‘This Is Us’ Resolves Deja’s Adoption Cliffhanger

At the end of the penultimate This Is Us episode of season 2, fans wondered whether Deja’s (Lyric Ross) mom was totally relinquishing her parental rights to Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) and Randall (Sterling K. Brown); during the season finale, fans found out she really did.

While most of the audience was rooting for Deja to have a happy, stable life with the Pearsons, we see her get angry and upset after her mother went to court to terminate her parental rights, leaving her in the Pearsons’ care.

The sweet Deja that both the Pearsons and the viewers at home had come to know and love suddenly became angry and bitter with the family upon her mother’s decision, barely speaking to them and snapping at them whenever she does.

Even after driving all the way up to the family’s cabin, Deja is still angry and immediately goes off on her own once they arrive. But a new family member arrives: Zoe, Beth’s cousin, who’s also the wedding photographer.

With Beth’s encouragement, Zoe has a conversation with Deja, asking that Deja just listen to her talk. She tells Deja her own mom left her to be raised by Beth’s mother. She was angry, too and took it out on her family, but one day, she decided to release her animosity and let go.

While things with Deja don’t necessarily do a complete 180 after her talk with Zoe, the next time we see Deja, she’s finally put on the dress she resisted wearing for the ceremony — much to Beth’s delight.

The finale finally saw Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Toby (Chris Sullivan) make it down the aisle and tie the knot — after much drama, of course. Kate confesses to Rebecca (Mandy Moore) that she’s been having recurring dreams of Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) being alive (hence the promos with “Old Jack” fans theorized about) and renewing his vows with Rebecca, also giving an insight as to where the characters might have ended up together if Jack hadn’t died.

During the heartbreaking scenes, Jack talks about opening the construction company, Big Three Homes, that he always dreamed of opening as his kids were growing up. Jack reveals that his wife helped him open the company and turned it into a massive success.

The episode also showed a reception for the renewal ceremony, where member of the Pearson family danced and laughed. And in one heartwarming scene, Rebecca sings a moving rendition of “Moonshadow,” Jack and Rebecca’s song.

Fans will remember Rebecca motivating Jack to open the company, and volunteering herself to help the day of the fire that ultimately took Jack’s life.

But the finale wasn’t all conflict resolution and fairy tale alternative ending; it also left fans with quite a few shockers — including a series of glimpses into the future that fans found unsettling. Read more about that here and here.