This Is Us season 2 finale recap: Season 2 finale Episode 18, “The Wedding.” Aired March 13, 2018.
Break out the tissues, everyone, because this was the most beautiful season finale I have ever seen. There was not one moment that wasn’t perfect as we witnessed so much in such a short amount of time. Between Deja’s struggle with her mom leaving, Kate feeling emotional over not having Jack there, to Kevin and Randall trying to be good wedding planners, this episode had it all. From laughter to tears, we had many moments that left us choked up.
Wedding planning
We discover that Kevin and Randall shared the role as wedding planners, although Randall was distracted with things going on at home. Ever since Shauna admitted to a judge she wanted to terminate her parental rights, Deja has been closed off and distant with them.
In the midst of trying to prepare to head to the family cabin, they do one of their routines of imagining worse-case-scenarios before getting the girls ready to go. As they prepare to go to the wedding, Kevin is there with Toby and Kate, ready to give his sister the perfect day.
Memories
Kate is looking forward to her big day and even gifts Toby with a special bowtie. He has to leave to go pick up his parents, who are coming into town for the wedding. With Toby gone, Kate goes to find her special shirt she wanted as her something old. It belonged to Jack, and when she can’t find it, she becomes distressed. Even though Kevin and Randall try to help (from calling Toby and looking through items that belonged to their dad), it’s not enough for Kate.
When Kate leaves without telling anyone, it leads Kevin and Randall on a journey of realizing they were so focused on themselves that they didn’t look after their sister. Kevin and Randall may butt heads, but when they have their moments, their bond is powerful. It is the same for their love for Kate. Randall realizes he wasn’t present when she needed him, and for Kevin, Kate took care of him more than he did her.
Mom
Rebecca arrives to the cabin only to see Kate rush off. Having been concerned about inadvertently upsetting her daughter, Rebecca worries throughout the episode that she did something to hurt her. When Kate calls her later, she learns her daughter has been dreaming about her mom and dad renewing their vows. She hasn’t been able to figure out what the dreams meant until she realizes Toby wasn’t in the dream.
The dreams were trying to show Kate that she needed to open her heart so Toby had room. Jack took up so much space that there wasn’t room for her husband-to-be. Kate has a moment with Jack’s urn—a beautifully heartbreaking scene in which Kate finally spreads the rest of her dad’s ashes.
When she returns to get dressed, she has an amazing scene with Rebecca. She admits to her mom that she was never in Kate’s way and she just wanted to be as great as she was.
Assumptions
The audience learns some more about Toby in regards to his previous marriage. His parents bring up their worries that Toby is marrying someone with a lot of baggage. They don’t want him falling into another depressive episode if his marriage doesn’t work out. However, Toby stands up to his parents about being in love with Kate and wanting to marry her.
Toby was amazing in this scene, showing just how much he loved Kate and was ready to take this step. His parents may have had a point about her having baggage, but they don’t know Kate’s history like Toby does. He has truly been the support system she needed, and we can only hope she is there for him given what we saw in one of the flash forward cliffhangers.
The photographer
Beth’s cousin, Zoe, has been given the job of wedding photographer. In addition to being the photographer, Beth has also asked for her help with Deja. When Zoe was younger, she was abandoned by her mother and lived with Beth’s family. She, too, lashed out greatly and has a talk with Deja about how she will one day not feel angry and out of place.
Zoe’s methods appear to work, until an off-hand comment from Toby’s mother leads Deja to do something drastic. We have to wonder if being told she looks like her dad (who the woman assumes to be Randall) brought up feelings Deja has about her own father. Only time will tell.
The Wedding
Kate and Toby have a beautiful wedding with their entire family present. Tess and Annie made for adorable flower girls for their aunt. During the toast, Kevin got the tears flowing when he talked about how even though Jack wasn’t there to celebrate his Katie girl, he knew what his dad would say. His speech was beautiful and needed in that moment.
Plus, we got a surprising look at Kevin in a flash forward. He apparently has a relationship with… Zoe? We see him traveling with her, being very intimate, and holding his dad’s Vietnam photo. The two meet for the first time at his sister’s wedding. I have to say I am very intrigued and I hope Kevin is in a place where he could begin anew.
Randall also gives a speech, talking about learning to give up control and letting things flow. He had his own flash forward as well, when we see a serious moment between him with an adult Tess, talking about needing to see someone. This was concerning, since we don’t know who “her” is.
It could be Beth or Deja since that seems to be in line with what is happening in the present. Or the show could throw in yet another twist with something going on in Annie’s life that has led to a strain between the sisters. So between Toby’s issues, a new romance, and an unknown strain, next season is sure to be a wild ride.
We will see you in a few months when This Is Us returns to NBC. Until then, tell us what you thought of the episode below or find us on Twitter!
(Featured image via Ron Batzdorff/NBC)
