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The favorite Pearson holiday is finally here on This Is Us, but it's not without some family drama.
The episode, Taboo, focused on three different Thanksgivings but all surrounding Rebecca in different phases of her life. The episode was directed by Glenn Steelman and written by Laura Kenar.
It's now time to dive in and dissect the seventh episode of NBC's This Is Us Season 6.
Note: This article contains spoilers and reflects the writer's opinions.
'This Is Us' Season 6 Episode 7 review
The latest episode of This Is Us celebrated its final Thanksgiving and doubled as an ode to the character who's been the true heart and soul of the series. She is the woman who gave Jack a purpose, made her family a home, held them together through the most difficult of times and is now suffering from illness.
Rebecca Pearson started This Is Us as more of a supporting character instead of the leading one, considering the series focused heavily on Jack and the memories surrounding him.
But it is now clear that she is the real backbone of the Pearson family as she tries to protect her family from the pain they went through after Jack's death.
The different sides to Rebecca
The final Turkey Day unfolded across three different Thanksgivings: The newly engaged Jack and Rebecca hosting their first Thanksgiving for her parents, Rebecca and Miguel confessing their feelings and the present day where Rebecca called out a formal family meeting to lay out certain rules.
These three versions of Rebecca are distinct yet unified. The 20-something Rebecca is a completely different version of the present day, the 70-something poised one who calmly wanders around the kitchen and hopes to not put her kids' lives on hold due to her illness.
Rebecca and Miguel's complicated story
What's great about this episode of This Is Us Season 6 is that it lets complicated and conflicting emotions exist at once without feeling the need to resolve them in a near and tidy manner.
Like how the newly engaged Rebecca had an outburst mid-meal due to her mom's micromanagement but later ended up bursting into sentimental tears upon hearing about her parents moving away.
However, the 1999 Pearson Thanksgiving was brutal to watch, from the cringe-worthy awkwardness between Miguel and Rebecca's double date night gone wrong to the former's announcement of moving to Houston.
There are so many unsaid things between Rebecca and Miguel on the front porch after the crazy game of Taboo, which forces them to realize how much closer they have gotten since Jack's death.
The two aren't solely driven apart because of Kevin but it's the same reason as well. This separation between Rebecca and Miguel was resolved after nine years when Tess was born, and the two reconnected on Facebook.
Learning from the past
The biggest takeaway from Taboo is that it's important to learn from the past without letting it define you. This is also a lesson Kate learned the hard way and is trying to incorporate into her present and her future.
This episode of This Is Us has been the best weight-related one so far as it delivered Kate and Toby's two different experiences as fat people who are concerned about their children.
Toby hopes to protect Jack from the pain he experienced as a healthy kid, while Kate wants to break the cycle of shame around food that defined so much of her life and the lives of women before her.
The episode is a well-written conflict that is both specific to health and body positivity, but also ties up Kate and Toby's issues with trust and communication.
A frank discussion
As for Rebecca, she tries to avoid not being clear and honest when she sits down with her kids for a frank discussion about her medical future. She announced that she's going to pick just one of her kids to handle her medical decisions in the event Miguel is no longer around.
There is an argument for each of the Pearson kids: Kevin brings out her happiness, Kate brings out her warmth and Randall makes her feel safe. But in the end, she goes with Kate, validating their rocky relationship and how far the two have come.
While this season of This Is Us has commenced with touching stories, Taboo feels like it's kicking into high gear. In yet another great moment, present-day Rebecca demands that her children continue to live their lives to the fullest without feeling held back by her illness.
Readers can catch the latest episode of This Is Us Season 6 on NBC, Peacock, Hulu and Hotstar.
