We are less than one week away from the season two premiere of Roswell, New Mexico and we can’t wait! As we wait for the day to arrive, we are taking a look back at our favorite Roswell residents and their top moments from season one. Up next is Alex Manes, an intelligent, tenacious war hero who has returned to Roswell following his third tour in Iran where he was wounded (for which he receives a Purple Heart). He doesn’t back down when facing a challenge and pursues the truth at all costs. As the season unfolds we found ourselves drawn in to his story and routing for him in everything he does. The incredibly talented Tyler Blackburn plays Alex expertly and definitely had fans crying more than once last season. Check out Alex’s top 10 moments from season one below!
Reconnects with Michael
It’s clear from their first encounter at Michael’s airstream that there is some history between Alex Manes and Michael Guerin. We see the two butt heads at their high school reunion, but when they share a heated kiss it becomes clear these two haven’t moved on from one another. Their kiss sets up their season-long turbulent relationship as they try to rekindle their relationship while reconciling the last 10 years.
Offers His Shed to Michael
We learned a lot about the past during “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” including the story behind Michael’s very traumatic hand injury. However before that we see the budding romance between Alex and Michael as they banter back and forth with one another. Concerned for Michael’s well-being, Alex offers him his own private sanctuary where he often goes to escape his abusive father. Without a second thought, he invites Michael to share that space with him, knowing that living out of his truck can’t be comfortable (or warm). The tender moment shows a soft side to these two characters we don’t see very often in the present-day setting.
Uncovers Alien Tech
After helping Kyle solve the mystery behind his key and the hidden room under the Valenti cabin, Alex goes back down to the room alone to study the symbol cut into the bedside lamp. His keychain with the cabin key has the exact same symbol. Once switched on the symbol appears on the wall and Alex, ever the clever one, busts through the wall with his crutch and finds a hidden piece of alien technology (we know now that it’s a part of the crashed UFO). This is Alex’s first concrete evidence that the idea of aliens in Roswell might be more than a legend.
The Injury
We all remember this moment vividly. Jesse Manes catches Michael and Alex together and in a rage, attacks Alex. When Michael tries to defend Alex, Manes grabs his hand and smashes it. It’s one of the darkest moments in the show and caused lasting damage to both boys. The memory of that night no doubt haunts Alex, who suffered at the hands of his abusive father for years. We also learn later that this was the catalyst to Alex’s decision to join the Air Force and leave Roswell (and Michael) behind.
Confronts His Father and Discovers Project Shepherd
It’s pretty clear up to this point that Alex is extremely intelligent. He’s been looking for leverage against is father for years and had the patience to wait for this exact moment. He uncovered alien technology in the Valenti cabin but didn’t speak with anyone about it until he was sure of next steps. He finally has the leverage he needs to send Jesse Manes away from Roswell, and we get to watch him in his element. Alex easily hacks the outdated software and uncovers the truth about Project Shepherd.
Teams Up with Jenna Cameron and Kyle Valenti
When Jenna decides to tell Alex rather than Jesse about the 14 mysterious deaths all involving a handprint over the last decade, Alex gets pulled deeper into the investigation of aliens in Roswell and now murders. Alex and Kyle decide to tell Jenna about aliens. With her filled in and the three of them agreeing to look into the murders, Alex restarts Project Shepherd in order to find out who is killing people.
Asks Michael for the Truth
Following the discovery of Project Shepherd and the 14 mysterious deaths (and that Michael is definitely an alien), Alex goes straight to the source. At Michael’s he confronts him about their “cosmic” connection in high school, and it’s clear he is fighting to merge the Michael he knew with the suspect Michael of Project Shepherd. He asks Michael for the truth about who and what he really is, and a little surprisingly, Michael tells him everything. He learns about Michael’s time in foster care, about Max and Isobel’s adoptive family, and about their unknown past. Michael discloses their powers and even shows him the pieces of the ship he is trying to reconstruct.
Helps Kyle Decode Journals
While Kyle’s father was dying from a brain tumor, he wrote unreadable notes in his journals. When Kyle discloses this to Alex, he suggests that he might have left Kyle a coded message. It doesn’t take long for Alex to decode those messages, using the key word “magoo” (Kyle’s nickname). It’s in those same journals that Kyle sees N38 repeatedly and he later discovers that meaning at Caulfield.
Discovers Caulfield
So much happens in the short time Alex, Michael, and Kyle are at Caulfield. For Alex, he has just discovered the existence of aliens and that his father and at least one of his siblings have been a part of holding these beings hostages for decades. It’s evident they have been tortured and it clearly weighs on Alex’s mind as he connects the dots. And if the emotional toll wasn’t high enough, the alarm sounds, indicating the entire building will soon explode. Alex races to find Michael, but when he gets there, Michael refuses to leave what he now knows is his family. Alex tries several times to cut through Michael’s panic, first by telling Michael he is Alex’s family. When Michael tries to reject him, Alex sees right through the facade. Ultimately they escape together with just minutes to spare. This high stakes emotional scene should go down as one of the most heart-achingly painful television moments to date.
As they leave, Alex also tries to help Kyle who questions the aliens motives. Alex tells him, “You just watched your government blow up a building full of elderly people. Your brain is trying to justify the slaughter so that, so that your government can be right.”
Alex Admits Why He Left
Our final Alex Manes moment is one of the last times we see him in season one. Alex confesses to Michael that he wishes he hadn’t left him behind to join the military after they graduated. However, he also confesses that he did want to leave Roswell to be “the kind of person that won battles.” Now he sees his father when looking in the mirror and tells Michael he doesn’t want to fight his father’s battles any longer. Before Michael can respond he gets a psychic vision and runs off as he asks Alex to come back the next morning. Alex is more than a little jarred after laying himself bare and receiving no real reply from Michael.
There is no doubt that fans have fallen for Alex Manes after getting to know the character in season one. He’s brave, compassionate, and intelligent. Between his sarcastic one-liners and his heart of gold, there’s no denying we want to know more about Alex. We can’t wait to see where his character (and his relationships) go in season two!
Roswell, New Mexico returns for the season two premiere on Monday, March 16.
