It turns out that he did not.
So, how exactly did the gold-hearted family man meet his maker?
Sorry, we did not learn how he left the planet (see you next season!
And our love story, I know it may not feel like it right now, but baby…
I promise you, its just getting started.
And the rest was history.
What is Jack and Rebeccas future?
What did that fight do to their foundation?
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: After watching the finale, I imagine some fans arent okay right now.
How are you holding up?MILO VENTIMIGLIA:Im actually really good.
This now prolongs that question of How is Jack going die?
because that is not satisfied.
With the light, you got to have the dark.
With the good, you got to have the bad.
This was the bleakest side of the Jack-Rebecca marriage weve seen.
I knew that it would be a lot of heavy lifting for Mandy and I. Dan had scripted that fight scene as a oner.
He wanted it to run almost like a scene or a moment in a play.
So we prepped it that way and performed it that way.
Mandy said there was an uncomfortable vibe on the set.Yeah.
She said you two purposely kept your distance, literally and figuratively.
Wherever we happen to film, were always right next to each other.
But I had to separate us from that, and I think she knew that.
That one moment when you did this, that was amazing!
Or just talk about it, you know?
NEXT PAGE: Did Jack or Rebecca cross a line?
And is Jack an alcoholic?
I have to believe in what hes feeling, I have to believe in his rationale in the situation.
If my wife wanted to go perform onstage, Id be like, Thats great!
Hey, have fun!
Tell me where the shows are!
I will be there.
But it was tough finding that angle that I needed to play and that I back him up.
I dont know if people are going to attack Jack or attack Rebecca.
I just believe that the audience is probably going to be heartbroken.
Why did Jack have to go off, get drunk, and punch the guy, you know?
Why did Rebecca…?
Career is clocking in and clocking out, punching the timecard, and thats what Jack knows.
Jack is the one in the career.
Its not apples and oranges, its apples to hammers; theyre completely different things.
Maybe he could have softened the blow, but at that point, hes getting attacked by her.
Shes after him, and hes going into that scene almost like a wounded puppy who sthe carpet.
He knows he made the biggest mistake ever.
Its a precarious situation, you know?
Too far?I think its a little lopsided, her view on that.
Shes looking at it from her perspective.
Hes looking at it from his perspective, and the two just are not eye-and-eye.
Thats just not Jack.
He doesnt need someone to pat him on the back for him making a sacrifice for his family.
And she feels that same way on the opposite side.
The marriage has worn down the lines of communication over time, and its sad to watch.Exactly.
So I think the idea that its in his blood is a fear that he has of himself.
He doesnt want to become his father.
I know that we still havent even really seen the extent of his fathers drinking.
What were you thinking as a fan of the show?
Were you like, Save this situation!
?Yeah, but Jack leads with his heart.
He doesnt always have the words, it takes him a moment sometimes to have those words.
If he gave her the exact same speech, who knows if it would have landed?
I dont think that it would have.
We love each other.
Thats the way Jack operates.
There were moments from episode 18, but also episode 15, that first little scuffle in the hallway.
Yet it wasnt enough for Rebecca, and she kept pushing on it.
What do you love about me?
And you know what?
The next day she got her answer.
After she kicked him out of the house.
He certainly didnt seem like he was going to suggest separating.
I feel like Jack was ready to say everything that he was about to say.
We cant take away what we said in the light of day just because its daytime.
We meant it, and we cant take it back.
But also, he knows he crossed a line.
Does he think the best course of action right now is to let things settle down?
As he says, Were just getting started.Yeah.
I think at the moment hes just being smart.
Hes playing chess, hes not playing checkers.
Whats interesting is its 8:30 p.m. when the heist is going down.
That date was at 7:30.
He realizes he already missed the date.
He didnt mention to Rebecca that he was about to rob a bar that night.[Laughs.]
Those are things that she doesnt know at all.
Why did he not tell her that?
He painted a different picture of what happened that evening.
I was about to make a series of bad decisions like my dad.
Not that after 20 years of being together, that would ever be something that would split them up.
I was about to rob from some very dangerous men.
Thats a piece of information that Rebecca doesnt need to know.
Where Rebecca comes from, she doesnt need to know things like that.
How hopeful did you read that ending?
How much darkness did you see at the end of that episode?
I kind of felt the same way.
It was one of those speeches hed give it to his kid.
He just had to give the better, adult version to his wife, you know?
Jack is an optimist.
They are him, and hes nothing without them.
What about the necklace?
Did you take that as optimistic?As an audience member, I take that as optimistic.
As Jack, he doesnt know he walked out!
As an audience member, its absolutely hopeful, and what a beautiful shot that Yasu Tanida got.
I mean, these are all springboards of whats to come, and they were beautiful moments.
And knock you off your feet.
He was adopted, he had a great upbringing.
We didnt get the answer to how Jack dies in this episode[Laughs.]
Ill have to hold strong with that answer until Dan wants to tell that story.
I think people should be more concerned with his life.
How did this man live his life?
How did he embrace his family, even in disrepair?
How did he fight for his family when it looked like things were broken and going away?
How did this man live his life?
is more important than when he died, in my mind.
So you liked the way the show repositioned the question?I love it.
I think it was completely accurate andnecessary.
Its the family album, and youre not flipping to that last page.
Youre just picking up in the middle of the book.
Dont you think some fans will be disappointed that they didnt get that how-Jack-dies answer?Oh, totally.
The only question Ive gotten from friends and people on the street: How does he die?
When does he die?
Tell me it doesnt happen right then we just got over William.
And Im like, Wow, you already gotten over William?Man.
I havent gotten over William.
Its a redirect, but in a way that expands what the show is.
This show has never been anything that someone can forecast.
I dont know that I cried, but man, it hurt!
And I said the same thing, I said, I know, Sterling.
Ive had the hardest time talking about it.
I think people were expecting this massive shut-yourself-in-a-hole-and-cry-for-a-week experience of an episode, but its different than that.
Its stressful, and painful, and its justsad.
Very true, so, not to worry about his death, but worry about how this man lived.
Theres some ugliness there, too.Absolutely.
He is not infallible.
He will make mistakes.
Getting drunk and getting in a car.
Getting further drunk and beating a guy who doesnt deserve that.
Hes a man doing his best.
Production-wise, were talking about episode 2, the necklace she wears.
It was always about: What is that song that shes singing when they meet?
Im going to go the other way with my life.
I can see Jeremy Luke, his version of Darryl, saying, Oh my God!
Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap!
That was a lot of fun to reunite with him [his former co-star onMob City] as well.
I dont think Jack looks for the reward, but hes got to catch a break at some point.
Thats the only expectation.
Its Gods law to a degree, you know?
If youre good, someone will be good to you.
If youre bad, theyll be bad to you.
Seriously, why am I doing all this, you know?
Its got to just shake your whole system, and I know it rattles Jack.
Jack is looking forward.
Maybe they just had it easier.
But I know he didnt have it easier.
Hes in a war zone.
You see bad things, you know?
I guarantee hes got friends names very good friends names on the wall in D.C.
But Jack doesnt make it anyone elses problem.
Thats the nice thing about Jack.
Thats why I really think this man with this golden heart is able to accomplish.
Did you talk to Dan about exploring more of that?
Will we maybe even get a flashback to Vietnam in season 2?Yeah.
What was that existence like?
Its about them as individuals.
You want to know about Kevin and his drive toward being accepted in his business.
You want to know about Kate and her individual struggles in life, in love.
Weve only given them a sip of water when theres an entire ocean to know about this family.
Here comes some fan fiction!
To read what creator Dan Fogelman had to say about the finale,click here.
Mandy Moores thoughts areright here.
And for moreThis Is Usscoop, follow@dansniersonon Twitter.
