Nicholas "Nicky" Pearson is the younger brother of Jack Pearson, and a former combat medic. Prior to being discovered by the rest of the Pearson family, he had been presumed dead due to Jack claiming that he’d died during the Vietnam War.
History[]
Childhood[]
Nicky was born on October 18th, 1948, at 11:58 pm, weighing 7.2lbs. He was the second child and son of Marilyn and Stanley Pearson. Stanley had hoped not only for another boy, but for Nicky to be born on the 19th so that he’d share a birthday with his grandfather. On the day of his birth, Stanley told Nicky’s then four-year-old brother, Jack, that it was an older brother's duty to protect his younger brother. Jack took this to heart, putting a heavy responsibility on himself to dote on Nicky throughout their complicated childhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Nicky first appeared during a flashback in Brothers, where he, Jack, and their father were headed on a fishing trip. As Jack anxiously awaited the return of Stanley, who had stopped for beer at a tavern and left them in the car, Nicky woke up and asked where he had gone; Jack reassured him and they kept each other busy by playing with a can of fishing bait.
While playing football one evening, Jack accidentally broke Nicky’s glasses. Nicky expressed worry over how Stanley would react, and exclaimed that he hated his glasses. Jack comforted him by comparing him to Clark Kent, a hero in disguise. During a fight their parents had later that night, Nicky took this comparison seriously, and decided to confront his father. An enraged Stanley, presumably about to beat him, was blocked by Jack. After he left the home, Marilyn comforted her sons and insisted their father hadn't always been that way.
On one particularly rough Thanksgiving, the brothers hid under the basement stairs and listened to the radio while placing bets on sports teams. Nicky claimed to hate the holiday, and Jack quickly hushed him as Stanley yelled for them upstairs. Jack insisted everything would be alright when Nicky became frightened.
Once, Nicky mentioned his desires to become a doctor or surgeon, claiming he would own a big house on a lake, along with a dock for a boat. At some point, he’d contemplated becoming a writer.
Early life[]
By 1969, Nicky, now in his early 20s, was still living at home with his parents. He had found work at a local veterinary clinic.
On July 20th of that year, the Pearson family watched the moon landing. After this, Jack privately inquired if Nicky had thought about moving out. Nicky insisted he wasn’t thinking about doing so, though his fears of being drafted and sent to serve during the Vietnam war made him certain he'd be forced out anyway. Desperate for his brother to have a better future, Jack then suggested that he found himself a girlfriend. Nicky admitted to having a crush on his coworker, Sally Brooks, and was encouraged to pursue her.
While at work the following day, one of the dogs at the clinic was being difficult. Nicky was unable to get her to comply, so Sally took matters into her own hands. Nicky was astounded at Sally’s free-spirited attitude about the situation, and they successfully managed to clean the dog together. This initiated a conversation, and both seemed to be smitten with each another. Sally hinted at a date, though Nicky sheepishly turned her away. Jack, who'd come to pick his brother up from work, had eavesdropped on the conversation, and attempted to ask Sally out for Nicky. However, she declared she could handle it herself, and this time, Nicky agreed to meet her that evening.
Later, he located Sally in the neighborhood of Mount Washington. He was surprised to find she was living in a van. Nicky was invited inside eagerly, where he admired her photography and sense of style. At some point the two stepped outside to admire the moon. While she took photographs, Sally asked Nicky to tell her what he loved about the moon specifically. This sparked their first kiss and a romantic evening together. Nicky claimed he was falling in love with her.
Sometime after their first date, Sally came over to the Pearson home for a Salisbury steak dinner, where she charmed Nicky’s parents along with Jack. While washing the dishes later, Jack and Nicky were found by Sally, who took a photo of the two of them together. She claimed that in the future, they'd have the picture to look back on.
At one point, Sally asked Nicky if he would go to Woodstock with her, and then to California, where her cousin had a farm near San Francisco and was willing to house them. He agreed to go with her after his parents fell asleep one night. Jack soon found out about this plan and bought Nicky a new suitcase for his travels. Delighted, but fearful about looking like an outsider in California, he expressed his doubts and was comforted by Jack. Unfortunately, the evening he was due to leave, Nicky realized his parents seemed stable with him around, and chose to remain at home. Sally realized he wasn't coming, and departed Pittsburgh without him.
By the time Thanksgiving rolled around, Nicky had grown increasingly worried about being drafted. Due to high tensions between their parents and grandfather, Nicky and Jack decided to ditch dinner at home and go out. They went out to a bar, where Nicky placed bets against a sports team and won a large sum of cash from a friend. The brothers ordered five pounds of shrimp to celebrate. After their meal, they listened to music in the back of Jack’s truck. “So Long, Marianne” by Leonard Cohen came on, much to Jack’s annoyance, but Nicky claimed that Cohen was a poet, and described the song's message. Later, Jack declared they would continue the shrimp tradition, as it was the best Thanksgiving they’d ever had.
A week later, Nicky's draft number was called, and a bewildered Jack came up with a plan to get him relocated to Canada, though Nicky was apprehensive. When they arrived home, Stanley simply told his son to make him proud. Soon after, they pretended to go on a hunting trip, instead driving toward the Canadian border. Nicky claimed their father would never speak to him again, and also expressed fear and wonder at his future, wondering what it could be like to live in reverse. He hinted at taking a position as a medic, though Jack reminded him that even medics could be killed. About 30 miles from the border, they booked a hotel for the night. Jack woke the next morning to find Nicky had left, and in a letter, he implied he was going to Vietnam regardless of any risk.
Not long after he was sent overseas, Nicky sent his family a letter, describing his apparent struggles after receiving an Article 15 and wishing to end his life. Determined to protect his brother, Jack enlisted shortly afterwards in spite of his doctor insisting his heart condition disqualified him. He very quickly found himself in a staff sergeant position, where he and his platoon were eventually ambushed and sent to a fishing village along the Sông Trà Khúc for security detail.
Due to this area being closer to Nicky’s location, Jack made a request to visit his brother, but was denied access. His Lieutenant realized that Jack and his men were working harder than expected, and then permitted Jack to travel to Chu Lai around November of 1971. Nicky was shocked to spot his brother there one day, and became agitated. Jack later spoke to Major Dawson, Nicky’s commanding officer, who was in charge of matters in the region. He declined any request to let the brothers interact, insisting that family could not be in the same unit, due to the risk of sending home multiple condolence letters.
Later, after Dawson noticed Nicky's deterioration, he had a change of heart. He sent Nicky to his brother, giving Jack two weeks to shape him up. Slowly, Nicky gained sobriety from an addiction he’d formed, however, he started making disheartening comments directed at Vietnamese people. He remained distant from the other soldiers and was largely distrustful. As time went on, Nicky, who had taken a medic position after all, was needed by Jack when a young Vietnamese boy required aid for an injured foot. Nicky refused to help, insisting it wasn’t worth saving the boy, and a furious Jack did the work himself. After leaving the scene in a daze, Jack found him and Nicky told the story of his training officer being betrayed and killed by the Vietcong.
Eventually, the two weeks were coming to a close. Jack tried to ask for more time but was unsuccessful, and Nicky had grown more restless without drugs in his system. Jack took him to a fishing area to have a discussion about their time in the war, and told him they needed to complete their mission and make it home alive. Nicky insisted their mission was to kill. That evening, he found some drugs and took them, leading Jack to find him high and detached the next morning.
Around the time he was expected to be sent back to his original location, Nicky woke to find the same Vietnamese boy from before watching him. He took out a candy bar, offered him some, and playfully pulled it away, before the boy stole his glasses. Initially, Nicky was apprehensive, but soon warmed up and handed him the chocolate. The child, named Lanh, thanked him in Vietnamese, affectionately calling him “uncle”. They took a boat ride together in the village lake, where Nicky showed him how to catch fish by using grenades. Despite good intentions, the situation quickly turned deadly. Lanh became excited and pulled the pin on one of the grenades, which caused it to fall inside the boat as Nicky panicked. He screamed at the boy to jump before jumping into the water himself, having little time to react as he did so. The boat exploded, killing Lanh.
Alongside other soldiers, Jack heard the explosion and immediately rushed out to the scene, pulling a stunned Nicky from the water. Upon realizing that a child was killed, Jack, thinking that Nicky killed him on purpose, became furious and gave up on his brother on the spot. As they made it back to shore, Lanh’s mother screamed as she realized what had happened, further disturbing Nicky, who was then medevacked to the psychiatric unit at Walter Reed. Once discharged, he moved back to Pennsylvania where he proceeded to live in a trailer in solitary shame for nearly five decades, soothing his pain with alcohol. Presumably, he estranged himself from his parents, while Jack told others that Nicky had died during the war.
Around the mid-1970s, Nicky received a call from a veteran he knew during the war. He was made aware that there would be a celebration for their former Lieutenant’s engagement, and that Jack would be attending. Though Nicky made it clear he hadn’t seen Jack in years, he was told it was nearby and wrote down the address. He went reluctantly, going so far as to prepare what he would say if he faced Jack again. After finally gaining the courage to leave his truck, he saw Jack leaving the building and caught a glimpse of a ring he was holding. Unknown to him at the time, this was for Jack’s proposal to Rebecca. He did not call out to Jack, and returned home, deciding it was best to leave things as they were.
Many years later, Jack began receiving postcards (signed "CK") at his work office and finally, at his house, which prompted him to visit his brother in February of 1992. Nicky was shocked to find Jack at his doorstep, and invited him inside. They reminisced about their childhood, such as their mother’s cooking and bobsledding, but it didn’t take long for Nicky to want to talk about what had happened in Vietnam. Jack refused to listen because he didn’t want to return to the war, though Nicky persisted. Still, his brother refused, and insisted that he needed to stop sending things to his home and work. Nicky then wanted to know if he ruined his brother's life, and Jack showed him a photo of his wife and three children. Nicky accepted this and agreed to leave his brother alone, insisting Jack left. After briefly considering returning to the trailer, Jack drove home. Six years later, he passed away due to a tragic house fire, before another chance to reconcile occurred.
Later life[]
In early 2019, Kevin, Kate, and Randall decided to locate Nicky after Kevin visited Vietnam with his partner Zoe, and learned his uncle had not died in the war at all. They later found Nicky’s address, 2125 Songbird Road. He was not home initially, but showed up and was perplexed to find them at his doorstep. The three explained that they were Jack’s children, prompting Nicky to ask if he knew they were there. For the first time, he learned that Jack had died.
After some resistance, Nicky invited them inside of his now dilapidated trailer. They demanded answers from him because of Jack’s claim he had died during the war. Many questions of their's went unanswered by Nicky, as he grew agitated. Eventually, he insisted it was a bad idea for them to be there and that they should leave, but Kate claimed that after so much travel and effort, they refused to go until they got more information from him. Nicky was then certain they were Jack’s children, due to their stubbornness and persistence.
Nicky finally had the chance to retell some of the horrors behind his time in Vietnam, and to clarify the tragic events of Lanh's death. He admitted he still agonized over the memory of the mother's screams, and that he would likely be haunted by them until his death. He recounted how Jack should have never gone after him in Vietnam, and how his brother saw everything in black or white, never gray. Finally, he asked how his brother had passed. After Randall told him the events of Jack's death via smoke inhalation, Nicky insisted he needed time alone, much to Kevin’s dismay, and they were sent out. Later that evening, Kevin had a gut feeling about Nicky and felt guilty about leaving him alone in squalor. He returned to the trailer, where he and his siblings found their uncle sitting with a gun at the table. After being asked if he was alright, Nicky expressed deep remorse over never being able to tell Jack the truth.
After the initial shock, Kevin invited Nicky to the hotel where they were staying, and offered him his own room. Agitated and tired, they left him alone for the night, unsure of what to do. Kevin spent the night researching inpatient centers for veterans, and found a center nearby. By the next morning, Nicky showed no interest, claiming he’d sought help before and it never worked. Rebecca arrived unexpectedly, to everybody’s surprise, and expressed interest in learning about who Nicky was. Randall and Kate left due to personal matters, though Kevin and Rebecca stayed behind to support Nicky. Though he expressed appreciation, Nicky saw no point in using the services, and remained difficult to convince. Both Kevin and his mother privately admitted to anger toward Jack for lying, and after returning to the hotel, Rebecca insisted she and Nicky spoke together. Meanwhile, Kevin returned to the trailer to clean things up.
Rebecca revealed she did not originally want to meet Nicky, due to Jack’s lies for so many years. She asked about the childhood the brothers shared, but Nicky claimed it wasn’t worth remembering. He was confident Jack wanted him dead, though Rebecca assured him that Jack likely would’ve come around had the circumstances been right. She mentioned that Kevin wanted to help, but Nicky felt that he was being used as a prop by his nephew. Put off by this, Rebecca left. A while later, Nicky found her again, and she apologized for the family invading his space. Nicky told her how creative Jack had always been, even in childhood. He explained that he used to be a person, and wished to be that person again, but that it was too difficult to change. He then tearfully told Rebecca that she and the kids were all Jack had ever wanted, and returned to Kevin’s hotel room. They then returned to Nicky’s trailer, where Kevin helped repair the leaky ceiling. Nicky said he would attend one meeting at the vet center, but made no promises to attend more than that, and hinted that he needed more time and space to process the circumstances. With that, they temporarily parted ways.
Over time, Nicky finally decided to seek counseling. Little by little, he made improvements, gaining sobriety and warming up to his therapist. However, he was soon told that she would be transferring elsewhere, setting back any progress. He stormed off and later returned to the VA center while drunk. Nicky threw a chair which shattered a window, startling a meeting of people, and he was subsequently arrested. He contacted Kevin for bail money, but did not respond to any of his nephew’s messages afterwards. Battling his own relapse, Kevin made the decision to return to Bradford and help his uncle recover. After his bail, Nicky was faced with either $250,000 in fines or ten years in prison, and was expected to attend court for a hearing. His charges were to be reduced or even pardoned if he could commit to resuming treatment under probationary circumstances.
After an evaluation to confirm he was eligible for this deal, Nicky met Cassidy Sharp, one of the people who’d been attending the meeting he interrupted. She showed apprehension towards him and Kevin, and quickly left the counseling office with her son, Matty. Despite the good news, Nicky went to a bar across the street and drank more liquor, which infuriated Kevin. After an argument, Nicky was convinced to leave. They then went to an AA meeting where they came across Cassidy once again. After making some self-important remarks about himself, Nicky and Cassidy laughed at Kevin, who joined in, signaling a friendship between the three.
Not long after this encounter, another AA meeting was rescheduled, so Nicky spent the day looking at trailers with both Kevin and Cassidy to pass some time. Kevin was persistent in buying him a new one to live in, much to Nicky’s annoyance. Later, he told the story of how he purchased his current trailer for himself and Sally. He had purchased it with his savings and drove to her home after the war, with plans to start a life with her, but did not find her there and assumed it wasn’t meant to be. Kevin instead bought a new trailer for himself and parked it next door to Nicky’s.
As time went on, a local hockey game was expected to take place in honor of veterans. This ceremony was to include Cassidy, but Nicky was hesitant to attend. Despite making the effort to go, the loud noise was triggering for him and he left. Later, Kevin found him back at home, still sober, and Nicky spoke of a tradition his father had started involving slicing ice cream like cake. Unbeknownst to him, Jack had passed along this same tradition to his children decades prior, though Kevin was still touched.
Finally, the day of Nicky’s court hearing had arrived. After being in Bradford for so long, Kevin became agitated and ended up forming a fling with Cassidy, much to his uncle’s disapproval. Kevin took off after being scolded by Nicky and got into a fight at a local bar. Nicky and Cassidy eventually tracked him down, and Nicky became irritated that Kevin not only forgot about the hearing, but that he was now bruised up and unfit for to vouch for him in court. While he dressed in more formal attire, Cassidy patched up the injuries on Kevin’s face to the best of her abilities. At the hearing, Nicky was visibly anxious. After Kevin calmed him, he spoke to the judge and exclaimed that he did not express remorse for throwing the chair, but rather, that he felt happy he did so, or else his life may not have changed for the better. The judge agreed to have all charges expunged, as long as he remained in treatment and did not re-offend for two years. Nicky and Kevin later dropped Cassidy off at a diner so she could settle personal matters with her husband. After they arrived back home, Kevin invited his uncle to Philadelphia for the family’s Thanksgiving dinner, and Nicky accepted the invitation.
When Thanksgiving rolled around, Nicky was worried about meeting the family. He and Kevin headed to Philadelphia together, and were welcomed warmly when they arrived at Randall’s home. Randall and his daughter had to make a trip to the family’s previous home for holiday items that had been left behind, and Nicky asked if he could tag along with them. Later, as he was questioned by Annie, he claimed Jack had “erased” him, and admitted to Randall that he was overwhelmed by everything. Once at the old house, the new owners also returned old CDs that were left behind. On the drive back, Randall let Nicky choose one to play. The song “So Long, Marianne” came on, and Randall explained that Jack used to love listening to it, and as he echoed the same explanation of the song Nicky once gave to Jack, Nicky realized his brother didn’t entirely erase him, and passed on a small piece of him to his children. At this realization, he began to tear up, asking if they could stop on the way home.
After their return, Nicky revealed his contribution to the family dinner: five pounds of shrimp. Though he and Jack couldn’t continue the tradition themselves, he was insistent on new beginnings with the rest of the family, much to their delight. After dinner, Nicky told Kevin that they could call each other anytime they needed, but suggested they should both move forward in life.
As the next year progressed, Nicky and Cassidy were still acquainted and regularly attending AA meetings together, and he seemed to be residing in Kevin’s former trailer. He sent a gift for Jack, and congratulated Kevin on his sobriety. Eventually, Kevin and his partner Madison, who had become pregnant with twins months prior, had their babies, who they named Nick and Franny. Nicky was surprised to find out that one was named after him, and after being sent an invitation to virtually attend their baptism, he misunderstood it, and made spontaneous plans to fly over and meet the twins in person.
With the support of Cassidy, Nicky ordered supplies from the internet so he could make the twins homemade snow globes. He was determined to face his fear of flying and travel for the first time in decades, making the effort to get vaccinated against Covid-19 and carefully pack his gifts for the trip. Cassidy drove him to the airport and insisted that Kevin knew he was traveling, though Nicky did not seem concerned. At the airport, he grew frustrated when his gift was detained and opened at security, his agitation increasing once he was told his snow globes would not be allowed on the flight. He refused to arrive empty-handed and attempted to empty the globes of liquid, but accidentally dropped them, shattering them into pieces. After throwing the remains away, he boarded his flight. When he finally arrived at Kevin’s home later that evening, he was met with surprise but welcomed in.
Nicky was given some leftovers to eat, and apologized for suddenly showing up, though Madison claimed they did not mind the company. After bombarding his uncle with information about the babies, including what pet name they should call him as they grew older, Kevin realized he was making Nicky nervous and made up a room for him. Later, Nicky couldn’t sleep and called Cassidy in a panic, insisting he should leave during the night. She reminded him that he was not used to the love coming his way and that Jack would have been proud of him. Now given the courage to stay, Nicky visited the twins in their nursery and gifted them each a John Grisham novel, which he'd bought at the airport gift shop as replacements for their broken snow globes. He gave a heartfelt speech referencing the moon landing, claiming the impossible became possible, reflecting his own journey in life. He told the twins they essentially brought him out of his ordinary routine, calling them both his “moon”, and reminding them not to call him any stupid nicknames. Nicky eventually fell asleep in their room, where Kevin found him the next morning.
Nicky remained at this residence for some time after his travels, and helped to care for the babies. During this time, Kevin and Madison planned their wedding. Rebecca and Miguel were to host the rehearsal dinner, and Nicky asked if he could help. Kevin was surprised by this idea, but permitted it. Miguel arrived one morning to start planning, but tensions quickly rose as he and Nicky couldn't agree on plate sizes, along with Nicky making quips. Miguel pointed out that he felt worn down by this, and Nicky made a remark about him swooping in for Rebecca once Jack had died. Offended, Miguel said he owed no explanation to anyone, and that only Jack would be owed one. That evening, Nicky called to apologize, and Miguel accepted, claiming Jack never replaced him as Nicky had indicated jealousy over their friendship.
At some point, Kevin took Nicky out for a tour of the Hollywood area. Nicky bought the twins Godfather outfits while waiting for Kevin to settle business matters. Unfortunately, they had no time for the tour after Kevin found out his acting career was on the line, and he needed to attend a meeting to sort matters out. Nicky tagged along during the meeting and suggested some ideas, and found some film scripts to go through, so that Kevin could potentially find another role.
Nicky eventually attended Kevin’s bachelor party, which took place at the Pearson family cabin. After watching Jerry Maguire, Nicky pointed out that his nephew was similar to the main character. Kevin snapped at him, and asked why he would insinuate he’s only marrying Madison due to their unexpected pregnancy. Nicky replied that he was simply running his mouth, though Kevin became more irritated and left. That night, Nicky made a fire outside, where he and everybody else spoke on their life problems and tried to help Kevin mend his cold feet about the wedding. Nicky claimed to hate romantic movies, and mentioned his regrets involving Sally, feeling that he blew it with her and that he was projecting his own frustrations onto Kevin, who admitted his uncle had been at least partially correct. Before bed, Nicky spent his time looking Sally up on the internet.
On the day of Kevin and Madison’s wedding, Nicky attempted to film as many special moments as he could on an iPad, and Kevin reminded him that they’d already hired a videographer. Nicky mentioned needing a moving truck for his wedding gift, as it was quite big. Kevin asked that he interacted as little as possible as they prepared for the wedding and held the ceremony, and Nicky agreed to do so. At the venue, he was amazed to find that Kevin had rented out the whole place. He continued to film certain aspects of the day, even the negatives, despite his nephew's annoyance. The altar later collapsed, so Nicky, Miguel, and Toby worked together to repair it. Miguel insisted he knew what he was doing after Nicky questioned his woodworking, and they got into a minor spat. Afterwards, Nicky’s wedding gift arrived, and he revealed that he had custom Adirondack chairs made for Kevin and Madison. Unfortunately, the wedding was called off due to Madison feeling it wasn’t right to get married when true love did not feel present in the relationship.
Kevin moved out while Madison stayed with the twins at the home they had shared, so Nicky eventually moved in with Rebecca and Miguel. On the Big Threes’ 41st birthday, Nicky, Rebecca, and Miguel took Jack and Hailey to the park and for a ride on the train. Nicky was sulky due to being nervous about messaging Sally online, and begrudgingly rode with them. Later, they attended a birthday dinner for Kevin, Kate, and Randall, as Rebecca struggled with symptoms of her developing Alzheimer’s disease. When they returned home later, a frustrated Rebecca snapped at Nicky, who had not stopped griping about Sally for most of the day, and she insisted that they left the next day and went on a road trip to find her.
The following morning, they embarked on their trip. Nicky had packed a full suitcase, and he told Rebecca and Miguel that he had located Sally for certain. On the road, he explained to them how he planned to reintroduce himself to Sally once they arrived at her home, though he became embarrassed and Rebecca had to reassure him. Afterwards, Nicky insisted they had to make a stop so that he didn’t arrive at Sally’s home empty-handed. On the way, Rebecca suggested that Jack had a hand in bringing the three of them together, much to Miguel and Nicky’s amusement.
They arrived at an antique shop which sold vintage items, however, once the shop owner told Nicky the price of a particular camera he was looking to buy, he became indignant. Rebecca offered to pay for the camera, and a flustered Nicky then admitted that he’d never actually confirmed that the Sally he found online was the same Sally he knew. Rebecca and Miguel purchased the camera anyway, as they'd come far enough already and they didn't want to be set back. Soon after, they arrived at Sally's home, where Nicky realized she was the right person after all as she approached the door. She did not recognize Nicky initially, and he attempted to leave, but was stopped by Rebecca, who elaborated on who they were and why they were there. After the explanation, certain memories seemed to return to Sally, and she invited the trio inside.
While everyone became acquainted, Sally discussed her time in Woodstock and how her aspirations had changed over the years. Her husband, Eric, entered the room and was confused to find company there; Sally introduced the three as friends of hers. Nicky was once more determined to leave, but Sally invited them to stay for dinner. During their meal, Sally inquired about Nicky’s brother, and where they had met, as some of her memories were still fuzzy. After Nicky reminded her they had met at the veterinary clinic, she was even more pleased to know who he was, and recalled their dinner at his parents’ home. She then made a remark about worrying she had Alzheimer’s due to forgetting so many details. Rebecca grew uncomfortable at the statement and admitted to actually having said disease, much to Sally’s embarrassment. The conversation turned into everybody expressing their fears and their desires throughout their lives. This initiated an argument between Sally and Eric involving their relationship, and Sally left the room. She was joined by Rebecca, where they shared spend some time talking things out together, leaving the men to themselves.
Later on, Nicky was sent in by Miguel to tell them it was time to head home. Sally said her goodbyes with Rebecca and Miguel, and then shared a private moment with Nicky. He told her he was unsure of his showing at her home, and didn’t believe that she was happy to see him. After Sally reassured him, they admired the full moon together and Nicky kissed her on the cheek, jokingly insisting they’d find each other in another fifty years. With the night wrapped up, he was satisfied and ready to move forward in life. Much to Rebecca’s surprise, Nicky then decided it was time to leave California and move back east, as Kevin had a plans to construct a new cabin near the original family one, and needed his help.
While on his flight back to Pennsylvania, Nicky encountered a flight attendant named Edie. She was persistent in him pushing his seat up, and he gave her sass in return. This encounter grew playful and finally, Nicky relented. A short time after this, Edie was invited to the Pearson family cabin, where Nicky was now residing, to meet Kevin and Cassidy and have dinner. Nicky was eager to hear Kevin’s thoughts on their relationship, and implied she was spending the night. Edie was at ease introducing herself to Kevin and Cassidy, and seemed to be happy at Nicky’s side. After some banter, she and Nicky watched a movie together. After this get-together, another was had some time later. This time, Cassidy’s son Matty attended, along with Kevin’s twins. Once they’d eaten and played board games, everybody settled down for the evening.
Kevin later received a call that Cassidy had been in an accident, and discovered she’d left sometime in the night. Once Kevin and Nicky arrived at the hospital, they were told by a doctor that she was in no shape for visitors until the morning. Kevin was quick to make Cassidy’s accident about himself, much to Nicky’s annoyance. After a series of self-important remarks, Nicky reprimanded him and explained the pain Cassidy had been going through. Kevin then decided to wait at the hospital overnight. The next morning, Kevin and Nicky comforted Cassidy and helped her recuperate back at the cabin. Nicky recommended a therapist he'd spoken to, and was insistent that she took it easy. Once Cassidy was situated, Kevin's plans to expand and build more cabins was revealed by some sketches he'd left lying around. He wanted to hire more veterans to build these, as he'd already done so for the current cabin that was being built next door. After this, Kevin flies back home to California, leaving Nicky and Cassidy to resume their lives and watch over the construction.
Future[]
By the mid-2020s, Kate and Philip wed. Nicky and Edie attend the wedding together, now married themselves, and hang out with Rebecca and Miguel for most of the day before the actual ceremony and reception. As Rebecca’s condition has worsened, she begins to think Kevin is Jack. Nicky comforts his nephew, and he, Edie, and Kevin go along with Rebecca so as not to upset her.
Several years later, Rebecca’s illness has progressed to the point of no return, and Miguel, her former caretaker, has died. The family gathers together to discuss matters on her life and figure out who will take care of her. After keeping Franny and Nick occupied for most of the day, Nicky and Edie join in on this discussion and claim they will be close by to help, alongside the rest of the family, who have made their own plans to move close by. Quite some time later, Rebecca declines and it becomes clear she will soon pass away. To celebrate her life, the Pearsons gather and tell stories, Nicky mentioning how brave it had been of Jack to go on a spontaneous date with Rebecca.
Ultimately, Rebecca passes away in the year 2033. Nicky attends her funeral, and jokingly tells Kevin that his parents would be ashamed of him for improving his uncle’s life. After the service, the family plays Pin the Tail on the Donkey, and all of the kids spin Nicky as he goes for a turn, marking his final appearance.
Personality[]
Despite coming off grumpy, Nicky has a big heart, and this was especially evident in his youth. He is often eager to please others and put their needs before his own, and has a sarcastic sense of humor.
Relationships[]
Familial[]
Nicky was close to his brother Jack. In their early childhood, Jack would often read “Goodnight Moon” to Nicky to soothe him to sleep. In later years, Nicky would be described by his brother as gentle and protective, even rescuing spiders from their home rather than killing them. As a child, Nicky was often sick, and would take care of Jack when he got sick as well. Despite their bond eventually becoming severed during the Vietnam War, both Jack and Nicky held on to their memories of each other.
Nicky was caring toward his mother Marilyn, and felt a sense of responsibility in keeping her safe from his father’s abusive behavior. After the war, it was not made entirely clear why they seemed to lose contact. It is unknown if Jack told her Nicky had died, if she found out what had happened during the war and cut herself off, or if Nicky chose to cut contact due to shame. He did not attend her funeral. Later in life, Nicky still practiced morals she had taught him, such as never showing up empty-handed at a guest’s house.
Nicky was never close to his father, as he was often a target for his father’s abuse and had to witness domestic violence against his mother. During the events of the 1969 moon landing, Nicky had created a replica of the lunar module with some materials from his old war plane models, and eagerly showed Stanley, who seemed only mildly interested. Stanley later mocked him for having a separate meal made by Marilyn, referring to him as Jack’s “sister”. Before the draft lottery was set to be announced that year, Stanley mocked him for being afraid. When Nicky’s father had been periodically sober in earlier years, he would bring home boxed ice cream and serve it to his sons in slices. If they claimed to have been good that day, their slice would be larger. Later on, Jack and Nicky would carry on this tradition; Jack with his children, and Nicky with an adult Kevin.
While Nicky had lost contact with his nuclear family, he was eventually welcomed into the lives of his nephews and niece. He grew particularly close with Kevin, as they shared a history of addiction and losing Jack. Nicky was initially very uncomfortable and pained being around them, but he grew to enjoy their company. Eventually, he became close enough to Kevin that he helped to plan his wedding, even participating in a questionnaire game for Madison’s bachelorette party. Nicky also formed a bond with Kevin’s twins. In the future, it is shown that Jack Damon and his wife have continued Nicky’s Thankgiving shrimp tradition well into the 2040s.
Romantic[]
His first relationship with Sally Brooks, though brief, left a lasting impact and kept Nicky pining for her for several decades. Even after reuniting and knowing it was time to move forward, both were happy to see one another again.
Nicky’s relationship with Edie appears warm and humorous. Hints of their eventual marriage appeared in flash forwards, where Nicky was shown with a ring on his finger, and when he mentioned his then unnamed wife in passing. They remain together and at one point or another, had moved into the original Pearson family cabin.
Friendships[]
Nicky was not shown to have friends in childhood. As a young adult, however, he appeared to be acquainted with a man named Johnny.
Later in life, he befriended Cassidy Sharp, as they both had military related trauma and struggled with substance abuse. Nicky also became good friends with Rebecca and Miguel.
Trivia[]
- Had he been born female, Nicky's name would have been Noreen
- The trailer he resided in for much of his life was a 1968 Boles Aero
- He used to play a pinball game called Dipsy Doodle in his youth
- Nicky is likely diabetic, as lancets and a glucose meter are seen on his counter in Songbird Road: Part One. Kate asks him if he has said disease, but he does not answer her. It is unknown whether he has type 1 or type 2.
Episode Appearances[]
| This Is Us | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
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| Season 4 episodes | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||||
| Season 5 episodes | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||||||
| Season 6 episodes | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |