Does Zeke Die On Manifest? His Destiny Defined

Though “Manifest” by no means grew to become the large success that “Misplaced” was within the 2000s, it did a minimum of outperform most of these different reveals generally accused of copying the “Misplaced” method. The plane-related thriller field present lasted 4 seasons — 4 and a half, actually — and it obtained to finish by itself phrases. That is a privilege that poor “Flash Ahead” (canceled one season right into a deliberate 3-to-5 season run) by no means obtained to take pleasure in. 

Among the many present’s many “Misplaced” parallels is the character Zeke Landon (Matt Lengthy), who’s kind of like Desmond Humes in that he wasn’t concerned within the present’s inciting incident. Like Desmond, Zeke was launched late and rapidly turned out to be each tremendous vital and thrown into the present’s most fascinating romantic storyline. Certain, Zeke by no means fairly obtained an episode as sturdy as Desmond’s “The Fixed,” however it was nonetheless enjoyable to have him round. 

One main distinction between him and Desmond is that, whereas “Misplaced” let Desmond dwell fortunately ever after together with his long-lost love Penny, “Manifest” chooses to kill Zeke off. Or does it? Issues get slightly wacky close to the tip, so let me clarify.

The fundamental gist of “Manifest” is that what’s occurred to the primary forged — their passenger aircraft inexplicably leaping by time — is one large cosmic check that can resolve not simply their destiny, however the destiny of the human race. The passengers should heed these psychic calls they’re getting and develop to turn into higher folks earlier than their time is up, or else they and everybody else will die. Zeke is aware of this partly as a result of he went by an analogous scenario; he was speculated to die from his personal time-jump expertise, however he improved as an individual and his looming demise date spared him. 

Sadly, demise wasn’t fairly carried out with Zeke but. In season 4 half 1, Zeke finds out that aircraft survivor Cal (Ty Doran) is the group’s solely hope of surviving their demise date, and due to this fact is the world’s solely hope. Figuring out that Cal has terminal most cancers, Zeke chooses to make use of his powers to soak up Cal’s most cancers into himself. Zeke dies, however he ensures that everybody else has a good shot at survival. It is a heroic finish, one that basically underlines simply how a lot Zeke’s grown over the collection. Nevertheless, that is little consolation to poor Michaela (Melissa Roxburgh), who positive is not completely satisfied to search out out what he is carried out.

Fortunately for Zeke, “Manifest” is a present that likes to mess around with time. Early into season 4, half 2, a grieving Michaela talks to a model of Zeke who’s from 2018 (in the course of the cave incident that began his complete arc on the present). 2018 Zeke hasn’t met Michaela, however as a result of Zeke’s inside the “divine consciousness,” he appears to recollect every little thing that is occurred. All through the ultimate few episodes, Zeke pops in as an all-powerful ghost to mirror on his life and all these missed connections he had with Michaela. It seems that he was doing airport pickups for his taxi job at JFK the evening Michaela’s aircraft was speculated to land there. Does not that sting? If solely there was a option to flip again time and do it another time. 

Properly, excellent news: within the collection finale, the passengers of Flight 828 survive their judgment from the divine consciousness. As a reward, they get to return to 2013 and land at JFK safely. Technically talking, none of what we have seen previously 4 seasons really occurred, however the reminiscences nonetheless stay within the minds of the passengers. Michaela makes use of this to her benefit; she will get into the cab with Zeke and explains the entire scenario. Zeke wonders a bit if she’s loopy, however the spark’s nonetheless there.

The present ends with Michaela and Zeke driving out of JFK. We by no means learn how issues went for them afterward, however the implication is that they obtained a second shot at love. They will in all probability get married once more, Zeke will keep away from that complete cave scenario that just about ruined his life, and every little thing must be drama-free. It is kind of a happier model of what occurred in “11/22/63,” one other time journey story the place one principal character retains their reminiscences whereas the opposite one would not. That guide/TV present explored all of the issues that come from this, whereas “Manifest” is completely satisfied to allow us to assume issues labored out for the perfect. 

“Manifest” caught some flak from followers for not making a ton of sense logically. Folks could complain about “Misplaced” not wrapping issues up in a satisfying means, however in hindsight, it answered far more questions than its successors like “Manifest” ever did. Nonetheless, “Manifest” understood that the true enchantment of “Misplaced” was its characters, not its mysteries, which is why it feels becoming for the present to finish with a give attention to Michaela and Zeke. They could not maintain a candle to Desmond and Penny, however they had been arguably the present’s most fascinating couple. It felt proper to allow them to have their fortunately ever after.