Season 1 of NBC's smash hit This Is Us is officially over, and the finale left fans with plenty of lingering questions to ponder over as they wait for the Pearson family to return. The biggest question remains, how does Jack die? Well, the answer is still a long way off, but the This Is Us cast debunked several Jack death theories during their recent Paleyfest panel.
Entertainment Weekly reports the cast were quick to shoot down the ideas that Rebecca or Kate are in some way directly (or indirectly) responsible for the Pearson patriarch's untimely demise. Miguel as a murderer was also dismissed — poor, Miguel, that guy just can't catch a break. Meanwhile, over at TV Line, the popular Jack dies in 9/11 theory was also squashed for good.
However, when moderator Kristin Dos Santos discussed the clues surrounding the idea of Jack dying in a plane crash, EW reports the crowd is still holding on to the theory. Since there was a tragic 1994 plane crash outside of Pittsburgh where the show is set, Jack may still end up dying during a routine business trip. One thing is for certain about the looming loss of Jack, the cast knows how it happens, but beyond shooting down the more out there theories, they are keeping quiet on the subject for now.
If anything, fans should be focused on how much they really know about Jack. Season 2 is going to delve deeper into the character, who for so much of Season 1 appeared to be the perfect father and husband. There is no denying Jack is a good man, but he is not on the best path, and viewers' perception of him may have been warped slightly by perspective.
During the PaleyFest panel, executive producer Glenn Ficarra told the crowd,
"The great thing about the show is it’s kinda like this spider web where we’re able to go off in all directions and delve deep into people. We got to see Jack from a certain perspective this season, and I think we might get him from another perspective in other characters [next season]."
There are still so many stories yet to be told about Jack and his time with his family, that there is no need to rush to the end. Playing with perspective in Season 2 is a wise move. Seeing Jack from Miguel's point of view or Rebecca's during his drinking days could reveal layers to the character that have only been hinted at so far.
Whatever comes next, I strongly suspect Jack Pearson's life is going to be way more interesting than his death.
