Rebecca has finally arrived at her destination on the train known as life. While the Pearson family says goodbye to Rebecca, fans should start saying their goodbyes to This Is Us.
This Is Us Season 6 Episode 17 Recap: The Train
After years of teasing the flash-forward, the show finally arrives at Kevin’s house as the Pearson family began their final goodbyes to Rebecca. One by one, every member of the extended family said their heartfelt goodbyes to the Pearson family matriarch. Annie thanks her for the inspiring words about her size. Toby praises her for always believing in him. Beth tells her to rest easy, saying it’s her turn to take care of Randall.
Kevin and Randall are waiting for Kate, who is flying back from London after a business trip. The nurse believes Rebecca will not last through the night. It’s a race against time for Kate. More on this later. Meanwhile, Rebecca is on a train, waiting for someone to arrive. First to greet Rebecca is William, who invites her to the bar cart. Although Rebecca is waiting for someone, she agrees to go for a walk. As they move from cart to cart, Rebecca sees the Pearson family at different stages in their lives – childhood, teenage years, and adulthood.
Rebecca reaches the bar, and much to our surprise, Dr. K is the bartender! Dr. K offers to make her a drink with lemons, a flashback to his famous saying, but Rebecca elects for a vesper, a drink her father would have gotten on a fancy train like this. Dr. K injects his soothing presence into the scene once again, praising Rebecca for her toughness and attitude. Rebecca sees different versions of Randall and Kevin in the cart, but Kate is noticeably missing since she is still not back from London. Dr. K lets Rebecca continue her journey with William on the train.
Back in the house, an adult Deja tells Randall that she’s pregnant. However, she’s hesitant to tell the father. Who is the father of Deja’s child? It’s none other than Malik, who shares his enthusiasm with Deja over the pregnancy later that night. The Pearsons then gather in the living room as they listen to Joni Mitchell and share their fondest memories of Rebecca. The night ends with Kevin and Randall the last ones standing as they head to Rebecca’s bedroom. As the boys talk, Rebecca continues to see her sons on the train. Unfortunately, Kate is still missing.
Before Rebecca reaches the caboose, the show takes us to the hospital the night of the housefire and Jack’s death. There is a family that got into a car accident, and their little boy, Marcus, is fighting for his life in surgery. Jack and Marcus’s father trade stories over coffee. When Marcus’s father worries that his son won’t make it, Jack shares the same advice that Dr. K gave him the night of the Big Three’s birth. Take the sourest lemon that life has to offer, and turn it into something resembling lemonade. That becomes the motto for Marcus’s family as Marcus goes on to develop medicine to combat Alzheimer’s.
Here’s the twist. At the hospital the night of Jack’s death, both Jack and Marcus were seen by the same doctor. The doctor left Jack, who was in stable condition, to help an unconscious Marcus in the operating room. Marcus survives, but Jack dies. Had the doctor not left to help Marcus, Jack would have survived.
Finally, Rebecca reaches the caboose of the train, which is an empty room with a bed. She refuses to go in because someone still hasn’t arrived. That special someone is Kate, who comes rushing into the house and sits with Rebecca at her bedside. When Rebecca tells William about her sadness, he says that if something is sad when it ends, it must’ve been pretty wonderful. I agree, William.
Rebecca finally accepts her fate. She gets in bed, turns around, and sees Jack laying next to her. Reunited at last.
Next week, we all say goodbye to this show. See you then.
What are your thoughts on this episode? Tweet me, at @danny_giro.
