‘This Is Us’: Where Is Miguel in the Flash-Forward? 3 Theories About His Absence
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 6, Episode 2 of This Is Us, “One Giant Leap.”]
This Is Us continues to peel back layers of the Pearson family’s story through the decades, and most recently in the episode, “One Giant Leap,” the show revisited the recurring flash-forward sequence in which matriarch Rebecca (Mandy Moore) is on her apparent death bed.
Set at the dream house that Kevin (Justin Hartley) promised to have built, in honor of his father Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and for his mother, the flash-forward has revealed several of the family members and their arrivals. There are a couple of missing pieces in the sequence though. We’ve addressed Kate’s (Chrissy Metz) absence before, but the absence that was particularly obvious in this recent episode was Rebecca’s current husband Miguel (Jon Huertas).
(Credit: Joe Pugliese/NBC)
The couple had a frank discussion in the present-day timeline about the task Miguel has ahead of himself caring for Rebecca as her Alzheimer’s progresses. So, where is he amid her declining health in the future? We’re taking a look at three different options.
Miguel Is Dead
A sad possibility is that Miguel doesn’t survive to sit by Rebecca’s death bed, forcing her to go through the loss of a second husband in the throes of Alzheimer’s. It’s certainly a scenario that we’d prefer would remain a theory as bidding Miguel farewell before Rebecca’s goodbye sounds too emotional for us to bear.
Miguel Isn’t With Rebecca Anymore
In an uncharacteristic move, Miguel may have split up with Rebecca, leaving him out of the loop. But even if that was a reality in this flash-forward sequence, it wouldn’t make sense to leave him out of the mix, especially when Toby (Chris Sullivan) who is no longer married to Kate is included in the gathering.
He Just Hasn’t Been Shown in the Flash-Forward Yet
There is a chance that Miguel just hasn’t been shown off in the flash-forward sequence yet, but then again, the seat at Rebeca’s bedside was filled already by her late husband Jack’s brother, Nicky (Griffin Dunne). The spot would undoubtedly belong to Miguel if he was present in the flash-forward, right? Or maybe he’s just sitting in another room we have yet to explore in the Pearson family home.
Only time will tell for certain, but in the meantime, let us know where you think Miguel is in the This Is Us flash-forward sequence in the comments, below. And don’t miss the final season of the hit drama as it airs on NBC.
This Is Us, Season 6, Tuesdays, 9/8c, NBC
Conversation38 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Comments are closed on this story.
-
R
There was something in the second episode that I felt was a foreshadowing of miguel’s yet to be seen sickness and eventual passing. He made what seemed like a very insignificant comment about never really losing his hair... it struck me as random, but nothing on this is us is random or wasted.. Rebecca also was adamant about the fact that miguel never got the best version of her.. I think miguel finds out he has cancer.. chemotherapy treatments( loss of hair other bad side effects etc ) and Rebecca ends up caring for HIM, thus giving miguel her last, very best version of herself.
32 5
-
R
Miguel is with her to the end.........
15
-
P
Alzheimer’s frequently is so hard on the caregiver that it is not uncommon for them to pass first due to all the stress.
15 3
-
R
This is exactly very true and I wouldn’t be surprised if the writers explore this. My guess is Miguel does die which causes further decline for Rebecca.
-
-
P
Miguel is in the bathroom
13 1
-
G
Maybe Miguel is in another room speaking to the hospice nurse.
11
-
C
They are just trying to throw us off. Miguel is alive and well. He is just taking a short break and resurfaces later in the scene.
8
-
G
It’s actually Miguel who is dying.
When someone asked: “How is she doing?“ and the answer was: “They said it won’t be long now...” they may be referring to how SHE has been holding up during HIS last days on Home Hospice.
If she underwent the experimental Alzheimer’s treatments, Rebecca may actually still be holding her own and have to endure grieving the death of her second husband, Miguel.
7 2
-
O
We've literally seen her in the flash forwards lying in a bed.
2
-
R
Literally what I was going to say. She’s been featured multiple times in the bed.
1
-
-
-
C
Miguel was already a few years older than her just as Jack was. If Rebecca is supposed to be in her early 80s, the assumption would be Miguel is in his mid to late 80s. My guess is he is already dead and sadly she doesn’t know because of how far along she is with the disease.
6 2
-
O
The big 3 are only in their early 40s when Kevins kids were born. So that means they're about 50 when Rebecca is in bed. Because Kevins kids are around 9 or 10. So that makes Rebecca around 70.
-
-
R
Rebecca ops for the experimental study and drugs, and lives longer than Miguel.
4
-
O
The flash forward takes place many years in the future. The Big 3 are easily in their 60’s. It’s not unreasonable that even with Alzheimer’s Rebecca outlived Miguel.
7 4
-
G
It's not that far into the future as you may remember seeing Kevin's twins. They look to be no more than 10 years old.
21 1
-
R
Why are Kevin’s kids only 10 if Kate’s kids - Jack Jr. and the adopted sister are adults ? Maybe he has more kids later with someone else?
1
-
R
Jack Jr & Hailey (& of course Lucy & baby Hope who we see next episode!) are adults in the super flash forward. It's a further 10-15yrs beyond what Rebecca's passing will be. They are covering all timelines, including to what I believe will be the Big 3's passing with their families & legacies by their sides.
1 1
-
-
-
-
G
Miguel is allowing Rebecca to think she is with Jack and it would be too confusing for her to see him. It’s probably also too painful for him to watch her with Nicky, as Jack.
2
-
O
Miguel is picking up Kate at the airport.
2
-
O
Im hoping that it's that the family is giving him breaks and he's just away while Nicky sits with her so he can rest a bit.
2
-
P
Due to Alzheimer’s, Rebecca believes that Nicky is Jack. having Nicky by her side brings her comfort. Miguel is there, but she doesn’t recognize him anymore.
1
-
G
He had the urge for Taco Bell
1
-
G
I think he has died. His line to Rebecca in the car about being there the whole time was just too obvious. It was a setup for future devastation
1
-
G
I really hope Miguel is alive. It is possible that Rebecca thinks that Nicky is Jack….
1
-
R
I just can’t envision Rebecca having to tragically lose both her husbands. But she did make the comment to Sally last episode that she got lucky twice… maybe that’s the trade off; she got two amazing husbands, but had to bury them both.
-
P
It is 12 years after their 40th birthday so the big 3 are 52.
-
R
I think Rebecca doesn't recognize Miguel anymore and is perhaps upset with his being there (eg The Notebook). She might actually be confused and think Nicky is Jack and find comfort with him there.
-
O
I think he just is out of the room
-
O
I am hoping he is on the other room
-
O
Miguel is mostly likely deceased . As the family is gathering in the house, he would be somewhere talking . Since Uncle Nicky is sitting at Rebecca bedside, miguel should be in the room at least but he is not . So something is preventing him from doing that which most likely is death . Rebecca in the bed is mute she is not speaking . Possibly the deaths of Miguel and possibly Kate has done that to her 🤷♂️
2 2
-
P
I was thinking, at first, that Miguel was bringing Kate and her kids to the house, because they hadn’t shown her getting married to Phillip, yet.
Then, I thought that perhaps Kate and Miguel had tragically died and that pushed Rebecca over the edge, which is why she’s catatonic in those flash forward scenes.
Then, I was thinking that maybe Rebecca asked Miguel to divorce her, because she didn’t want him to have to deal with the stress of losing her.
But, now I’m thinking that maybe the stress of her living with Alzheimer’s affected his health, and perhaps he’s fighting his own disease….like perhaps he has cancer, and is laying in a hospice bed in another room in that great big house that he had built, based off of the drawing that Jack sketched all those years before. Remember, it was going to be big enough for the two of them, the three kids, and for the children the triplets would one day have with their partners. So, it’s possible that he hasn’t been shown for that reason.
3 1
-
-
O
She didn't sound like she cared for Miguel saying his vows at their wedding in another language....they went where Miguel wanted for their honeymoon...Puerto Rico....the wedding seemed to be about Miguel....where Jack was about Rebecca....she didn't seem happy. We don't know story about them getting together or how or why they ended up getting married. maybe she did because she didn't want to be alone..and this episode she seems to be getting stronger about herself and seeing Miguel is not who she wants.
1
-
G
Pretty sure we saw Miguel in the flashback last season or the season before. People also think that Kate is dead. She isn't. Toby clearly states, "Jack and Kate will be here soon." I don't understand these articles. Watch the show more clearly, people 😉
1 3
-
R
Actually, Toby says he spoke to Jack and “they are on their way”, he doesn’t mention Kate. And no, we haven’t seen Miguel in the flash-forward yet.
-
-
B
I think she makes him leave before things get really bad as she doesn’t want him to spend the rest of his life dealing with the situation.
1 4
-
O
Naw I don’t see him doing that at all. Miguel most likely has passed before Rebecca . This is the thought I had since Tuesday night epsiode about their journey together . I don’t see him leaving her side unless something prevented him from doing that
-
-
P
I’ve been thinking about that scene since Tuesday when the wedding ring on Nick’s hand was explained. I have always thought Kate was already passed when that scene took place. Randall says to Toby “she would have wanted you here”
I thought it would be heart attack or potentially Covid. Miguel is a puzzle as to where he is in the cabin scene.
I think if Miguel were alive we would have seen him by her bedside. If he passed before Rebecca and Kate passed for Rebecca that is a great deal of heart wrench in a few short episodes left.
6 14
-
R
I don't think I could bear to watch that.
-
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services