'This Is Us' Theories About Jack's Death To Tide You Over Until The Super Bowl

Since This Is Us won't be returning until a special episode set to air right after the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 4, it’s going to be a struggle to get through these extra days with no new episode and no additional answers. Luckily, there are some legitimate This Is Us theories about Jack’s death to tide you over until the Super Bowl, even though the topic itself is something that draws both curiosity and premature sadness. We all know it’s coming and we all want answers about how Jack died and how the fire may be related to his death, but at the same time, who wants to see everyone’s favorite TV husband and father meet his maker?

All this time, most fans have assumed that the fire directly correlated with Jack's death, but it’s entirely possible that the house fire and Jack's death, though they may have happened on the same night, aren't even part of the same incident. Likewise, it’s also plenty possible that Jack died in the fire, but from something other than the actual flames. Regardless, the theories have been swirling around since it was revealed back in Season 1 that he’s no longer alive. So until the episode titled "Super Bowl Sunday" is here to give some more definitive answers, there’s no time like the present to go through some more plausible theories about Jack’s death.

The Actual Fire Was His Cause Of Death

Generally speaking, it’s possible that the fire is what killed Jack. Assuming that the writers of This Is Us didn’t create the fire as a red herring, the fire very well could have been the cause of Jack’s death. This is especially possible since third degree burns alone are known to sometimes lead to infections which kill people who are victims of such fires or trapped with no way to get out.

Smoke Inhalation Eventually Killed Him

As Redditor paulyspocket pointed out back in October 2017, Jack could have died from smoke inhalation after the fact. Rebecca returned to the remains of the house with what looked like Jack’s belongings on the front passenger seat next to her. If Jack died after the fire rather than in the actual house as it burned down around them, she probably wouldn't be returning with his personal effects. Wouldn't they have been lost in the fire as well?

According to the theory, Rebecca could have taken Jack to the hospital as a precaution after the family was safely out of the house, only to realize later than he’d inhaled a lethal amount of smoke from the fire that soon after killed him.

A Beam Fell On Him In The House

Jack was nothing if not a hero to the highest degree. I mean, he’s the reason why so many dads and husbands need to step up their game on some real levels. Assuming that he made it his mission to get everyone out of the house before he himself did, then he could have been injured by falling debris, like a beam or something else too heavy to move. As difficult as that would be to see him die in such a brutal way, it would also have Jack going out like the hero he was.

He Pulled A Titanic

A recent fan theory posted by maverickLI and then elaborated on by puppysvet on Reddit is that Jack died saving Kate. But, to go a little deeper into that theory, they also claim that Randall taking his girlfriend to see Titanic, in which the character Jack (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) died saving Rose (whose real life name was Kate Winslet) was foreshadowing of how Jack would die.

He went back into the house to save Kate and inadvertently sacrificed his own life in doing so. In the promo for "Super Bowl Sunday," Kate does look trapped in her bedroom, screaming out in terror, so I wouldn't put it past Jack to sacrifice himself to save her life.

He Died Saving Kate’s Dog

Kate had a huge attachment to her dog before the fire and in present day, adult Kate had a hard time adopting a dog to bring home to Toby. What if that’s because, as Redditor rblaske theorized, Jack died saving Kate’s dog? "Maybe the family all gets out at first, except the dog," rblaske wrote. "Since Kate seems to have an attachment to the dog, she freaks out about it, and Jack runs back in to find the pup. Dog gets out, Jack doesn’t. Or, if he does, he’s not in good shape and ends up dying in the hospital."

It would definitely explain her strained relationship with dogs and her claims that Jack’s death is her fault, so that takes care of two important mysteries at once.

He Suffered Other Injuries Because Of The Fire

The very first time we see the house after the fire was finally put out, there are two firefighters standing outside and one points to a second story window. What if Jack, Rebecca, Randall, and Kate used one of the windows to escape to safety since the fire started downstairs and there was clearly no way to get out of the house on the first floor? But in doing so, maybe Jack injured himself and later died from those injuries.

His Death Isn't Related To The Fire At All

Let’s put all of the fire theories to the side for a minute and consider the possibility that the fire itself is almost too easy to explain Jack’s death. If that’s the case, then this fan’s theory on Twitter could be right in thinking that Jack didn't die in the fire at all. According to this particular theory, Jack got out of the fire fine, but wanted to find Kevin to have the family together.

He drove to the party in the woods to find him (maybe Sophie’s parents told Jack where they were?), but along the way, got in a car accident and died. Granted, Rebecca had the family car when she pulled up in front of the house after the fire, but maybe he was driving a different car of theirs or borrowed Miguel’s car. It definitely seems possible and would no doubt surprise most fans.

Without a new episode of This Is Us on in the usual Tuesday night time slot, we’ll all have to endure a longer wait than usual for the new episode to air after the Super Bowl, which is never fun. But if more questions are finally answered, I’m confident that the wait will be worth it.

Check out Romper's new video series, Romper's Doula Diaries:

Watch full episodes of Romper's Doula Diaries on Facebook Watch.