This Is Us May Have Finally Broken Randall—For Real This Time

[Warning: The following contains spoilers for Tuesday's episode of This Is Us! Read at your own risk]

The Pearsons finally divulged how they feel about Randall (Sterling K. Brown) on This Is Us -- and it had some devastating results. The second episode of Season 3 revealed that Kate (Chrissy Metz) is determined to go through IVF and have a baby of her own because she believes she is the only one who can make sure that Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) lives on. That notion works on the assumption that Kevin (Justin Hartley) will never be ready to have kids and that Randall's children don't count because he's not biologically Jack's son. Ouch.

To make matters worse, Kevin just casually told Randall what Kate said about her potential pregnancy as if Randall would automatically get it, as if the insinuation that Randall has no part of Jack inside him that would be passed down to his children wouldn't be the most hurtful and insulting thing that could be said to him. The flashbacks have shown how Randall has struggled to fit in with other black people after growing up in a white family, but young Kevin was the only person within the Pearson family to act like Randall wasn't one of them. Yes, Randall is adopted, but Kate's confession is the first time he's had to hear the rest of the family, at least in some way, doesn't consider him to be one of them.

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If Kevin decides to never have kids, Kate would be the only one left that could continue Jack's biological bloodline, but that's not what she said. She said she's the only one who can make sure that Jack lives on. It's also important to note that Kevin, Rebecca (Mandy Moore), Toby (Chris Sullivan) and Miguel (Jon Huertas) didn't even blink when she said it. They accepted it too, and that could be even more hurtful for Randall if he found out.

Here's the truth: Of the Big 3, Randall is the most like Jack Pearson. He is irrevocably dedicated to his family, a loving, if corny, father and is always trying to find a way to make the world around him a better place. We know from future Tess' profession that he's passing that drive along to his children. Despite Kate's belief, Jack is already living on through his already existing grandchildren, whether they are biologically his or not.

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The salt in this particular wound came from the flashbacks of the episode, which revealed that a young Randall gave up his spot at Howard University -- his dream school -- to go somewhere closer to home to be there for his family. He was the one treading water the best in the wake of Jack's death and he felt it was his responsibility to take care of everyone. That's how much he felt he was part of this family, and that's what Jack would have done.

Randall's crestfallen reaction to Kate's statement is because it has become obvious for the first time in his life that Kate and Kevin feel like they are more Jack's kids than he is, even though he's done everything he possibly could to follow in their father's footsteps. The shocking thing about the episode is that none of the other Pearsons even realized how or why that would be hurtful. They need to check their privilege, though, because Randall wouldn't do that to any of them.

This Is Us continues Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.