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The This Is Us Season 6 premiere is coming out soon, and NBC has been dropping a few more clues about the Pearsons’ final chapter and the end of the series. Recently, the network released new photos from the first episode of the season. The title for This Is Us Season 6 Episode 1 was also confirmed, and it could be referencing Kevin Pearson (Justin Hartley) in the series premiere.

NBC confirms the ‘This Is Us’ Season 6 Episode 1 premiere title, ‘The Challenger’

Justin Hartley as Kevin Pearson in the ‘This Is Us’ Season 6 Episode 1 premiere, ‘The Challenger,’ from Jan. 4, 2022
Justin Hartley as Kevin Pearson in the ‘This Is Us’ Season 6 premiere, ‘The Challenger’ | Ron Batzdorff/NBC

On Nov. 12, NBC confirmed the This Is Us Season 6 premiere date on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Days later, the network released photos from the first episode of the next new season. 

The pictures highlight a flashback of Rebecca (Mandy Moore) and Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) with the Big Three, Randall (Sterling K. Brown) and Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) with their girls in the present day, Phillip (Chris Geere) giving Kate (Chrissy Metz) a longing look, and Kevin walking alone on a set. Meanwhile, NBC officially confirmed the This Is Us Season 6 Episode 1 title, “The Challenger,” in the description of each photo.

What did Kevin Pearson say about the challenger in the ‘This Is Us’ series premiere?

When fans met Kevin in the 2016 This Is Us series premiere, the character kept going on about the space shuttle Challenger disaster while going through his own existential crisis. The actor was hooking up with two women at a party, and he suddenly shared where it “all went wrong” for him.

“You know when I think it all went wrong for me was 1986, second grade. They were sending the Challenger up into space,” Kevin said, describing how he watched the tragedy in school. “Maybe that’s when I realized trying to change the world just leads to being blown up into little pieces all over Florida. Maybe that’s how I wound up as The Man-ny.”

Meanwhile, Kevin answered a call from Kate, who twisted her ankle. She suggested that she wasn’t happy with her life, questioning how she got there. Once again, Kevin brought up the Challenger explosion, and Kate hinted that this wasn’t the first time her twin brought it up. Then Kevin brushed off his sister, and he continued to hold onto his belief.

“There’s something there,” Kevin said.

What’s next for Kevin Pearson when ‘This Is Us’ Season 6 is released?

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Now, it’s possible there’s something there when This Is Us Season 6 Episode 1,” The Challenger,” premieres. The sixth season is the last season, and the team is tying up every loose end. So the show could explore Kevin’s comments from the series premiere to help him complete his arc, especially because that’s how fans were initially introduced to the character. 

That said, even if the This Is Us premiere simply references his remarks, Kevin has a lot going on when the show returns. In the season 5 finale, the character didn’t marry Madison (Caitlin Thompson), aka the mother of his twins. Now, all eyes are on Kevin and who he ends up with by the series finale. Meanwhile, creator Dan Fogelman told Deadline what to expect next from Hartley’s character in May 2021. He said:

“I think hopefully when we get to the end of his romantic journey, it will be satisfying. It won’t necessarily be one that everybody was rooting for, or it might be one that some were rooting for. It might catch people by surprise, but hopefully it’ll at least feel true to his character.”

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