‘Last Man Standing’ Fans Celebrate Jen’s First Appearance in Final Season

Krista Marie Yu finally made her first appearance on Last Man Standing‘s ninth and final season in this week’s episode, appropriately titled “Jen Again.” Fans at home celebrated her comeback, especially after the first few episodes of the season missed out on Yu’s charm and wit. In the new episode, Mike (Tim Allen) first tried his best to keep Jen’s return a secret from Vanessa (Nancy Travis), but it did not work out as planned.

At the beginning of the episode, Mike accidentally told Kyle (Christoph Sanders) about Jen’s return. Of course, he told Mandy (Molly McCook), so it was only a matter of time before Vanessa would find out. Kyle did a good job of keeping it a secret, but Mandy surprisingly split it out. Vanessa was incredibly excited to learn Jen was coming back to Colorado to live with them for a year.

When Jen arrived, she said she was excited to stay with the Baxters for only a week, which confused Mike and Vanessa. They spoke with her father, Henry, who said he never told Jen how long she was really going to stay in the U.S. Henry only wanted to talk to Vanessa about why Jen was spending a whole year away from Hong Kong. Later, Jen had a heated conversation with Henry, leaving Vanessa and Mike to theorize what was going on. Jen and Henry’s conversation ended with yelling, though.

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Mike and Vanessa rushed into the house to calm down Jen, who wanted to get back to Hong Kong right away. She could not just leave because Mike had her passport because he was trying to get her a visa. Jen said her father wanted her to go to the U.S. because he was about to join protests. She felt guilty, insisting that she was responsible for radicalizing her father. She wanted to go back to protect her dad. She ran upstairs just as Mike muttered, “Thank God we live in a country where nothing weird ever happens.”

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Jen had everything packed and ready to go. She demanded Mike give her the passport back and drive her to the airport. Vanessa and Mike tried to calm her down as she explained her views. She wanted to get home to protect her father. “Do you want your dad safe, or do you want him happy?” Mike asked. “I’m not sure it can be both.”

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Mike said Henry wouldn’t speak out if Jen was home, and Jen realized her father would not be happy if he didn’t speak out for what he believes in. Vanessa and Mike told Jen they would worry about her if she went back to Hong Kong. Jen agreed to stay but said if things got really scary at home, she would go back. “I might even go with you,” Mike said. Last Man Standing airs Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on Fox.

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