This Is Us’ fall finale featured another flash-forward and a new twist. The Pearsons gathered for Thanksgiving and many revelations were made.
It’s Thanksgiving for the Pearsons and This Is Us explores multiple celebrations throughout the years. Michael Angarano returns as young Nicky to reveal Nicky and Jack’s last Thanksgiving before the draft. This is the last Thanksgiving they ever spent together, too. When their old man is drinking up a storm, Jack and Nicky ditch Thanksgiving dinner and go celebrate at the bar.
In the present day, Rebecca and Miguel arrive at Randall and Beth’s place. Randall apologizes to his mom and says he didn’t mean to overstep the day before. Rebecca gets frustrated and wants to keep their argument between them. She then tells Randall that she’s going to take a walk and she’ll be back before dinner. On the flight over to Philadelphia, Kate finally tells Toby about Gregory actually being the one to feed Jack his first solid foods. Toby is upset and annoyed that Kate kept this from him.
Randall realizes that a box of their old Thanksgiving tradition stuff is at the old house. When Nicky and Kevin arrive, Nicky offers to go with Randall and Annie to get the box. Tess and Kevin get to spend some quality time while Nicky, Randall, and Annie are gone. She opens up to Kevin about whether or not she should come out on Instagram. Everyone is posting a photo of their number one celebrity crush. She’s crushing on Zendaya and she’s not sure if she should tell the truth.
During her walk, Rebecca thinks she sees young William at the park. Obviously, it’s not him. She goes to the grocery store to buy flowers and leaves her phone there. She finds herself at a restaurant and soon realizes she doesn’t have her phone. Rebecca freaks out over having to call her son but she can’t remember his number. The police eventually have to drive Rebecca home.
Shawna comes by for Thanksgiving dinner and she reminisces with Deja about old memories. Kate and Beth go off to talk and Beth confesses that she hates that Shawna is doing so well. Beth is still unsure about her place in Deja’s life. Kate confesses that she hates CrossFit Toby. Later, Deja comes to Beth upset. “Why couldn’t she be like this for me?” Deja cries. Beth comforts Deja and tells her to not forget all the good times she’s had with her mom.
Nicky prepares a Thanksgiving dish for everyone when he returns with Randall and Annie. “I’ve learned that traditions inspired by Jack Pearson are the backbone of this family,” Nicky says. “Thanksgivings growing up weren’t great but we made due.” He’s prepared five pounds of Thanksgiving shrimp for everyone. “It’s for Jack,” he continues. “To my brother and new family traditions.” Kate and Toby’s Jack carries out the tradition of the Thanksgiving shrimp in the years to come.
Nicky also tells Kevin that it’s time for him to move back to Los Angeles. Nicky says he’ll call Kevin if he needs him. Tess comes out on Instagram with her crush post about Zendaya. When Toby asks Kate to grab his phone, she sees a group chat he’s in. One lady in the group chat texted him about Kate, “Don’t let her bring you down. Here for you.” Kevin vows to have a wife and kids by the time he’s 40. Randall notes that’s only 9 months away.
Rebecca finally turns up for Thanksgiving after going to see The Irishman. Randall apologizes again but this time around Rebecca has a confession to make. “I was halfway through the trailer of Cats when I couldn’t remember the movie I was seeing. I think I need to see a doctor,” she tells Randall.
Rebecca’s excursion earlier in the episode is actually from a flash-forward. The police end up dropping her off at the family cabin. Kevin, Kate, and Miguel are there. Kevin’s fiancee is there as well but she’s in the back room with morning sickness. Kevin is engaged and having a baby with a mystery woman. When Rebecca asks where Randall is, Kevin snaps, “Randall’s not coming. We’re not speaking, remember?”