Manifest Season 2 Episode 11: Unaccompanied Minor-Review and Recap- Revelations, Shadows, False Prophets, And The Phoenix

All the pieces are falling into place for our 828’ers in Manifest Season 2 Episode 11 that introduced 3 new players and a potential wedge between Ben and Michaela.

The biblical imagery is coming hard and fast as our heroes brace for a coming disaster. Ben and Michaela are in lockstep now but already the seeds of conflict are beginning to bear fruit. Ben who has always been a man of science is beginning to worry that Adrian may be right about the true nature of the “callings”. If Adrian is right and they are just cogs in the grand design, everything we thought we knew is in jeopardy. Manifest Season 2 Episode 11 has thrown everything in question.

For Michaela who is used to being in control of things that is not palatable. If she isn’t in charge how will she save Zeke or anyone for that matter? Michaela is a woman of faith that uses her spirituality as a shield. It is what allows her to believe in herself and the greater good she serves as a policeman every day.

When she runs into a high schooler stealing from a bodega she lets him go because her “calling” told her unequivocally too. Unfortunately, the kid was stealing more than just a candy bar and she may be falling victim to the very thing Adrian was worried about. What if the “calling” is working for evil instead of good? The kid is a gig hustler on a blockchain crime site similar to the one on Westworld that hooks up petty criminals with bigger organizations providing anonymity and layers of protection. In a nice return to normal, Mich and Jared team up to investigate the meth makers. They find the bus driver who has been in on it from the beginning and his fellow partners in crime only to have Mich’s “callings” flare up again.

Kudos to the set designer this week who created the world’s grossest meth house. Not only was it grimy and dirty, but it also made me feel filthy just watching it. Every broken lamp, stripped wire, and dusty wall was perfectly placed. Something or someone wants Mich to release these bad guys. We don’t know why yet but it stands to reason they do not have a good higher purpose. When it is all said and done Michaela chooses to defy the “calling” and arrest the three men. Before she can, however, one of the three men tells her she will regret it and hurls threats of retribution and brimstone.

As Manifest Season 2 Episode 11 closes, the shadows haunting Cal are revealed to be the three criminals. They aren’t a threat in their shadow form but they are a looming existential threat. It does raise some questions about who or what we saw when Kelly died in episode 2 of season 1. A shadow was present but was that the shadow of one of these men, another person altogether, or the vision of the real threat? Time will tell if these men are truly demons in an evil scheme or just garden variety criminals. The only thing we do know is her refusal of the “callings” puts her in direct conflict with Ben.

Clearly, things don’t look good for Zeke. He’s been looking rough for a while and tonight he literally looks freezer burned. Saanvi’s treatments aren’t helping very much. They are treating the symptoms more than the disease and he knows he is running out of time. His NA therapist counsels him that part of the process of healing is forgiveness. Both asking for, but more importantly, being able to forgive someone who needs it. Those words turn out to be prophetic later in the episode when Zeke’s father is drawn into the fold.

Everyone better buckle up because Mich and Zeke are not going to be a thing much longer. Everything from the cute teasing from new partner Drea to Jared’s big reveal last week has been leading to a reconciliation. He can deny it all he wants but he still cares for her and those who love Jared may be very happy by the time the season is over. One way or another there will be one less love interest for Mich before the bell closes on the season 2 finale. I’ve been contending all season that it would be all but impossible to save Zeke without effectively stopping the show. If they solve the problem of The Death Day there is no longer a sense of urgency. There would be no ticking clock.

Drea(Ellen Tamaki) is a welcome addition to the mostly doom and gloom character grouping. She is supremely likable and has developed a rapport with Mich allowing her to be genuinely funny. She needs to continue in season 3 to provide a levity that the ensemble is desperately needing. Now that Jared knows about The Death Day he is likely to become even more involved in the Stone’s investigations and his police work with Michaela. If Jared does not make it out of season 3 it would provide an avenue for Drea to continue.

TJ continues to be a sweet addition to the Stone’s. He is friendly with everyone and this week Garrett Wareing(TJ) got a tender moment with Jack Messina(Cal). Following that cute plot beat, he is whisked back into a mystery with Ben. After being drawn to Bowery Station they encounter a distraught man who drops a box on the stairs to the subway station. TJ hands it back to him and he compliments Ben on TJ’s manners mistaking him for his father. Moments later they save this man who turns out to be Zeke’s father from jumping in front of the subway and committing suicide.

At the hospital, TJ and Ben are confused by a music box the man had that was playing the same lullaby Cal and Grace had been singing to Eden. Zeke recognizes the tune because his father wrote it and now knows his father is the one TJ and Ben saved. He understands it is his father he should forgive before it’s too late. The lullaby lyrics are evocative of the changing seasons and transformation. Taken in context with the Phoenix change is coming.

MANIFEST — “Unaccompanied Minors” Episode 211 — Pictured: (l-r) Josh Dallas as Ben Stone, Garrett Wareing as TJ — (Photo by: Peter Kramer/NBC)

Regardless of the pain and blame his father heaped on Zeke after his sister’s death he needed to forgive and move forward. Zeke’s father is also reticent but TJ is able to get through to him. TJ uniquely knows what it is like to regret time lost. Zeke and his father choose to mend their relationship and travel to his sister’s favorite beach spot. When he returns Zeke is more grounded and resolved. He tells Mich he will be discontinuing treatment but isn’t giving up. The second proposal for Mich in two weeks feels as futile as it is poignant.

The three shadows have revealed themselves and they are the harbingers of the apocalypse by way of meth cooks. Jeff Rake hinted there were three characters who will play a pivotal roll in the season two finale. It’s hard to imagine we haven’t just met them. Walter White would be proud to know the tradition of evil drug dealers continues. Catch up on all our Manifest coverage here while we wait for the end of the world as we know it.

Stray Thoughts:

Who got Sanvi fired? Did all her extra testing and treatments on Zeke catch up with her or has The Major finally made a move?

Blockchain technology is a form of transactional record-keeping that is extremely secure. That security is what makes it so attractive to enterprises like the one from this episode. It was originally used and associated with cryptocurrency. Now it is widely used in many forms of digital ledger keeping. Standard bookkeeping is vulnerable to hacking and alteration. Blockchain technology removes that risk. The three shadows from the Book of Revelations are from the Dragon, The Beast, and the False Prophet. It is from Revelation 16:13. It speaks of the triad which makes up the anti-trinity. They are in direct opposition to the holy trinity and their purpose is to usher in a new age of Satan and Hell on Earth. The False Prophet looks innocent and uses his appearance to charm those around him. Together the three spirits are powerful. It’s unlikely the three meth dealers are the ani-trinity because none of them are charming enough. It would not surprise me to find the False Prophet is someone we have already met. As much as I hate it, my money is on TJ.

The song from the end when Zeke proposes is Girl by SYML.

The Phoenix from mythology is a symbol of transformation and rebirth in fire. Zeke and his father are both getting a second chance. How they will come out of this experience we don’t know yet. If Zeke is able to avoid his Death Day the only chance he has is through rebirth. A unique transformation that could not be replicated by the rest of the passengers. If Zeke is able to return in a new body it would allow for his love affair to continue with Mich and provide tension to an already interesting situation. It is the one way that would allow him to live while still not removing the timer on the rest of Flight 828.

They would never have let Zeke’s father out of the hospital right after trying to commit suicide. I appreciate the symmetry of his arrival and the urgency of their task but it wouldn’t happen that way.