Warning! Spoilers ahead for This Is Us season 6 premiere.

Rebecca (Mandy Moore) is a better parent than Jack (Milo Ventimiglia), This Is Us season 6 premiere proves. The NBC family drama has returned for its final stretch after an extended hiatus. Debuting in 2016, the show follows the Pearsons as they navigate the highs and lows of life. While its primary narrative takes place in the present time, its non-linear storytelling allows the show to continue featuring Jack despite his death in the late '90s. 

This Is Us takes pride in its grounded storytelling and relatable characters. Each member of the Pearson family has their own strengths and weaknesses, which makes it easy for viewers to be invested in them. But from the get-go, the show has actively depicted Jack as the ideal father figure. He isn't perfect; he struggled with addiction and carried the trauma of being raised in an abusive household. But despite all of this, his unwavering devotion to his wife and his family more than makes up for those flaws. Inadvertently, however, this has made Rebecca look like the lesser parent between the pair. 

Related: Why This Is Us Is Ending With Season 6

But, This Is Us season 6 premiere proves that Rebecca is a better parent than her dead husband. In the episode titled "The Challenger, " the show features the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster of 1986. At this point, the six-year-old Big Three deal with the tragedy, which they watch live on TV, differently. Kate seems to process it the best, but her brothers struggle with their feelings. Jack attempts to talk to Kevin while Rebecca consoles Randall. The couple discusses their respective conversations in bed later that night, and while Rebecca's read on Randall being an empath turns out to be true, Jack's prediction about Kevin isn't. The Pearson patriarch theorizes that despite Kevin's refusal to open up about his thoughts on the space catastrophe mean Number One would grow up to be an emotionally mature man who can figure out difficult situations. However, this can't be farther from the truth as 41-year-old Kevin is currently struggling with both his professional and personal life. 

Jack and Rebecca in This Is Us

This effectively highlights that Jack, for the most part, is just good at saying things in an effort to make things feel and seem better. His words and anecdotes historically helped his kids navigate their respective personal issues, and he did give genuinely great advice. But this moment suggests that Jack’s tendency to be optimistic means that he likely disregarded certain harsh realities to paint a better picture of what's really happening. Interestingly, it isn't different from what young Kevin is seen doing in 1986 on the heels of the Challenger tragedy. Nothing in Number One's reaction to the accident supports Jack's prediction about Kevin growing up to be a well-adjusted adult. Instead, his refusal to talk about the experience should've been a cause for concern for the Pearson patriarch as it's an unhealthy way of dealing with trauma. On the other hand, Rebecca is spot-on with her prediction; her theory is heartbreaking, but at least it was based on Randall's behavior. 

As This Is Us begins its final run, the show's storytelling now starts to focus on Rebecca. For most of the series, Jack's life and his impact on his family have been the central theme of the drama. But now, it's only fitting (despite being a tad too late) that it gives the Pearson matriarch her due, considering how much of her life she's also devoted to raising the Big Three. 

More: This Is Us Just Secretly Revealed Why Kate & Toby Will Split Up

This Is Us season 6 airs new episodes every Tuesday on NBC.