‘This Is Us’ Theory: Jack Didn’t Die In The House Fire

The ‘This Is Us’ season 2 premiere may have alluded that Jack Pearson died in a tragic house fire, but I don’t think that’s the case. The show’s not going to give away so much right off the bat. Let me explain…

The end of the Sept. 26 This Is Us season 2 premiere provided a huge clue about Jack’s death. After Jack admitted his struggle with alcoholism to Rebecca following their huge fight, the show flashed forward to a few months later. Even though Rebecca said that everything would be fine in a few months, everything changed for the Pearsons. The flash forward showed a stoic, Steelers jersey-wearing Rebecca driving her car with a bag of Jack’s belongings in the passenger seat. Rebecca pulled up to the Pearson house, which had been completely destroyed in a fire, and started sobbing. Meanwhile, Kate and Randall were with Miguel. Kate was clutching a dog, while Randall was being consoled by a red-headed girl. Kevin, sporting a broken leg, was off with Sophie.

Here’s what I think: Jack made it out of the fire. The family thought they were all going to be fine. But then fate took a tragic and twisted turn. Jack later had a heart attack due to stress and overexertion from the fire. There’s one thing I’ve learned about life in my 25 years of living — it isn’t fair. Sometimes the people we love are ripped from us for no reason. Just when you think your life is going to go back to normal, life decides to punch you in the gut.

After my first viewing of the episode, I initially thought Jack died saving the dog in the fire. But all of Jack’s things in the plastic bag — his ring, his watch, the notebook — didn’t look burned. If Jack had died in the fire, wouldn’t there be some evidence of it on his ring or his watch? Jack had said that he wanted a fourth child or a dog, but Rebecca had said no. Maybe Kate accidentally started the fire, and that’s why she blames herself for her father’s death. While creator Dan Fogelman has told fans that we were going to get answers about Jack’s death, this is clearly just the beginning. Mandy stressed at the PEOPLE and EW viewing party for the season 2 premiere that “we don’t know the full story.” Whatever really happened to Jack, it completely devastated the rest of the Pearson family.

This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

HollywoodLifers, how do you think Jack died? Let me know!