Caution: Spoilers for the This Is Us season three finale ahead.

This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman was spot-on when told us the last five minutes of the season three finale are as “big and sprawling and epic as we get.” After much back and forth, Randall and Beth finally were on the same page with plans to move to Philadelphia, where Beth will open a dance studio and Randall will continue his political career. Kate and Toby brought baby Jack home from the NICU. Rebecca and Miguel were preparing to move to Los Angeles. And Zoe and Kevin broke up when it became obvious they’ll never be on the same page about having kids.

Then things got really interesting. In the future, we learned that Beth and Randall are still together (thanks for the season-long anxiety about that, writers!) and Kevin has a pre-teen son. Kevin’s also seemed to be doing well for himself, as evidenced by that sprawling house the Pearsons gathered at to visit an ailing Rebecca.

Speaking of Rebecca, she looked like a fraction of her 60-something self, complete with long white hair and an emotionless expression. When Randall entered her room, he heartbreakingly had to remind her who he is. (Does this mean she’s suffering from a form of Alzheimer’s disease?) At her bedside wasn’t her husband, Miguel, but Jack’s estranged brother, Nicky. (Who, by the way, was looking much better in this future timeline.)

Oh, and future Kate? She was nowhere to be found. When Toby mentioned Jack, he said “they’re on their way.” But that doesn’t mean he was talking about his wife. And, if Kate is alive, it doesn’t sound like Katoby are an item still. (Anyone else notice that Toby wasn’t wearing a wedding ring?)

With our heads spinning and our hearts racing, we called up executive producers and co-showrunners Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger to fill us in on exactly what’s going on in the future. Read on.

Glamour: Let’s start with the basics: How many years in the future are we when we see Rebecca lying in bed?

Elizabeth Berger: We haven’t decided exactly how many years in the future we’re at, but we’ve imagined it as roughly 12-15 years.

Yes or no, Rebecca has a form of Alzheimer’s or dementia?

Isaac Aptaker: Possibly. Or possibly this is someone near the end of their life experiencing a lack of awareness and confusion that comes with extreme old age.

EB: We can’t say exactly what’s going on with her, but we will be learning exactly what’s going on with her as we move forward in our story.

How close to death is she? Is it a matter of hours, where everyone is gathering to say goodbye?

IA: I think it definitely feels like she’s very near the end of her life and that her passing is imminent and that’s why everyone has decided to descend upon Kevin’s house.

We see Nicky sitting at her bedside. Does Rebecca think Nicky is Jack? If she does have a form of Alzheimer’s, a lot of people remember the past better than the present day.

EB: It’s a totally cool theory and totally possible. Obviously we can’t say what’s going on until we learn more of what is going on with Rebecca, but it’s a very interesting take on it.

Nicky has also aged better than anyone else.

IA: That wasn’t an accident. We wanted the read to be on Nicky that though he is older, we’re seeing a guy in a better place than when we last left him. The fact that he aged really well shows he’s in a much better place mentally and physically than when we left him in that trailer.

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