Kanika Kumar
NBC’s ‘This Is Us’ is a family drama that focuses on the Pearsons and their experiences in the past, present, and future. Focusing on themes pertaining to familial bonding, addiction, racism, and child-rearing, the critically acclaimed series dives deep into the lives of Kevin (Justin Hartley), Kate (Chrissy Metz), and Randall (Sterling K. Brown), the children of Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore).
The show is particularly famous for its beautiful but highly complicated relationships — we often see glimpses of the Big Three’s love-related issues from both the past and the future. Unlike his married siblings, Kevin has the most trouble when it comes to love. Madison’s (Caitlin Thompson) character is thus seen as a breath of fresh air in Kevin’s life, despite their unconventional relationship as co-parents. The sixth and final season of the show promises to thoroughly explore each character’s fate; fans are worried about what lies in store for Madison because the series often features the demise of well-loved characters. So, does Madison die in season 6? Let’s find out. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Does Madison Die?
At the beginning of season 6, we see that Madison and Kevin are happily co-parenting their twins, Nick and Franny. In fact, Madison is allowing Kevin to stay in her garage so that he can be close to his children. Their dynamic is pleasant, and Madison seems to have moved on from Kevin; however, he appears to be harboring feelings for her.
Later, Madison plans to host a fantasy book club meeting and so tells Kevin that she’ll skip his birthday party since it is a family function. When Kevin returns after meeting Casey, he sees that Madison is spending time with a friend named Elijah. Kevin immediately seems annoyed by the fact that Madison and Elijah are exchanging playful banter and hanging out even after the book club gathering.
When Kevin returns from his birthday party at night, he finds that Madison and Elijah are watching television together. In fact, Madison decides to watch a new episode with Elijah, despite having promised Kevin that she would watch it with him. Kevin gets irritated and gives Elijah a pointed look, making him leave awkwardly and hurriedly.
Then, Kevin tells Madison about Rebecca’s PET scan results and soon blurts out that he doesn’t like Elijah calling her Maddy. Madison gives him a sad look, and Kevin says that it’s probably a good idea for him to move out of her garage. Madison silently agrees; the two finally realize that they need to live their lives separately as they are not a couple. Additionally, Madison is finally allowing herself to find someone who truly loves her for who she is.
So, as of now, Madison is healthy and happily living her own life. She is a good mother to her children, is exploring her interests, and has a friendly dynamic with Kevin. We also know, because of the flashforward in season 5, that Kevin and Madison continue to be civil in the future despite the fact that they almost got married; in fact, Kevin seems to be married to someone else. Some fans are even of the opinion that Kevin and Madison will end up together again, based on how flirty they seem in the flashforward.
Most importantly, though, fans are worried that Madison might die as the final season progresses and approaches the ultimate flashforward. The reason for this fear is that season 3 shows us a scene 15 years into the future where the Pearsons gather around a very old Rebecca’s bed. However, Madison is conspicuously missing from the gathering. This is surprising because Beth is present, Nicky is by Rebecca’s bedside, and even Toby — who we know gets divorced — is around. However, it could just be that Madison wishes to avoid a Pearson family event, just like when she skips Kevin’s 41st birthday party.
Still, understandably, fans are of the opinion that Madison’s absence implies that she is dead. This speculation is also fueled by the fact that both Fogelman and Metz hinted that some characters will die in the final season. “I mean, when you don’t show somebody, usually in this show, it’s either for a reveal or for a reason. I think that we have more surprises and turns in store. I don’t know that any of those will come to that level of catastrophe,” stated the creator. However, Fogelman’s hint was pertaining to Kate and Miguel’s possible deaths, whilst Metz did not mention any character by name. “Two very important characters, we will see the end of their journey and that’s always just so difficult. It’s going to be a lot,” confessed Metz.
We are of the opinion that it’s unlikely that Madison dies in the future timeline, simply because there is no foreshadowing of her demise. The show regularly drops hints regarding the characters’ fates, and no such clue is found pertaining to Madison’s possible death. But, after all, the series is known for being emotionally charged and full of plot twists, so we might as well get ready for all possibilities. Hopefully, though, Madison will be alive and well 15 years into the future, possibly even married.
Read More: Does Kate Die in This Is Us Season 6?
