This Is Us season 6 episode 17 recap: Saying Goodbye to Rebecca

This article contains SPOILERS for This Is Us season 6 episode 17.

With Rebecca hours away from passing on, the extended Pearson family gathers by her side to say goodbye in this week’s episode of This Is Us season 6.

Catch up here on everything from the last episode!

In the penultimate episode of This Is Us season 6, the episode starts with an unknown family of three kids, a mom, and a dad as they are driving home. As the sons mess around in the back, one not wearing his seatbelt, the dad gets a bit distracted when suddenly a car swerves into their lane.

The father has to swerve to protect his family but in doing this, the car flips on its side and the status of everyone involved is left up in the air for now.

This Is Us season 6 episode 17: Rebecca’s train ride

Following this, the episode goes to the in-house aide taking care of a bedridden Rebecca, recognizing that her days are unfortunately limited. This transitions into a dream sequence of a 20-something Rebecca on a train out from the US Reconstruction Era.

She is approached by a man and explains she is waiting for someone. She further elaborates that her dad wanted to take her on a train like this and talks about all the other lovely memories she has of her father.

It turns out the man who approached her was William. The two talk about the poem that gave Rebecca her adopted son’s name.

William invites Rebecca to the bar car on the train. Going back to reality, the timeline is very much caught up with all the flashforwards of the last few seasons.

Everyone who was ever a Pearson or helped birth a Pearson-blooded baby is gathering to say goodbye to their matriarch, Rebecca. This includes Toby, Uncle Nicky, Edie, Madison, Elijah, Sophie, Bet, and all of the kids that come with those people.

Deja notices her dad sitting aside during this emotionally complex situation. She sits with him for a bit and reveals she is pregnant and that Randall will be a grandfather.

Randall asks if “he” knows but since “he” is always working, Deja has not been given the chance yet. Randall is overjoyed for his daughter and gives her a hug with plenty of effort, but that joy is short-lived.

The aide comes out to tell Rebecca’s sons, since Kate is not there yet, that she will likely not make it through the night. With a brief clip of the family from the opening scene’s car crash, we see the youngest is in surgery with the rest of the family banged up in the waiting room.

Some context is given when another clip shows one Marcus Brooks, who we know is the youngest from the car crash, working in a science lab where he just made an incredible discovery.

This Is Us season 6 episode 17: The goodbye begins

Beth is the first one to say goodbye because she has to consistently prove she is the best. As she says goodbye, she explains she emulated Rebecca as she raised her daughters.

Rebecca was the absolute best mother figure. As Beth says goodbye in reality, Rebecca experiences these salutations through the train’s intercom in her dream sequence.

As Rebecca heads to the next train car, Kevin and Randall facetime Kate who is coming back from an international business trip for her music curriculum. Kate feels bad she is missing this but demands her brothers tell their mom to wait for her daughter.

Back to Marcus Brooks in his lab researching cancer treatments, he shows his revelation to his unimpressed boss. The boss informs Marcus they are out of funding and will therefore be ending their research.

Returning to the Pearsons, Randall talks with his wife where he learns Beth knew Deja was pregnant before she did because she is Deja’s mother. Beth won’t tell Randall what she said to Rebecca but all this talk of new life and old life is making him feel existential with everything.

This Is Us season 6 episode 17: When life gives you lemons…

On the train, Rebecca is sad when she only sees Kevin and Randall. But even still, Rebecca is greeted by Dr. K.

He shares some last bits of advice like he did so often to her and Jack during the Big Three’s childhood. The good doctor explains how Rebecca has been fighting through adversity and taking her proverbial lemons and making some of the best lemonade.

Now, however, Dr. K explains that it is ok for her to rest.

In reality, a montage plays where everyone reminisces about their experiences with Rebecca throughout all of their respective lives along with stories they have all heard of Jack and Rebecca’s amazing love story. Sprinkled throughout this reminiscing are the beautiful goodbyes from Toby, Annie, and Sophie.

Everyone is progressively leaving until it is only Kevin and Randall left to say their final goodbyes to their mom. The two sons reminisce about their childhood and all the good moments they shared over their decades of brotherhood.

As she is sleeping in her room, Deja is greeted by her man who is not Marcus Brooks like the episode lead you to believe. It’s Malik and he’s excited about the baby they are going to have together.

Marcus Brooks, on the other hand, goes to a diner where he explains to his siblings about his job and how he thought this was what he was meant to do. This flashes back to the car accident that gave Marcus his limp and need of a cane where his family is strapping him in for a long night.

The father goes to get some coffee where he finds a Jack Pearson also getting coffee.

This Is Us season 6 episode 17: …make lemonade

Jack explains how his house burned down tonight but luckily nobody was too badly hurt. Mr. Brooks explains his dire situation with his son in surgery so Jack gives him the words of advice Dr. K gave him during the birth of the Big Three.

Clips show how those words from Dr. K became the motto of the Brooks family like it was the Pearsons, illustrating the beauty of human interaction. After a final stop saying goodbye to Miguel, Rebecca hesitates to go into the caboose, where she knows it is the end, because she is still waiting for someone.

The next morning Rebecca can end her waiting because that is when Kate comes running to her bedside. The Big Three are reunited for their final goodbyes to their heroic and angelic mother.

On the train, Rebecca enters the dark caboose where she sees only a bed and states how this all feels sad. William explains how something ending being sad means that she must have left quite the incredible impression.

He is right because due to Rebecca being an amazing person, mother, and wife, her family and so many others are filled with love. She lays her head down to find Jack waiting for her.

They share some pleasant greetings as this beautiful episode comes to a close.

Outro? Let us know your answers and opinions in the comments below!

Watch the final episode of This Is Us season 6 next Tuesday, only on NBC!