‘This Is Us’ Did Not Show More of Jack’s Time in Vietnam During Season Finale

This Is Us season 2 delivered many reveals, feelings and tears, but there was one aspect of Jack’s life we thought we’d get more information on we’ll have to wait a while longer.

Despite being included in a promo for the end of season two, This Is Us did not explore Jack Pearson’s (Milo Ventimiglia) time in Vietnam during season two.

The show did hint at when we might revisit that part of the Pearson family patriarch’s life, as Kevin can be seen on a flight during a flash forward in the season finale’s final minutes.

In the scene, Kevin is seen holding a photo of his late father during his time in the war. The photo was first shown in an earlier season two flashback during the “Brothers” episode. It shows Jack with his fellow troops, including his brother Nicky.

Nicky remains one of the show’ biggest mysteries, as the family never speaks about him. It is presumed he died in Vietnam. The reveal teases at Kevin possibly visiting the Asian country to find out more about his father’s time at war, as well as to uncover the mystery of his uncle’s fate.

Before This Is Us took a three week break for the 2018 Winter Olympics, the series released a promo teasing the remaining episodes.

Despite Jack Pearson meeting his maker during the series’ Post-Super Bowl episode, the narrator says in the promo that “Jack’s story has just begun,” the promo then shows two soldiers on board of a carrier plane, both holding guns.

The camera then pans to one of the soldiers, which turns out to be our very own Jack Pearson.

This Is Us hinted at Jack’s time in Vietnam back in season one, the Pearson patriarch has always been reserved both about his experiences during the war and his childhood.

In season two, it was revealed Jack’s brother Nicky, served in Vietnam with him and was presumably killed in the war. Following the Super Bowl episode, Ventimiglia said that that while his character would not be moving forward in the show’s timeline, his past would continue to be explored on the show, including his relationship with his brother.

“It’s been a question, what Jack’s younger life was like, what his influences on having a positive family experience were,” the actor said. “A lot of that relies on his relationship with his brother and what they experienced in the house they grew up in.”

“For Jack and Nicky, I think a lot of that probably will be played not so much on younger child actors that are playing those parts that will rely on myself and another actor stepping into the shoes of Nicky — their time as young men, their time in Vietnam, the knowledge that maybe Nicky didn’t quite make it,” Ventimiglia shared.

Looks like we’ll get the answer, as well what happens with all those flash forwards, after a long break. This Is Us will be back for season three in fall 2018.