‘This Is Us’ Season 6 Episode 2 Recap, ‘One Giant Leap’ — Who Was in the White Car?

This week’s recap of This Is Us is all about love – new, lasting, and unrequited love. The Jan. 11 episode also provided a major update on the Pearsons in the far future. So let’s dive right into everything that happened. Here’s our recap for This Is Us Season 6 Episode 2, “One Giant Leap.”

[Warning: This article contains spoilers about This Is Us Season 6 Episode 2, “One Giant Leap,” which originally aired on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022]

‘This Is Us’ recap: Deja and Malik’s love story in season 6 episode 2

This Is Us hasn’t spent much time with Deja (Lyric Ross) and Malik (Asante Blackk) since season 4. But season 6 episode 2, “One Giant Leap,” reveals just how much the two lovebirds have grown. Well, other than the big lie to Randall (Sterling K. Brown).

At the start of the Jan. 11 episode, Deja packs an overnight bag so she can study with her friend Tiffany – or so she tells her father. But Deja is actually traveling to see Malik, who is attending Harvard in Boston, and she’s completely swept away by love.

That said, the magic seems to fade when Janelle’s birth mother, Jennifer, swings by to pick up her daughter so Malik and Deja can have the day alone together. At first, Jennifer barely acknowledges Deja. She also laughs at her ex when he says he’s been really busy writing a paper. But Deja is unfazed and sees what’s really going on – Malik is exhausted from juggling his heavy coursework, parenthood, and a job. 

In the end, Deja sacrifices quality time with Malik so he can finish writing his paper. And when Malik returns, he shares how much he appreciates his girlfriend. Then later that evening, Malik and Deja sleep together for the first time. They’re both nervous. But they’re in love. And later, Deja tells Malik that she wants to “feel this way forever.” 

When Deja heads home on the bus, she’s all-smiles. That said, the butterflies are briefly interrupted by a text from Randall, who asks about “breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Then Deja responds, “Life changing.”

‘This Is Us’ Season 6 Episode 2: Did Nicky and Sally end up together? Who is Edie, the woman in the white car?

The second love story of This Is Us Season 6 Episode 2, “One Big Leap,” is about Nicky (Griffin Dunne) as he goes on a road trip with Rebecca (Mandy Moore) and Miguel (Jon Huertas) to find Sally (Dey Young). But something’s up. 

Nicky doesn’t reveal whether Sally is married, single, or divorced, even after he allegedly reached out the night before. Then when the trio stops by an antique shop, he breaks down over the price and completely gives up on the situation. Nicky also admits he never reached out to Sally, revealing the woman he Googled might not even be his Sally. 

Nevertheless, Rebecca and Miguel push Nicky to move forward, and the woman they meet ends up being Nicky’s Sally. However, Sally is married to a man named Eric (Jeffrey Nordling), and they invite the trio to stay for the most awkward dinner of all time.

In the middle of the meal, Sally asks Nicky to refresh her memory of how they met. Nicky instantly remembers everything, from her red floral dress to the first time they slept together. Then for some reason, Sally makes a joke about having Alzheimer’s, and Rebecca tells the table that she has the disease – more on that in a moment. But the discussion leads to a blow-up between Sally and Eric, who seem to be having some marital issues. 

That said, there isn’t hope for Nicky and Sally to end up together. Nicky wonders how many years he lost by thinking about Sally, but he doesn’t regret any of it. He thinks the thought gave him hope that something good would happen – and it did. Then later, Nicky notices that Sally kept an old photo of him on her wall, and that’s enough to keep moving forward. Nicky kisses Sally on the cheek to say goodbye.

But wait – there’s more. Nicky tells Rebecca and Miguel that he’s headed back East because the new cabin is about to break ground, and Kevin (Justin Hartley) might “need an adult” to help with the project. Then on the flight back, Nicky meets Edie (Vanessa Bell Calloway), a flight attendant. The two flirt on the plane.

Meanwhile, in a new flash-forward scene, Edie gets out of the white car. She hugs Deja and asks Randall how Rebecca is doing. Then This Is Us seemingly confirms that Edie is Nicky’s wife in the future. 

Episode 2 of ‘This Is Us’ Season 6 teases more Rebecca and Miguel scenes together

Although This Is Us Season 6 Episode 2 focused on Deja and Nicky’s respective love stories, “One Giant Leap” also highlights major moments for Rebecca and Miguel. At the start of the episode, Rebecca continuously reminds Miguel not to forget about taking out the trash. Then on the car ride to Sally’s house, “Hooked on a Feeling” by Blue Swede plays on the radio. This pulls Rebecca into a flashback with Jack (Milo Ventimiglia).

The two lovers take a joyride in Jack’s boss’ sports car, and Rebecca lifts her arms in the air, feeling the wind around her. But in the present day, Rebecca looks at herself in the mirror and touches her scarf with sadness in her eyes. 

Meanwhile, after the Pearson matriarch tells Sally and Eric she has Alzheimer’s disease, she admits that she’s still sweating the small stuff – like the trash – even though there’s so much “big stuff” to worry about. Then Rebecca steps away with Sally, the two women bond like the sister-in-laws they never were. 

Rebecca says that Jack got the “showroom version” of her. But Miguel got the “used classic with a ton of miles.” Sally interjects, saying that Miguel worships her, and Rebecca acknowledges that she “struck gold twice.” Then Rebecca reveals that she learned to salsa dance with Miguel for their wedding, and they continued the hobby for a few years. But when a young girl pointed at Rebecca as if she were “so brave for dancing at her age,” she stopped. Rebecca also says she feels insecure about her physical signs of aging, even noting that she wears a scarf to hide her neck. 

Before leaving Sally’s house, Rebecca tells Miguel that he “did not get the best version” of her. She apologizes for what he has to deal with in the future, but Miguel reassures his wife. He gives her a gift he picked up from the antique shop – a brooch of a pair of lovebirds. He makes up a story about the yellow-naped Amazon parrot that flies from Central America to the Arctic, the most desolate place, just to mate. But even though the story is fake, the sentiment remains. Miguel is team Rebecca. Forever.

“We have a journey ahead of us, but I am going to be up to the task,” Miguel says. “I’m going to be amazing for you. Every step of the way, I promise. We can do this together.”

So Rebecca and Miguel pick up salsa dancing again.  

While This Is Us Season 6 Episode 2 ended with the reveal of Edie and Nicky’s relationship, we’re still left with lingering questions. Is Malik the father of Deja’s baby in the future? Was Miguel able to keep his promise to Rebecca, and if so, where is he in the flash-forward? Stay tuned. Episode 3 airs next week on Tuesday, Jan. 18.