Once This is us revealed that Milo Ventimiglia's Jack Pearson was dead in the current timeline, it was only a matter of time before viewers discovered the details surrounding his death, and one season 2 episode held all the answers. The NBC television drama series premiered on September 20, 2016, and was an immediate hit thanks to its non-linear storytelling, well-crafted twists, excellent performances, and emotion. Although the show has evoked many emotions throughout its six seasons, one of the most heartbreaking and mysterious stories revolved around Jack's death as he was a beloved and significant character.
The end of the series premiere revealed that Kevin, Kate and Randall were Jack and Rebecca's children. But beforehand, the episode made the audience believe that Rebecca's birth and the Big Three celebrating their 36th birthday were happening around the same time. Viewers may have thought nothing could shock them more after the pilot. However, the second episode revealed that Rebecca was married to Jack's best friend, Miguel, in the current timeline, and a few episodes later, fans learned that Jack had died. Unfortunately, viewers would have to wait until season two to find out how and when the Pearson family patriarch died.
Jack has a heart attack on This Is Us Season 2 Episode 14
His death was predicted at the beginning of the series
This is us season two, episode 14, “Super Bowl Sunday,” premiered after Super Bowl LII on February 4, 2018, and the hour finally gave (for better or worse) fans what they wanted so badly – the truth behind Jack's death.
The circumstances surrounding the tragedy were provoked in the episodes that preceded it, but the moment exposed everything. A malfunctioning slow cooker caught fire at the end of episode 13, and the next episode picked up right where the previous one left off, with the Pearson family home in flames on the night of Super Bowl XXXII in January 1998.
Jack got everyone (and the dog and family memories) out of the house, including Rebecca, Kate and Randall, when they woke up to the house on fire – Kevin wasn't home at the time. Firefighters arrived at the scene, but were unable to do anything and the structure was completely destroyed. While Rebecca, Kate and Randall were fine, the paramedics recommended that Jack go to the hospital for an examination because he inhaled a lot of smoke. Jack and Rebecca complied, while Kate and Randall stayed with Miguel.
While they were in the hospital, Jack was treated for burns and doctors planned to run some tests on him. But when Rebecca left the room to make some calls and get snacks from the vending machine, Jack had a heart attack due to smoke inhalation and they were unable to save him. The doctor informed Rebecca, and she didn't believe him until she saw her husband's dead body lying in the hospital bed. This scene was without a doubt one of the most harrowing moments of This is usand Jack's death completely changed the lives of the other characters.
How old was Jack Pearson when he died
Jack died in 1998
The Pearson family home caught fire on the night of Super Bowl XXXII, which took place on January 25, 1998. By the time Jack and Rebecca arrived at the hospital and Jack died, it was the next day. As Milo Ventimiglia's character was born on August 31, 1944, he was 53 when he died.
The Big Three were seniors in high school and had a lot of plans about what they would do after graduation. But his father's death changed everything, as can be seen in the following episodes. This is us Season 2, Episode 14 and the show's current timeline.
How Milo Ventimiglia Remained a Central Character on This Is Us Despite His Death
Even though Jack died in This is us Season 2, Episode 14, Milo Ventimiglia was still an integral member of the cast and had a significant role in the series. The NBC drama didn't follow a linear path, meaning it often jumped around in time (including the past, present, and future) to tell the story of the Pearson family.
At the time the series showed Jack's death, much was still known about his past, like the time he spent in Vietnam and what happened to his mother. As a result, This is us was able to keep Jack as a central character, and Ventimiglia remained a series regular until the final season.
How Jack's death was handled compared to other deaths on This Is Us
Jack's death was a well-known tragedy
The show dealt with death in a very realistic way…
However This is us did not follow a linear path in its narrative, many of its characters' deaths were surprising to the audience as the timeline changed. Jack's, however, was something that viewers anticipated and knew how to watch for from the start of the show. This expectation that his character would meet his end fueled the tragedy, because the way he died was still very surprising to the audience.
This is us did a great job of making each death on the show impactful for the audienceand not used just to shock, even when they were surprising. The deaths in the series didn't just happen in one episode and be swept under the rug in the next. The characters suffered, suffered trauma and the deaths of those they cared about changed the way they lived their lives. The series dealt with death in a very realistic way, and this also applies to Jack's passing in the series.
While every death in the series is handled with the same attention to detail and careful storytelling, Jack's death is arguably the most devastating. Due to the non-linear nature of the series, Jack and Rebecca are the characters that the audience actually gets to know best before their deaths are revealed, making them all the more poignant. This is us did a great job of showing the family's love and Jack's suffering.