But that doesn’t mean it feels like the beginning of the end.
Kevin and Madison’s bachelor and bachelorette parties set the stage for these developments.
Intertwined with the festivities are various flashbacks, with the most recurring element being the 1996 filmJerry Maguire.
Let’s break down where the celebrations andJerry Maguirelessons leave the Pearsons ahead of the season finale.
Kevin repeatedly says long distance is easy, which bugs Sophie, since it was hard for her.
When Kevin reveals his intentions to be in L.A. more for his career, Sophie gets upset.
She doesn’t think their marriage will work if he’s in L.A. and she’s in New York.
She storms out of the cabin, annoyed he seemingly hasn’t thought about their future together.
Then, instead of going after Sophie, Kevin watchesJerry Maguirewith Beth and Randall.
He sees them together forever.
The moving speech relates significantly to the present… (more on this later).
She thinks whatever Beth does, she will blow everyone away.
Rebecca’s words deeply inspire her.
In the present, during Madison’s bachelorette party, Beth has another heart-to-heart with Rebecca.
She doesn’t want to join that “broken system.”
Rebecca says Beth is the most impressive person she knows.
She thinks Beth can and should go into those systems and change them.
Again, Beth is comforted.
She decides to explore the opportunities and later thanks Rebecca for the encouragement.
These beautiful scenes prove Rebecca and Beth are the duo we didn’t know we needed.
More, c’mon!
Rebecca and Miguel
Another prominent duo in this episode is Rebecca and Miguel.
After the bachelorette party, he calls her and apologizes for being overbearing.
Rebecca acknowledges it’s hard not knowing how much time they have left.
Then comes a flashback that seems to relate to the origins of their relationship.
Back in the past, Miguel calls Rebecca at the cabin to check on the family.
Miguel says she will because of who she is implying some attraction to or at least admiration for Rebecca.
This is endearing but might bother those who don’t like that Miguel married his best friend’s widow.
She congratulates him on his engagement and babies.
Kevin asks why she changed her number.
Madison beckons Kevin for baby help.
Kevin vows to call back.
Kevin’s furious about the insinuation that he’s not marrying Madison for love.
He insists he’s crazy about her, berates Nicky, then walks off.
When Randall finds him, Kevin’s looking at the Sophie-future mission statement.
He tells Randall about Sophie’s call and asks how you know who you’re supposed to marry.
Nicky says the movie made him sad aboutlosing his love, Sally Brooks, 50 years ago.
But then Miguel gives a speech that favors Madison.
This helps Kevin, and everyone makes big personal moves later.
Nicky looks up Sally Brooks online.
Toby pursues the San Francisco job.
Is he about to leave Kate and their family?
For Kevin’s part, instead of calling Sophie back, he deletes her number.
While painting, Kate toasts to Kevin “knowing a great thing when he saw it.”
But Madison says Kevin never tried to be with her until she got pregnant.
The conversation drops and soon the group is on to the next activity, the Newlywed Game.
Kate had Nicky record Kevin’s responses, so she plays the video against Madison’s answers.
To everyone’s delight, Kevin’s answer to the first question is spot on.
But another question, what Kevin envisions for an empty nester future with Madison, seems to stump him.
After some silence, he jokes he doesn’t plan to grow old.
Madison laughs off the non-answer, but Kate is perturbed.
This is where the flashback to Kevin’s mission statement comes in.
After the party, Kate asks Madison if she’s really happy with Kevin.
Madison says she really loves him.
Madison then says in a way that feels like obvious foreshadowing nothing will interfere with her friendship with Kate.
But Kate’s clearly worried her brother might soon deeply hurt her best friend.
The episode’s final scene proves Madison isn’t unaware of that possibility.
In bed, she watches the clip of Kevin struggling to say a vision for their future.
His face appears blank in that moment as if he has no vision which isn’t a great sign.
She replays that frame, then nestles into bed, clearly upset.
So, I repeat: We’re likely in for a roller coaster wedding finale episode.
