Warning! The following contains spoilers for This Is Us Season 4. Read at your own risk!
To say the Season 4 premiere of This Is Us was a shock to the system for fans is an understatement. Outside of a flashback of Jack and Rebecca, the episode was mostly comprised of all new characters, which freaked some people out who didn't know that was happening in advance. Who were these new people, where were the Big Three for most of the hour, and what in the name of Jack Pearson is going on here?
Fans were already cooking up their theories on what connection these new characters have towards the main cast, but that wasn't necessary. This Is Us didn't want viewers to wait that long for once, and most all the mystery behind each new character was resolved by the premiere's end. Here's what we learned about each new character, and how they're connected to the Pearson family.
Jack Damon
In what may have been the most obvious reveal of the episode, the blind musician who found love turned out to be none other than Kate and Toby's son baby Jack. Yep, it turns out little Jack is blind, despite procedures from doctors to try and correct his eyesight. Things seem to work out pretty well for adult Jack, though Toby and Kate definitely seem concerned in the present about his well-being.
It's great to see Jack was able to have the career in music his mother never had (minus the singing telegram gig), and he seems to be very popular. Unfortunately, the flash-forward gave us nothing on Kate and Toby's relationship status in the future, so we'll have to wait for those answers just a bit longer.
Malik
Malik (Asante Blackk) is hanging out in the present day timeline, and is struggling between living the life of a normal teen and caring for his infant daughter. His parents Darnell (Omar Epps) and Kelly (Marsha Stephanie Blake) offer what support they can, hoping that their son stays on the right path so that he can one day provide for his daughter on his own.
It's that supportive parenting that leads him to a BBQ where he meets Deja. We're not quite sure what Malik and Deja's deal is at the moment, but when Deja arrived home from the event she was smiling ear to ear. Is love in the air for these two? I'm thinking yes.
Cassidy
We've already learned some of the background of Jennifer Morrison's Cassidy, and This Is Us showed her military service overseas has taken quite a toll on her. She ended up separated from her husband after an incident where she accidentally hit her son, and soon decides to seek hope in attending substance abuse meetings.
Not long into the meeting the window shatters, and we see a drunk Nicky Pearson standing on the other side of the broken window. Kevin is called to go help his uncle out of jail, and considering a kid who looked like Cassidy's younger son was spotted in the flash-forward, many are speculating Kevin will make a connection with Cassidy. The question is, however, is this relationship romantic or will the two just bond over a shared need to battle their addictions?
This Is Us' 7 Most Heart-Wrenching Moments, Ranked By Emotional Devastation
We'll presumably find out this season. This Is Us is back on NBC Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET. As the fall season continues to get underway, stick with CinemaBlend for all the latest and greatest news on what's happening with new and returning television.
