What You Need To Remember Before Manifest Season 3
Sci-fi fans waited a long time for a show to come around and capture their attention the way Lost did back in the mid-2000s. NBC's Manifest has scratched that itch for many, and not just because it too involves a plane full of passengers. The show is another puzzle box drama that each week peels back some of its layers to answer questions but only ends up creating more.
The series, which is about to embark on its third season, follows the passengers of Montego Airways Flight 828, which experienced extreme turbulence during a flight from Jamaica to NYC but otherwise seemed to be OK. When the plane landed in New York, though, the passengers were shocked to find out that more than five years had passed since they took off and that everyone on board was considered deceased.
The story focuses on Ben Stone (Josh Dallas) and his sister Michaela (Melissa Roxburgh), as well as several other passengers, as they attempt to adjust to life five years in the future. But that becomes increasingly difficult when, soon after they land, the passengers begin to receive mysterious prophetic messages, referred to as "callings," that tell them to do things or complete certain tasks.
These callings played a major role in the events of the Season 2 finale, but it's been a while since then. Here's what you need to remember before season 3 premieres on Thursday, April 1.
Zeke was resurrected after following the callings
The callings experienced by the passengers of Flight 828 (and others) remain a mysterious piece of the Manifest puzzle as the show heads into its highly anticipated third season. In the Season 2 finale, Zeke (Matt Long), suffering heavily from frostbite, followed the callings and ended up dying after jumping into a frozen lake to save Cal (Jack Messina) from the trio of Meth Heads after they all fell through ice. However, there wasn't time to mourn him as he was very quickly resurrected, looking as lively as ever.
Zeke surviving left Manifest fans reeling and created more questions that the show will have to address moving forward. Was he able to survive his Death Date because he followed the callings or is something else at play here? Ben seemed to believe it was the former. Whatever the case may be, it definitely adds a whole new, intriguing layer to the mystery at the heart of the show, as does the fact that the bodies of the Meth Heads weren't recovered in the lake.
Of course, Zeke's resurrection has other implications for the future of the show, as well. Michaela married him because she thought he was dying and wouldn't be around much longer. Now that he's alive and seemingly healthy, it creates problems for Michaela's relationship with Jared (J.R. Ramirez), who seems to be unwilling to sit around and wait forever.
Fishermen found the tail fin that supposedly belonged to Flight 828 near Cuba
In the Manifest pilot, we saw Montego Airways Flight 828, which had safely landed in New York with all its passengers, blow up on the tarmac at the end of the hour. However, at the end of the shocking season 2 finale, we also saw people pulling the tail fin for Flight 828 out of the ocean near Cuba. This reveal created a ton of questions amongst fans and calls into question who the passengers we have come to know actually are if the plane never actually made it to New York. What we do know is that Ben has a connection to the destroyed plane. However, it remains to be seen what that means.
Manifest showrunner Jeff Rake, speaking with TV Line at the end of season 2, said that this tail fin revelation is going to lead to a "season-long, science-based, science meets mythology investigation" in the new season. "For those who have been feeling that the episodes have become a little science-light or investigation-light, they have a lot of good material coming down the pike," he said.
Saanvi accidentally killed the Major
Saanvi (Parveen Kaur) tracked down the Major (Elizabeth Marvel) at the end of season 2 in an attempt to get her to give up information about any supposed cure that would save Zeke, but after Saanvi used anaphylaxis in an attempt to get the Major to reveal what she knew, things took a horrible turn.
There was a struggle, and the vial that could save the Major was destroyed in the process. Saanvi then had to watch the Major die knowing that she caused her death, which will no doubt open up a whole new can of worms in the third season. Saanvi also learned a shocking truth: there is no cure for Zeke, and the Major wanted to figure out how to weaponize the genetic mutation the passengers have in order to infect other people. It was a shocking but heartbreaking moment that will have lasting implications for Saanvi, who will have to try and stay ahead of the authorities in the new season.
Season 3 of Manifest premieres Thursday, April 1 on NBC. Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming now on Hulu.