This character’s death in ‘This Is Us’ changed the fate of some key characters

An absolute tearjerker across its six-season run, This is Us has seen an uptick in the number of fans this year after it got added to Netflix’s library in January.

Spoilers ahead for This is Us season 2!

Presented in a non-linear manner that depicts the events of the past, present, and future through a typical episode, the show had epic moments sprinkled throughout, which helped it create an emotional connection with its viewers. One such pivotal moment happens in the 14th episode of the second season, “Super Bowl Sunday,” which unravels the reason behind Jack Pearson’s (Milo Ventimiglia) death.

It’s shown that a malfunctioning pressure cooker catches fire at the end of the 13th episode, leaving the Pearsons fighting for their lives as their house gets swallowed by fire in front of them. Episode 14 continues from the same point, showing Jack Pearson frantically helping everyone escape the fire on the night of Super Bowl XXXII, January 1998. Rebecca (Mandy Moore), Kate (Hannah Zeile), and Randall (Niles Fitch), the dog and family memorabilia, are saved from the fire, while Kevin (Logan Shroyer) is absent.

Once the firefighters and the paramedics arrive, they advise Jack to visit the E.R. as a precautionary measure against inhaling excessive smoke. Jack and Rebecca make a visit to the hospital to get some routine tests done for him and also get his burns checked. As doctors are about to run the tests and Rebecca excuses herself to make a short trip to the vending machine, Jack passes away from a heart attack because of smoke inhalation. Rebecca returns to find her husband dead in utter dismay, leaving the fans shell-shocked and rooted to their sofas.  

Jack’s death marks a vital point in the series, as it affects all the central characters of the show. The biggest changes are seen in the three children, who are shown to be of high school age during the events of Jack’s demise. While the death occurs in the second season, Ventimiglia continued to make appearances as Jack Pearson as This is Us ran its course, thanks to its non-linear structure. By the second season, a lot of details regarding Jack’s past were unknown, which were revealed later in the subsequent seasons.