‘This Is Us:’ The Pearson Family Attends Jack’s Funeral

Brittany Rivera
TV
TV

Spoiler Alert: This post contains spoilers from This Is Us episode titled “The Car.” Proceed with caution.

Just when fans thought This Is Us couldn’t get any more emotional, the show followed up the big reveal of Jack‘s death with an episode about his funeral. In flashbacks, it also showed why the family car was so important to the Pearsons’ lives — especially the healing of old wounds between Randall and Kevin.

The Funeral

Randall This Is Us

In the aftermath of Jack’s death, the Pearsons are all coping with their feelings of guilt. Kate still feels guilty that Jack went back inside to save her dog. Rebecca can’t bear to have Jack’s urn out of her sight because of the guilt she faces over missing his last moments. She was getting a candy bar from the vending machine when he went into cardiac arrest, something that she revealed in the previous episode that still haunts her.

Luckily Dr. K comes to the funeral to give Rebecca a shoulder to cry on and some of his classic good advice. He tells her how strong she is and that she has made “the sweetest pitcher” of lemonade with the lemons life has given her. While Rebecca is dealing with her own emotions, she must also be there for her children.

Randall blames Kevin for never being around when the family needs him. Kevin blames Randall for letting Jack go back into the house. Both boys are trying to fill the void in their family left by their father’s death and lashing out at each other in the process.

Growing up, Randall and Kevin were never very close, something that Jack tried to fix time and time again. Now, without him, it looks like Randall and Kevin may finally try work on their relationship and learn to lean on each other in difficult times.

Looking Into the Future

Big Three in the car This Is Us

“I see my family okay in that car.”

Rebecca says that sometimes it seemed like Jack could see the future the way he knew how things were going to happen. He predicted the ending of movies. He knew how the kids were going to turn out. And he predicted he would die before Rebecca. Jack convinces the car salesman to sell him a car he cannot afford because he sees his family’s future in that car. He knows the car will protect them and hold their memories.

Looking back, so many important moments happened in that car, from the boys learning how to drive, to picking the kids up at school, to private talks between the couple. The fact that the car outlasts Jack just proved he knew what he was talking about and that he is providing for his family even after his death.

This Is Us returns February 27th at 9PM on NBC.

Brittany Rivera
Writer. Fangirl. Lover of hockey, coffee, superheroes & sci-fi. Always reads the book first. Specializes in writing about the shows that make you cry. Can also been found writing for Screen Rant & The Marvel Report.