'This Is Us' Season 5 Finale Leaves Fans Stunned After Major Couple Breaks Up

By Libby Birk

This Is Us fans are in denial Wednesday morning after watching the Season 5 finale Tuesday night, during which they learned that it's the end for not one but two major couples. While fans may have suspected that the end was near for Kevin and Madison — who ultimately didn't go through with their wedding after Madison realized Kevin wasn't fully in love with her — the flash-forward to Kate marrying Philip, the British music teacher she has been working with as of late — oh, and who insulted her on her first day on the job — came as a complete shock.

Considering Kate and Toby just had a heart-to-heart reaffirming their love for each other a few scenes prior to the flash-forward, fans are wondering what on earth could cause them to break up within five years' time. Thanks to Kevin saying he was 45 in the flash-forward at the end of the episode — and pretty much every actor looking the same in age — it's safe to assume the demise of Kate and Toby's relationship happens relatively quickly.

While it's possible that Toby (Chris Sullivan) chooses his budding career in San Francisco over Kate (Chrissy Metz) and the kids, as was lightly implied earlier in the episode, some fans are wondering if tragedy strikes the Pearson family again and Toby suffers an untimely death. However, that fan theory can quickly be muddled by the fact that a previous flash-forward showed Toby alone in bed, which would mean he's alive and well and that he and Kate simply split.

As for Kevin (Justin Hartley) and Madison (Caitlin Thompson), fans are sad for their love to have reached its end but find solace in the fact that Madison is still close enough with the family to be in Kate and Philip's future wedding. Some are even wondering if Madison and Kevin eventually end up together anyway — after all, they do share twins. But most fans resigned themselves to the fact that the Season 5 finale stunned viewers with an explosive cliffhanger sure to keep their minds racing until the start of the final season in the fall. Continue reading to see how fans are reacting to the This Is Us Season 5 finale.

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"I wasn't at all surprised that Madison called off the wedding with Kevin. Both of them were full of doubt and it wouldn't have been a true love match. WTF about Kate marrying the arrogant music teacher. I wouldn't give him one second of my time," one fan tweeted.

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Even Sterling K. Brown, aka Randall Pearson, was upset by the show's end. His tweet prompted a ton of responses from This Is Us fans. "Man, me and the wife screamed 'WHAT!!???' at that ending. Lol," one fan replied to Brown.

"I rewatched that ending 4 times to make sure I saw what I saw and let out a huge WHATTTTTTTTTTT??????" another fan wrote. "My hubby came running and was like what's wrong?"

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Some fans tried their darndest to see if Kevin or Madison were wearing wedding rings in the flash-forward... but it was too close to call. One fan noticed Madison was wearing the pair of earrings her mother gave her for her wedding day that she planned to wear at her and Kevin's wedding.

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Still others are hoping for Kevin to reunite with his ex-wife Sophie. Some eagle-eyed fans noticed small nods to her in the flash-forward, including a watch that could have been hers.

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Others saw the paper Kevin was holding in the flash-forward had "The Big Three Construction" logo on it. Could that be the name of a business Kevin starts when he builds the new cabin house for Rebecca?

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One fan wondered if the fact that Kate and Toby's son Jack is so musically gifted in flash-forwards fans have previously seen is partly due to his step-father Philip, who is a music teacher at his school where Kate just found a job.

"Waiiiiitttt...YES. That has to be true!" another fan agreed. "Whaaaattt??? Oh my gatos!! They're so good!! These #thisisus writers are so damn goooood!!" another wrote.

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Still others can't believe the show is over until next season — its last. Not only that, but they still haven't gotten used to the emotional nature of the show!

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