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Does Rebecca Pearson Die in ‘This Is Us’ Final Season? Mandy Moore Got Sick Over Her Character’s ‘Upsetting’ Fate
Saying goodbye is never easy. The This Is Us penultimate episode brought back some familiar faces as Rebecca Pearson (Mandy Moore) seemingly succumbed to her Alzheimer’s. Keep reading for This Is Us spoilers and everything we know about how her story ends.
Does Rebecca Die on This Is Us?
The episode — titled “The Train” — aired on Tuesday, May 17, and followed the apparent last moments of Rebecca’s life. While the present day Rebecca was asleep in a hospital bed, her younger self seemingly rode a train to the afterlife. Viewers watched as her family, including kids Kevin (Justin Hartley), Randall (Sterling K. Brown) and Kate (Chrissy Metz), said their individual goodbyes. On the way to her final destination, Rebecca also met up with previously deceased characters who made a surprise return during her train ride.
Ron Cephas Jones, who played William — Randall’s biological father — came back to guide Rebecca through the train ride. Gerald McRaney, who played the doctor that delivered Kevin, Randall and Kate, also made an appearance to offer her some last-minute advice. Jon Huertas‘ Miguel — who died earlier this season — also had a brief chat with his wife.
While surrounded by her kids in the real world, Rebecca entered the train’s caboose in her head. After appearing to come to terms with her fate, she lies in bed next to her first husband, Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and said, “Hey.” Following the episode, fans took to social media and shared their reaction to the character’s emotional end.
While the episode didn’t blatantly confirm Rebecca died, it is very much assumed due to her reunion with her late husband in the final moments, as well as a the symbolism of her train ride. However, fans will have to stay tuned for the series finale on Tuesday, May 24.
What Did Mandy Moore Say About Rebecca’s Death?
This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman recalled the Chasing Liberty actress’ reaction to the heartbreaking news about Rebecca during a PaleyFest panel in April.
“The second to last script – I sent [it] out to the cast and it made Mandy throw up,” he said, according to Today. Mandy, for her part, added, “It was so beautiful and upsetting. That was my physical reaction.”
She spoke at-length about the second-to-last episode on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon weeks later.
“I will tell you that the penultimate episode, which airs in like a week, I threw up after I read it,” she teased at the time. “And maybe that’s just because it’s really close to the bone for me. This has been my life for the last six years and it’s like I simultaneously have to say goodbye to the character, to my family and friends on set, and this character’s also coincidentally saying goodbye as well. So there’s a lot wrapped up in it.”
Mandy added, “It destroyed me. I have a feeling it might destroy people too.”
