When Manifest flew into NBC in September 2018, fans were captivated with the storyline. A plane goes missing for 5 1/2 years and when it returns, the passengers and crew on that flight never aged a day? The three seasons of the series kept fans wondering just what happened to the mysterious flight and season 3 got even closer to solving what happened. The season 3 finale ended on some major cliffhangers and left fans with even more questions. However, just a few days after it aired, NBC axed the series despite it initially being sold with a six-season plan. With the multiple twists the finale had, the series desperately needs saving.
The Tailfin
When testing on the Tailfin began at Eureka, Cal was experiencing severe burns, because everything is connected. After Ben realizes that the Tailfin must be taken back to the ocean, he anxiously tries to get the testing at Eureka to stop. Cal runs away to Eureka to see the Tailfin and Ben and Grace desperately try to get the testing to stop, to no avail. Cal runs to touch the Tailfin and when he does, he disappears. Ben and Saanvi then return the Tailfin back to the ocean, and Ben hopes to see Cal appear behind him but he never does. The Tailfin, however, disappears. This then sets off a domino effect.
The Tailfin had been a big part of season 3 ever since it was discovered in the season 2 finale. Following the Tailfin’s disappearance in the season 3 finale, though, we got closer to getting the full truth about Flight 828. It’s been implied that that the plane exploded midair and crashed into the water, with the passengers getting resurrected. Without another season or a movie, the mystery will remain a mystery.
Angelina
Sketchy from the beginning, 828 passenger Angelina’s true Calling was revealed, or rather, Eden’s. A certain Calling in the final two episodes of the season foreshadowed a passenger’s death, but it turned out to be a passenger killing. While it was thought to be Adrian, Michaela finds Angelina’s bloodied prayer book on her seat on the flight. After talking to Adrian about her guardian angel, Angelina goes to the Stone house and uses a chair to block the basement door to keep Olive down there. She goes upstairs to Ben and Grace’s room, where Grace and Eden are. When Angelina comes in, Grace races off the bed. Fans then saw Angelina give Eden a baptism in the bathroom before leaving with her. It’s later revealed that Angelina stabbed Grace, but it’s still not known where Angelina went. It was undoubtedly one of the most shocking scenes in the finale, and I’m still reeling over it.
Not knowing what happened to either Angelina or Eden is keeping me up at night. Getting another season means getting a storyline with them. It’s obvious that Angelina would never put Eden into imminent danger on purpose, but the Stones and fans know what she’s capable of. And it’s why we need to know what happens next.
Grace
As mentioned above, perhaps the most tragic and shocking part of the Manifest season 3 finale is Grace’s surprising death. While Michaela was worried Adrian was going to do something to herself and her brother, they were worried about the wrong passenger and it was too late. Angelina had stabbed Grace and she ultimately died in Cal’s arms and it was heartbreaking. Fans were left in shock and devastated, but also left wondering just how the rest of the Stones would react, especially Olive, who was locked in the basement and yelling for her mother, while Ben would have undoubtedly gone over the edge. Grace took in Angelina at first but when she realized she could be a threat to her family, she immediately kicked her out. She risked her life for her daughter and it ended in tragedy.
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The aftermath of Grace’s death would have been interesting to see, whether it would be immediate or not. Olive was locked in the basement and crying out for her mother and Ben and Michaela were on the plane in their Calling, knowing that Angelina is up to no good. How the remaining Stones would react, especially Ben, would not only break hearts everywhere but also show just how far this series was willing to go.
Cal
Another shocking part of the finale was that when Cal, who disappeared after touching the Tailfin at Eureka, returned, it wasn’t how most fans expected. And the reveal took a little long. After the Tailfin disappeared and Angelina stabbed Grace, we were back in Cal’s bedroom. An unknown hand had grabbed his stuffed dragon from his closet and walked into Ben and Grace’s room where there was a trail of blood leading to Grace. Cal is then revealed, older than he was when he touched the Tailfin. He is now 17-years-old, the same age as twin sister Olive, the age he would be had he not disappeared on Flight 828.
As if Eden’s abduction and Grace’s death wasn’t already hard enough, add on an aging Cal and half of the Stone family is not what it was at the beginning of the episode. Now that Cal is older, this raises even more questions. He’s always had a bigger connection to 828 than any other passenger, and him knowing what he had to do, that this is how it’s supposed to be, makes you wonder if he knew this would happen. Seeing how Ben, Michaela and Olive would react to an older Cal and how he connects to the bigger 828 picture was something that fans would be looking forward to. But begs the question of would they ever see other Cal ever again?
Captain Daly
Yet another surprising twist that happened in the final seconds of the season finale. As Dr. Gupta was leaving Eureka for the day, she heard a gasp behind her and it turned out to be none other than 828 captain William Daly, whom most will remember had disappeared in season 1 as he flew into dark lightning, in the salvaged plane’s cockpit. Many wondered what happened to him and now even more questions are being raised. He disappeared again just as quickly as he reappeared. He uttered “Help” and disappeared with the entire plane.
It was a mind-blowing way to end the season, considering we hadn’t seen Captain Daly since season 1. Not only did he disappear again but he did it with the whole plane. Where did the plane go? Where did Captain Daly go? And Fiona? Whatever happened to her? There are so many questions that popped up in those final seconds that need to be answered. But the biggest one of all is will we ever get those answers?
While NBC did cancel Manifest and Netflix passed on it, it’s possible that there’s still hope for 828. Soon after the first two seasons dropped on Netflix, it’s been topping the charts and nearly broke the record for longest consecutive #1 show on the streamer. Creator and showrunner Jeff Rake has said that he won’t stop until fans get the conclusion they so rightfully deserve and that he’s reworking the final three seasons into a movie. Whether or not those last seasons or movie ever sees the light of day is still unknown, but this Lifeboat isn’t sinking so easily.
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Relive the mysteries of Flight 828 with the first two seasons on Netflix and season 3 on Hulu and Peacock.
