Who plays Cassidy in This Is Us?

On Jan. 4, NBC brought the critically acclaimed TV drama, This Is Us back for its 6th and final season—so far it’s an emotional rollercoaster. From flashbacks to flash forwards and everything taking place in real time, it can get tricky to keep track of each character and subplot. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered.

In season 6, episode 5, audiences are reunited with a familiar face from previous seasons. However, it’s been awhile since many viewers have laid eyes on Cassidy Sharp (Jennifer Morrison). So, it may be the perfect time for a refresher.

Who exactly is Cassidy in This is Us?

She was first introduced during the season 4 premiere, “Strangers.” Cassidy is a soldier who met Kevin Pearson (Justin Hartley) and his uncle Nicky Pearson (Griffin Dunne) at an AA meeting.

Cassidy and uncle Nicky bonded over both being former soldiers. Cassidy joined the marines to follow in her father’s footsteps after he spoke highly of his time with the 101ist Airborne Division in the army and flew a Cessna 150 that he nicknamed Screaming Eagle.

During her first tour, she fixed helicopters. Even though she continued to enlist, Cassidy decided to accept her long-time boyfriend Ryan Sharp’s marriage proposal and start a family. They have one son named Matty Sharp.

While on leave from her family, Cassidy finds it difficult to bond with Matty and maintain a connection to her husband. Then, things turn for the worst when a mission goes wrong. She makes a deal with a local village to exchange water for a photograph of a bomb maker that her unit is trying to track down.

Cassidy is under the impression that the bomb maker will be brought in for questioning, however, he and innocent members of the village are killed and the village is destroyed.

When she finishes her tour and returns to her family in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, Cassidy begins drinking excessively. She goes to bars often and even argues with her husband after she decides to drink and drive.

It becomes evident that she’s suffering from PTSD when she has a flashback of the village being destroyed that compels her to accidentally strike her son when he tries to grab her arm. Soon after, her husband kicks her out of the house for endangering their son. She goes to Veterans Affairs to sign up for therapy and AA.

In a somewhat amusing turn of events, during an AA meeting Cassidy attends, Nicky throws a chair through the window, which gives their friendship an interesting start. They eventually get to know one another and learn that they both suffer from PTSD.

When Kevin, also a recovering alcoholic, travels to meet Nicky in an effort to learn more about his family, he meets Cassidy. As they bond, he tells her that he’ll help save her marriage, but that doesn’t quite go as planned. Kevin and Cassidy hook-up, but Cassidy still ultimately wants her family back, so they part ways.

During the season 6, episode 5, “Heart and Soul,” audiences are reunited with Cassidy after seeing her very briefly in Season 5, episode 11, “One Small Step.” Her storyline with Nicky and Kevin continues.