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Here’s what made us cry in This Is Us season 2, episode 2

By Reed Gaudens

THIS IS US -- "A Manny Splendored Thing" Episode 202 -- Pictured: Milo Ventimiglia as Jack -- (Photo by: Ron Batzdorff/NBC)
THIS IS US -- "A Manny Splendored Thing" Episode 202 -- Pictured: Milo Ventimiglia as Jack -- (Photo by: Ron Batzdorff/NBC) /
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What made us cry during Season 2, Episode 2 of This Is Us? Besides everything, here’s the three scenes that brought the tears.

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In the latest episode of This Is Us, which found the Emmy-winning tear-jerker exploring the demons of Jack Pearson, there were a lot of emotion jammed into a single episode. Such is the norm for This Is Us, but “A Manny-Splendored Thing” packed a different punch than the clue-heavy premiere. Episode 2 returned to the show’s roots of telling honest stories.

Pushing the pause button on the Jack’s death mystery worked wonders from the drama and presented an opportunity to dive back into these characters that we love so much. For instance, This Is Us finally highlights the strengths of Kevin and Sophie’s relationship, despite its obstacles with long distance. Also, Beth and Randall went ahead and Beth and Randall’d all over the place (hey, if Beth can use Randall’s name as a verb…), meaning they were hopelessly adorable even in the midst of a fight. But Papa Pearson’s struggles and Kate’s tension with Rebecca just might be the scenes that hit the heartstrings the hardest. Let’s countdown the three top crying moments from “A Manny-Splendored Thing.” (Spoilers ahead!)

1. Jack in war.

For the first time, This Is Us flashes back to Jack Pearson fighting in the Vietnam War, and while he had previously spoke of his time in the war, it doesn’t add up. He once said he was merely a mechanic, but as he yielded a gun, it’s apparent that Jack did much more than repair vehicles. Jack’s long road to defeating his demons leads him to open up to teen Kate about his alcoholism. If you didn’t cry during either of Jack’s scenes with Kate, tell us your secrets.

2. Beth and Randall’s backlot moment.

While we do have to hand honorable mention to Kevin and Sophie’s cute decade-spanning love story, Beth and Randall always steal the show. As the #goals parental unit contend with their differing opinions on how best to execute their family’s next move, Kevin helps Beth realize Randall overthinks out of love. He’s risked failure once, and that was when he asked her out. Together, Beth and Randall decide to risk failing at fostering and share a cinematic smooch. Tears!

Next: Here’s what made us cry in the This Is Us season 2 premiere

3. Kate and Rebecca’s ceasefire.

Is it a ceasefire, though? It’s been a long time coming for the tension between Kate and Rebecca to be sliced with a knife. Until the latest episode, This Is Us hadn’t explicitly stated what caused the strain in their relationship, but it all comes back to Kate’s insecurities and Rebecca’s unintentional belittling of her daughter’s feelings. Neither of these women are right or wrong, but relationships between family members, when you love each other so much but you hurt each other the most, are a delicate dance. Finally, the Pearson women seem to surrender.

What made you cry during the latest episode of This Is Us Season 2? Let us know in the comments, and come cry with us on Twitter at @thisisuscrying!

This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.

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