WARNING: The following contains spoilers for This Is Us Season 6, Episode 1, "The Challenger," which aired Tuesday on NBC.

This Is Us is well known for shocking reveals and tear-jerking moments, and that reputation held up during the Season 5 finale, "Adirondacks," when the episode ended with a flashforward to a wedding. Kate's wedding, to be precise. In the glimpse at the future we see her set to marry her boss Phillip at the school where she works. It's especially shocking because Kate has already been married for several seasons to Toby, plus she and Phillip barely get along.

The Season 6 premiere, "The Challenger" lays some of the groundwork for Kate's breakup with Toby and subsequent marriage to Phillip. Toby is working long distance a few days a week and therefore he is away for her birthday. While he does ultimately show up at the end of the episode, the physical distance may lead to emotional distance, which could lead to their separation.

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Kate Pearson Toby This is Us

Not only did the episode lay some foundation for a breakup, but it also set up Kate's relationship with Phillip. When they first met back in Season 5, they did not get along. Phillip didn't think Kate was qualified for her job and had no qualms in sharing that opinion with her. However, he did warm up to her a little bit when he actually saw her work and connect with the kids. Still, professional respect seems a far cry away from marriage.

But "The Challenger" makes a much stronger case for a future together. Phillip sends Kate a text on her birthday, telling her there is an emergency at work and she has to come in. When she arrives at the school, she overhears Phillip breaking up with his now ex-girlfriend. It's not a pretty breakup. He admits that he finds the woman beautiful, but boring. He says that eating dinner with her is less interesting than watching paint dry. His dynamic with Kate has been anything but boring, instead they keep each other on their toes and this breakup doesn't just highlight what Phillip is looking for in a relationship, it also shows a way that Kate could fit that criteria.

The woman calls Phillip condescending and leaves before Kate enters. Kate questions him about the breakup, but he brushes her off and leads her out of the office to where there is no work emergency, but a surprise. It was all a ruse Kate's class put together to give her a surprise performance of her favorite song for her birthday. This distracts them from talking about his relationship, but it does provide additional foundation for what they will be together.

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kate pearson and phillip this is us the challenger

While Phillip denies he has anything to do with Kate's surprise, he's clearly touched by her joy. As Kate watches her students, she smiles big and has tears of joy in her eyes. She doesn't notice, but the audience does, how Phillip looks at her and mirrors her joy. His smile comes as a result not of the sweet performance, but Kate's happiness. It feels very much like the beginning of a relationship between Kate and Phillip beyond their professional one.

There is still a long way to go for Kate and Phillip before they end up getting married like the audience saw in the Season 5 finale. However, Season 6 is already off to a strong start with setting the foundation for Kate's separation from Toby and subsequent wedding to Phillip. It's likely their dynamic will continue to develop as the season goes along.

Created by Dan Fogelman, This Is Us stars Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Justin Hartley, Chrissy Metz, Sterling K. Brown, Chris Sullivan and Susan Kelechi Watson. New episodes air Tuesdays at 9pm ET/PT on NBC.

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