Manifest Season 3 Episode 2 Recap – Deadhead

Angelina is running underground from a red hooded figure with wings. Grace comes in and gives her a cup of coffee. “Whenever you‘re ready, we‘re here for you,” Grace tells her; she knows Angelina is still not okay.

Grace goes downstairs to see Ben preparing to find a way to return to Cuba and rescue Vance. She tries half-heartedly to persuade him out of it because she knows how risky it is, but Ben has made up his mind.

A knock on the door interrupts them. The Pentagon Director Zimmer (Patricia Mauceri), Assistant Secretary Greene, and Agent Powell want to talk to him.

Meanwhile, at the precinct, Jared welcomes Michaela. She greets him back as Lieutenant: He got promoted. She says Jared always gets a promotion every time she leaves and returns. Jared responds  Michaela is the one who is married at the time. 

Jared starts to talk about the Major‘s daughter, but Michaela cuts him when she starts to talk about the call logs that might be related to the meth guys from Season 2. 

Back at the Stone residence, the Pentagon Director and NSA Director Powell pressure Ben to reveal what he knows and what he’s been up to. They appear to be aware of the covert cargo jet he arrived in from Cuba. Grace overhears this and interrupts, gently telling them that they can either go, help her cook lunch, or she’ll contact their attorneys. They choose to leave. “The truth shall set you free,” Powell tells Ben.

Back at the precinct, Captain Kate Bowers talks to Michaela about termination, but she intervened. Michaela doesn’t want Captain Bowers to lose her job, so she needs to follow the rules of Captain Bowers: no more anonymous tips or sneaking out. Michaela understands.

Before she leaves, Captain Bowers notices she is wearing a coat, so she says she got a tip but clarifies it is from a person who is a park ranger. Captain Bowers suggests having park services email the footage. 

An old lady reminds her appointment was 30 minutes ago at the window at Saanvi’s clinic. Saanvi gets out. Zeke gives way to the old lady.

The phone rings. Saanvi asks Zeke to answer it.

Drea welcomes his partner Michaela with a warm hug, telling her that her life is boring while Michaela was away.

Michaela reviews the video footage emailed by the park ranger station. She gets shocked seeing Jace, Kory, and Pete walking through the forest. She phones Ben to tell him what she’s learned.

Ben understands the kidnappers returned after 84 days, implying they have 84 days to live. To keep Cal safe, Grace proposes they go to her stepfather’s cabin, where her younger brother Tarik (Warner Miller) lives. But she hasn’t seen or spoken to him in ten years, so Ben asks if she’s sure it’s a good idea. She says it’ll be okay.

Michaela and her partner Drea search the woods for the kidnappers. They suddenly hear a lady asking for help. Her husband has been assaulted by the three and has stolen their RV.

Ben and Cal talk about what happened to Grace and Tarik.

Angelina is crying; she sees the calling again: an unknown hooded figure in red, with wings and no face. Olive talks to Angelina and asks for details about what she saw in her calling. Angelina says it reminds her of an image on a window at her high school. Olive feels her calling is directing her to go there.

The Stone family is ready to go, but Olive says they‘ll stay. Angelina has a calling, and Olive believes she should help her. Angelina doesn’t want to cause problems, but Olive says she is not.

They decide to split up to do their duties.

Zeke returns to the clinic for another checkup with Dr. Saanvi Bahl. Zeke assures Saanvi he doesn’t get callings anymore. He observes she’s overburdened and offers to assist. 

Ben comes in to inform them of the kidnappers’ reappearance from the lake. Zeke rushes out to call Michaela. Once Zeke gets out, Ben tells Saanvi the meth heads aren‘t the only problem.

Ben shows Saanvi his bruised and wounded hand from touching the tailfin of 828. She takes a sample to analyze and offers Ben medication to relieve the redness.

Michaela and Drea are on the road tracking the kidnappers. Jared gives them information about the RV‘s location. Drea teases Michaela; she says she appreciates the casual talk between two people who used to be engaged to be married.

Suddenly, they see the RV. Michaela pursues the RV. Jace throws a gas tank that explodes in the middle of the road before Michaela and Drea. Michaela maneuvers just in time to avoid the explosion.

Meanwhile, inside the van, the three talk about what they are doing. Pete points out their attitude in the past. He thinks what happened to them is a miracle and should change from being harmful to good and stop running from the cops.

Ben talks to Emmett. He wants to save Vance, but Emmett tells him to stand down. He asks Emmett how he will tell Vance’s wife he is not returning anymore.

Grace arrives at the lodge. Tarik, still enraged and resentful over their dispute ten years ago, slams the door in her face, reminding her he needed her help back then.

Olive and Angelina find the window. Angelina recalls burying a personal time capsule years ago. They dig it up and find things inside. One image shows Angelina as a little child sipping a smoothie. She recalls being overjoyed. Olive suggests getting a smoothie.

Ben visits Vance’s wife and tells her what occurred in Cuba. He gives her their wedding ring. She tells Ben he must save him. She examines the ring carefully and sees an inscription that reads, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” She says the phrase is etched on Vance’s bogus tomb.

While Olive and Angelina enjoy drinking smoothies, Angelina drops her picture, but she doesn‘t notice.

Cal shoots hoops with Tarik at the cabin and tells him that Grace always claimed Tarik made her a wonderful mother for all the times she looked out for him. Cal tells Tarik to go to her.

The kidnappers arrive at King Kone. Jace has a plan and brings out a knife, but they squabble when they all hear Cal’s voice in their heads saying, “Go to her.” Pete sees Angelina’s photo and feels he should go to her. They hear sirens. Jace and Kory flee, leaving Pete behind. Michaela and Drea arrest Pete.

Ben visits Vance’s grave and encounters Powell, who admits to following him all day. Powell reveals he wishes to assist Vance, whom he knows isn’t dead. Ben takes a gamble and informs Powell about Vance being kidnapped in Cuba and a piece of the 828 being discovered there. Powell promises to see what he can do to help Vance.

Olive and Angelina return to King Kone. Now, they‘re looking for the missing picture. They find Michaela and Drea at the location. Angelina finds the picture, which is now evidence. But Pete surprises them by saying that it is his; he is the boy at the rear of the image with a drink behind Angelina. Michaela insists she must include it in the report.

Saanvi examines Ben’s hand sample at the clinic, returning to normal. Zeke expresses concern to Saanvi about working so hard, overextending herself. She admits she hasn’t felt a calling since she drugged herself, and she’s afraid.

Captain Bowers tells Michaela to return the photo to its owner. She also proposes they maintain the lid on the video.

When Ben arrives home, he receives a text message informing him that Vance is safe. He, Olive, and Angelina are ready to go to the cabin when a special news program on television announces the tailfin has been discovered and fished out of the sea. The press immediately arrives outside and begins beating on Ben‘s front door, demanding interviews. Ben recognizes they can’t go to the cabin; the reporters will follow them.

Three things glow white: Ben’s left hand, the sample Saanvi obtained from Ben’s hand, and the tailfin in Cuba with Ben’s handprint.

Our Thoughts

Manifest’s mystery box continues to grow as we are given more clues and have a lot more to figure out in the future. The program is nothing near addressing its narrative lines, but it appears religion plays a significant role in it.

Throughout the three seasons, there has been a lot of religious symbolism, from the three wise men to Abraham and now the archangel. It’s also worth noting peacocks are a repeating theme, and they’re not turning up by chance.

On top of that, Manifest continues to build on its character dramas, this time focusing on Grace and her brother Tarik. This soapy drama is associated with Manifest, although the mystery is largely ignored in favor of greater human drama.