The following contains spoilers for This Is Us Season 6, Episode 13, "Day of the Wedding," which aired Tuesday, April 20 on NBC.
As This Is Us nears its series finale, one of its biggest mysteries must be answered: Who is Kevin's wife in the future? The Season 6 episode, "Day of the Wedding," takes steps toward revealing the mystery woman's identity. It leaves much up to the episode that will follow it, where Kevin recounts the night. Nevertheless, some clues suggest Kevin may end up with his ex-wife Sophie, his friend Cassidy or the wedding singer, Arielle. However, the narrative details point to Kevin and Sophie's reunion somewhere in the future.
Kevin Pearson is one of This Is Us' main characters as a member of the Pearson family's Big Three, with his siblings Randall and Kate. Kevin's romantic relationships have ranged in commitment and sincerity over the years, but his ex-wife, Sophie, has been a constant. For better or worse, they always find their way back to each other. Kate and Phillip's wedding is no different, as Kevin and Sophie cross paths once again, and this time their interactions hint at their future together. After all the decades, Kevin and Sophie's timing may finally be right -- and earned.
Beth and Madison use the clues in Kevin's room to uncover who he spent the night with before Kate's wedding. In actuality, he spent a portion of it with each woman. The duo learns the floral wrap belongs to Cassidy, leaving the poem and the clothes to belong to Arielle or Sophie. The potential promiscuous nature of such an eventful night leans into Kevin's womanizing tendencies, but this character has grown past that era. For instance, the more probable reality of his time with Sophie would create a stable foundation to rebuild their relationship.
This Is Us isn't subtle about foreshadowing Kevin and Sophie's future, but it does throw plenty of memorable twists into the story. Cassidy evolved into something more on her own, and she is one of Kevin's greatest friends. The show risks jeopardizing those advantages by developing a romance between the pair. Cassidy even told Kevin he chased the wrong blonde in the wrong city in the Season 6 episode, "Heart and Soul." Alternatively, Arielle is so new to the series that the emotional payoff would be challenging for This Is Us to pull off with five episodes left. Plus, the narrative beats would be eerily similar to Nicky pursuing Sally and falling for Edie.
On the other hand, everything lines up perfectly for Kevin and Sophie's earned reunion. In the Season 4 Kevin-centric episode, "A Hell of a Week, Part 2," Sophie's mother, Claire, told a younger Kevin she couldn't give him her mother's emerald ring to propose to Sophie because he hadn't earned it. At the end of that episode, an adult Kevin speaks to Claire at her grave site, telling her he's finally in a place where he can be the partner Sophie deserves. In "Day of the Wedding," Rebecca thinks Kevin is Jack and tells him that the timing is off for Kevin and Sophie because they are too young, but Rebecca believes Kevin will work things out with her.
That matriarchal parallel is one of many nods to Kevin and Sophie's past. For example, in the Season 1 episode, "Three Sentences," a 10-year-old Kevin has a Princess Bride-themed birthday party to impress Sophie. Now, Kevin pulls out Princess Bride-themed jokes in his toast at his sister's wedding that make Sophie smile. There's also a moment when Kevin peeks at Sophie over his shoulder, which feels reminiscent of that birthday party when he does the same after telling Jack and Rebecca how he feels. But how does Sophie's husband fit into this?
The episode never shows Sophie with her husband or hears her mention him, despite assumptions she's still married. Notably, Sophie sports her grandmother's emerald ring, not the engagement ring Grant gave her. This Is Us packs too much sentimental meaning in that piece of jewelry for Sophie to wear it because it matches her dress. Maybe Sophie's marriage ended, and Sophie doesn't know how or want to break the news on Kate's day. Maybe Sophie wants a piece of her mother close, which Kevin can relate to since he wore Jack's necklace.
It's not illogical to believe this topic initiates the pair's time together. The profound history between Kevin and Sophie means they can have those tough conversations with each other, especially now. It's not irrational to think that conversation could start something new for them -- the beginning of the next chapter of their great love story. Kevin and Sophie have never been ones who want to know the ending of something good, like Good Will Hunting. But, This Is Us has always known that Kevin and Sophie would eventually earn their happily ever after.