On the tearstained set of This Is Us, Jon Huertas prepared to walk through some of his most pivotal (and heartbreaking) scenes yet. Playing Miguel, longtime love and husband to Rebecca Pearson in an intricately weaving narrative across generations, Huertas knew this next chapter would be a profoundly emotional finale. Whispers swirl among die-hard fans: will Miguel actually be present at Rebecca’s deathbed after having played guardian and eventual suitor over the course of the story? The answer, likely wrapped tight with plot twists expected from creators Dan Fogelman team, seems less about mere presence than the purpose Huertas brings as him.
Beyond merely being a beloved character on a beloved show, Miguel stands in sharp contrast to Jack – Rebecca’s first lost love whose memory weaves throughout generations and acts as an anchor for her relationships. This makes for layered storytelling where simply fulfilling grief rituals feels insufficient narrative-y. Miguel’s final scenes likely hold more profound weight, asking if he can truly heal Rebecca from the wounds Jack caused, or even transcend that by finding peace alongside it in those bittersweet last moments?
Huertas himself hints at a sense of poetic justice: “Playing out Miguel comes full circle for me,” he’s been hinting, “his journey being about redemption as much as love.” Could the final act truly showcase what love transcends – grief itself? Could they both offer closure not against Jack’s ghost, but through acceptance of everything that shaped Rebecca into the woman she is?
There are further questions simmering: will viewers catch glimpses of Jack in memory, allowing Miguel and Rebecca to acknowledge him as part of a shared history rather than opposition in some romantic battle? Would Rebecca’s agency during death itself be pivotal, defying simple categorization as wife vs. mourner, demonstrating her ultimate strength even at that vulnerability?
Huretas’ nuanced interviews build a stage beyond simple on-screen presence: he talks about Miguel’s love enduring across the generations just as Jack’s memory does – perhaps suggesting this final chapter isn’t one finality, but more like finding unity within opposing energies. The deathbed could become a space not of tragedy, but powerful quiet understanding—a tapestry woven with Jack threads as well. That would, truly, be in keeping with this show’s mastery, going beyond the obvious beats for an impactful message on grief and ultimate acceptance.