Though This Is Us season 5 wrapped up with a quieter ending, the season finale, titled "The Adirondacks" features a couple of unexpected plot turns that set the stage for the final stretch of the Pearsons' story. Like many TV shows, the NBC hit drama had gone through a tumultuous year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The show premiered its recently-finished outing significantly later, hence why it's also ending a couple of months later than usual. Additionally, This Is Us season 5 only had 16 episodes compared to the typical 18 that was the original plan.
Still, the NBC family moved forward with its storyline. Stories about the past continued to connect to what the Pearsons have been going through in the present. After a rocky patch, Randall and Beth are stronger than ever; he also finally got closure with the mystery surrounding her mother, Laurel. Kate and Toby, despite the challenges they faced with Baby Jack, have successfully adopted a daughter named Hope, which was one of the highlights of This Is Us season 5. Among the Big Three, Kevin had the most eventful year as he and Madison became first-time parents, and of twins. As for Rebecca, the Pearson matriarch seemed to be doing better than expected compared to when she was first diagnosed with her degenerative disease.
Since This Is Us prides itself on realistic storylines, season 5 also incorporated the coronavirus into its narrative. It's a divisive creative move, but it also allowed the show to justify the characters spending time apart and wearing masks during actual scenes for safety purposes. That said, it also forced This Is Us season 5 to change its original plan, making it more intriguing to see how its final season will play out. Here's everything the season 5 finale set up.
Why Madison Doesn't Marry Kevin (& What It Means For Sophie)
While Kevin was outright committed to becoming a father to his twins, it wasn't a walk in the park to find the perfect dynamic with Madison. Number 1 proved that he's learned his lessons and is no longer one to run away from responsibilities, hence why it didn't take long for him to propose to the mother of his kids. Once Nick and Franny were born, the unusual couple focused on tying the knot which was going to be the big event for the This Is Us season 5 finale. But although Kevin had come to terms with the idea of getting married again, Madison realized that she couldn't push through with the wedding because it's clear that her fiancé doesn't love her.
So in the end, they backed out of the wedding; as sad as it was, this also opens up the possibility that Kevin ultimately ends up with Sophie in This Is Us. Reconnecting with his first love caused the eldest Pearson kid to hesitate about marrying Madison and it's clear that amidst everything he and Sophie went through, they're still in love with each other. It's worth noting that in This Is Us' major flash-forward, Kevin is revealed to be married, and with this break-up with Madison, chances are that he eventually reconciles with Sophie. As for his almost-wife, it doesn't seem like there's bad blood between Madison and Kevin as the mini flash-forward in the This Is Us season 5 finale showed them still having a fun dynamic.
This Is Us Season 5 Finale Flashforward Confirms Kate and Toby’s Divorce
Admittedly, Kevin and Madison's decision to not push through with their wedding wasn't that surprising. There had been red flags throughout their relationship and while it's possible that they could've made it work, it made so much more sense that they didn't tie the knot. However, the biggest shocker of the This Is Us season 5 finale was the revelation that Kate and Toby ultimately break up. In the episode, the Damons opted for an unconventional set-up where Toby works with a new company in San Francisco three days a week while Kate stays in Los Angeles with the kids as she also continued her part-time teaching gig. The pair was so confident that they could make it work, but in the mini-flash-forward, it's revealed that they, unfortunately, didn't; the couple parted ways with Kate marrying her current boss, Phillip.
This was such a disappointment especially since they seemed to have finally stabilized their relationship following struggles with Kate's pregnancy, Toby's depression, and overall, the difficulties of raising a family. The couple still had issues, but it seemed as though they were strong enough to survive them. For what it's worth, it does seem that Kate is genuinely excited to marry Phillip as seen in the flash-forward sequence. However, it also makes Toby's fate in the far future so much sadder. One of the first few scenes that This Is Us showed as it tackled the nearing death of Rebecca was Toby without his wedding ring and clearly once again depressed. It's worth noting that in that This Is Us future, Kate is still nowhere to be seen, so while Toby joins the family as they get ready to say goodbye to the Pearson matriarch, he might not even reunite with his ex-wife there.
What Rebecca's Dementia Getting Worse Means For This Is Us
It's been more than a season since it was confirmed that Rebecca is suffering from Alzheimer's disease and it has caused concern for the people closest to her. This plotline was somewhat sidelined in This Is Us season 5 partly because the show had to make concessions to push through with production during the pandemic. However, the season finale clearly teased that it will be a major factor in the show's final year as it should since it will expectedly revolve around her life and future death. In the episode's final group scene, Rebecca admitted to her kids that it's becoming more difficult to visualize Jack with them. It could be because of their growing family with more grandchildren now, but Rebecca never had any problems imagining her first husband and incorporating him in the many milestones the Pearsons have had since he passed away.
This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman previously revealed that while the first three seasons of the show mainly focused on Jack's story, its final three will put the spotlight on his wife. But, coming into season 6, it has yet to really delve into Rebecca's story the way they did with the Pearson patriarch. As This Is Us season 6 revolves around her death in the future, it's safe to assume that more of her personal story will be tackled in the upcoming year. Perhaps she begins to reminisce about her childhood more frequently which gives the show the opportunity to explore that largely uncharted time period.
How This Is Us Season 5's Ending Sets Up Season 6
Interestingly, This Is Us season 5's finale didn't give a new glimpse at the far future for the Pearsons as they gathered to say goodbye to Rebecca just like its previous years. However, considering the many sneak peeks that have been peppered throughout its last several years, chances are that NBC is saving much of what goes down during the time period in This Is Us season 6 instead. The two major twists in the finale will be further tackled once the show returns for fresh episodes sometime in early 2022. For Kevin, that means potentially reconnecting with Sophie and perhaps even restarting their romance. At this point, it's clear that the pair is meant for each other that it would be a disappointment if they don't end up together. Meanwhile, there are some very difficult times ahead for Toby and Kate as This Is Us shows the destruction of their marriage, leading to Number 2 marrying Phillip. Finally, Rebecca will be at the forefront of This Is Us season 6's storytelling; aside from showing her final moments, the remainder of the show will have to inevitably show her gradually losing her memories as her family supports her all the way.