This Is Us season 6 episode 12 recap: Kate and Toby’s Eventual Demise

This article contains SPOILERS for This is Us season 6 episode 12.

Documenting the end of one love and starting of a new one; Kate’s rollercoaster love life is chronicled in this week’s episode of This Is Us season 6.

Catch up on everything from the last episode here!

For the latest episode of This Is Us season 6, the “previously on” segment ends with a flashforward to Kate’s second wedding to Phillip. This is the same one we saw at the end of season 5, and that is exactly where we pick up this week.

Madison and Beth are helping Kate get ready for her wedding ceremony when the bride receives a phone call. Toby is on the other end, and he ambiguously tells his ex-wife that he sees what Kate saw when they signed their divorce papers.

He just wishes he saw it earlier.

This Is Us season 6 episode 12: Kate and Phillip’s engagement party

Back in the present day, Kate has put Jack down after going to the hospital and goes to talk to her husband Toby, about all of their drama. Toby tells Kate that he is taking the LA job and he will be participating in couples therapy because he is ready to do whatever it takes to make their family and marriage work.

The two are then shown in a montage starting their new jobs and how their rekindled love was just superficial before the deep-rooted issues show their ugly face again. The episode then jumps to Kate and Phillip’s engagement party, planned and orchestrated by Madison of course.

Kevin introduces his date for the evening, a person who Kate knows is just a physical fling for her brother. As the two siblings talk by themselves, Kevin sees Sophie hanging out with her husband before going over and talking with them.

This leaves Kate available to chat with her other brother, the person on track to be a senator, as well as Rebecca and Miguel. The matriarch of the Pearson family has some trouble remembering Phillip’s name, but everyone is understanding and patient with her.

Kate and Phillip then sing and perform for their loved ones the classic hit, “Tubthumping” by Chumbawamba because it sparks a memory for the happy couple.

This Is Us season 6 episode 12: Kate and Toby show promise, but not enough

Back at the 2nd birthday party for Kate and Kevin’s children, Kate’s mind is clearly not into the celebration. This is abundantly clear when Toby makes some comments about her low paying job in front of her family.

Aside from everyone, Kate asks Kevin, “When will I know when it is time to end a marriage?” Kevin is there for his sister saying all the right things by balancing comfort with just enough tough love.

Flashing forward to a dinner with Kate, Phillip, Jack, and Hailey, Phillip waits for Kate to leave the room before going down on one knee to propose. It turns out Phillip was able to entrust the two adorable kiddos to help his proposal.

Kate happily says yes.

During one of their couple therapy sessions, their therapist suggests they have dinner together just the two of them. As the dinner progresses, the jokes quickly turn to snide comments which quickly turns to arguing and then yelling.

Toby sheds off all of these frustrations and gets every complaint off his chest about his wife and how he has to compare himself to her incredible dad and husband. When baby Jack wakes up from the yelling Kate realizes their marriage is not going to be salvaged.

This Is Us season 6 episode 12: Phillip sheds his defense mechanisms for Kate

The episode then goes to a bar where Phillip and Toby are sitting down for a pint of Guinness. It turns out Toby invited his ex’s boyfriend to talk so he can explicitly state how he wants another man in his children’s life.

The whole conversation is cordial and respectful with Phillip wholeheartedly agreeing with all that Toby has to say. The scene ends with Toby teaching the Brit about American football since it is such a big deal to Kate and her fellow Pearsons.

Since they are now separated, there is a montage of Kate and Toby figuring out how they will coparent and mediate their divorce. As they are in the elevator of their divorce mediator, Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” plays and the broken couple laugh and enjoy the irony before solemnly heading their separate ways.

On their first date, Phillip and Kate are at a Mexican restaurant and a mariachi band plays for them which makes the socially anxious Phillip uncomfortable. The two hold hands, have a moment, and then Kate starts feeling anxious as well.

After getting some air, the two have a frank conversation about their feelings and past relationship trauma. The conversation ends with Phillip stating he has only the purest and happiest intentions with Kate before they share their first kiss.

This Is Us season 6 episode 12: Toby’s final stand

As Toby brings the kids back one night after a trip to the petting zoo, he thinks they should give their relationship another chance. Kate, however, recognizes that it is because they have their own space away from each other.

Toby makes one last final plea before they sign their divorce papers in two days. Kate stays strong and sticks with their plans to officially break up.

The afternoon after her divorce papers are signed and sealed, Phillip invites Kate to hang out in Koreatown where they go to a karaoke bar. There the two sing “Tubthumping” which puts a bright smile on Kate’s face after her emotionally draining day.

With the divorce mediator, Kate and Toby sign the papers with Toby hesitating to do so. After they are done, Kate tells Toby outside this is not the end of their story even if their marriage is over.

A montage shows Toby being an amazing dad and able to coparent with Kate. This is present through decades of their lives leading all the way to Toby finding a new love of his own, and them both being present and the best versions of themselves for their children.

With Rebecca’s issues getting more serious, how do you think her children will react? Who is the woman Kevin is having a secret romance with at Kate’s wedding weekend? Which story are you excited to see concluded? Let us know your answers and opinions in the comments below!

Watch the new episode of This is Us season 6 next Tuesday, only on NBC