Manifest still has a lot of questions left it needs to answer

The puzzle box mystery series Manifest made a splash in 2018 when it premiered on NBC. Early in the pilot, Manifest introduced a conundrum beyond comprehension; Ben, Michaela, and Cal Stone – as well as all the other passengers onboard the mysterious Flight 828 – had been missing for over five years.  What the trio initially believed to be an ordinary flight that experienced some turbulence turned out to be a mystery of global proportions: The entire group had been declared dead ever since their flight from Jamaica had vanished without a trace.

The plane’s sudden return not only upended the worlds of those who had grieved their now not quite so dead loved ones and left those suddenly returned in a state of confusion and shock. It also left several massive mysteries in its wake: What had happened to the plane and its passengers? How could they possibly return to the lives they had left behind? And what was the source of the mysterious Callings – the visions of the future – that the returned passengers began experiencing?

Throughout the show’s three seasons, Manifest has offered hints and theories about what really happened to the plane and its passengers. However, the majority of the storylines focused on the Callings, meeting the other passengers from Flight 828, and family drama as those who returned tried to pick up the lives they’d left behind.

Only in the series’ third season have there been strides that introduced extremely higher stakes. Up until Pete, Kory, and Jace died together; the belief held firm that the Callings and the ability to survive them was left to the individual, as Zeke had survived his death date by following the Callings.

However, introducing the concept of a “lifeboat” places new and exciting stakes on the main characters. But this storyline was intriguing enough by itself without the added mystery behind it all. Because three seasons in, the characters and viewers are still don’t know what truly happened to Flight 828.

Recent episodes have suggested that the passengers had truly died on the plane and were resurrected by a Higher Power. Even the science Vance and his group are working on seems to confirm that theory. However, not enough is known yet to truly understand what triggered the events on the plane years before.

At one point, they believed the plane had been struck by dark lightning, sending the plane through a black hole. However, that does not justify Zeke’s return, as he froze in a cave, or Pete, Kory, and Jace, as they drowned in a lake.

While the mystery’s family drama is interesting, it’s frustrating that the show’sbiggest question has still yet to be given a definitive answer. Given the storylines that have occurred recently, there is enough steam to keep the series going until the Stone family, and other passengers reach their death date while also answering what truly happened to Flight 828.

Although many of the main characters were not meant to be scientists, there still could have been more time devoted to figuring out the mystery of events, including how everything occurring is connected, rather than several subplots about passengers that barely make more than a one-episode appearance.

What was so special about this group of people that they were given another chance? Where do these Callings really come from? How does the death date truly work for a lifeboat as big as the hundreds of passengers on the plane? What was so significant about the Major’s experiments?

Earlier on, Saanvi had stopped the Callings for herself. Does that play a role in all of the passenger’s fates? Does this exclude her from possible impending death? Does it guarantee everyone from Flight 828 dies?

Manifest has offered plenty of teases about what their endgame could be regarding the truth about Flight 828. Unfortunately, they have never gone as far as giving a concrete answer. As this is the third season, perhaps the time has finally come to deliver the answers everyone has been waiting for.

What do you think happened to Flight 828? Are you ready for Manifest to give viewers some payoff? Let us know in the comments.