‘Manifest’: Questions We Have About Season 2 Episode 7 ‘Emergency Exit’
NBC’s Manifest upped the supernatural ante in Season 2 Episode 7. Aptly titled, ‘Emergency Exit,’ the episode left fans with a few burning questions about where the show is headed.
[Spoiler alert: The following content includes spoilers for ‘Manifest’ Season 2 Episode 7.]
What does Saanvi’s newfound cure mean for the Montego Air Flight 828 passengers?
The Flight 828 passengers receive psychic visions, or Callings, because they share an abnormal genetic marker. One Calling helped Ben and company to discover their Death Date, a future date when every passenger is predicted to die. After months of intense medical research, Saanvi has eliminated the DNA anomaly and cured herself of the Callings. Finding a cure has serious implications.
While the Callings have come with emotional weight, they have made it possible for the passengers to thwart danger and save the lives of friends, family, and even strangers. Removing the Callings could mean the loss of lives in the future. On the other hand, the cure could eliminate the Death Date and potentially extend the lives of the passengers.
Can Zeke use Saanvi’s cure to cheat his Death Date or is he doomed?
The passengers are not the only returnees to experience callings and be haunted by a Death Date. In Season 1 Episode 14, James Griffin is pulled out of the East River after four days, alive. Upon his return, James used the Callings for personal gain but quickly met his Death Date. He drowned on dry land four days after returning — the same number of days he was submerged in the river.
Zeke Landon went missing during a blizzard, only to be found one year later. Like the 828 passengers, Zeke also experiences Callings. Unlike the 828 passengers who have a Death Date predicted to be five years in the future, Zeke was only missing for one year, giving him a much shorter timetable. This episode hints that Zeke’s Death Date is fast approaching. The character begins to exhibit frostbite — a symptom that he would have had while dying during the blizzard. It is likely that Saanvi will aim to test the cure on Zeke. Beating Zeke’s Death Date would mean a hopeful future for Saanvi and the rest of the passengers.
What’s next for Adrian?
Flight 828 passenger turned spiritual leader Adrian has amassed a large group of followers. His platform centers on the passengers and proposes that they are on a divine path. The Xers group opposes Adrian’s church and all 828 passengers. At times, the hate group’s agenda leads to violence. But, in this episode, it was Isaiah, a Believer turned zealot who put others in danger. Isaiah lured the passengers to a nightclub with plans to start a fire and lock them inside to prove their divine immortality.
Adrian helplessly witnessed his follower’s misguided attempt to stoke faith. In the wake of fear, injuries, and death, Adrian’s demeanor changed from hopeful to disheartened. The recent events could change the trajectory of Adrian’s ministry.
Is TJ really dead?
Ben, Michaela, Olive, TJ, Adrian, and other passengers were among those spotted in the nightclub as Isaiah put his plan into action. Most of the passengers and bystanders escaped, but some were killed in the fire.
As Ben, Olive, and TJ were making their way to the exit, Isaiah appeared in a last-ditch effort to prove his faith. He took Olive hostage, prompting TJ to take action. TJ subdued Isaiah so that Ben could get Olive, who was injured, to safety. Before Ben could return to help TJ, the inflamed building exploded.
The last time TJ was seen, he was fighting off Isaiah and surrounded by flames, so TJ is presumed dead. However, fans should reserve judgment until all the victims of the fire are identified. TJ’s story about his mother’s Buddha bracelet and her dharma wheel charm could be a clue to the viewers. He stated that rather than having a beginning or ending, “life is circular.” In a supernatural drama with soapy tendencies, it is possible that TJ escaped the blazes and will be seen again in future episodes.
Will Ben find answers about the Death Date in Al-Zuras’ Journal?
Saanvi isn’t the only passenger racing against the Death Date. Before his presumed death, TJ located the journal of Al-Zuras, a 16th-century Egyptian artist who went missing and mysteriously reappeared years later, just like the 828ers. He sent the journal to Ben, who immediately began examining the writings.
As he was reading, Ben spotted an illustration that appeared to mirror Ben and Olive’s near-death experience in the building fire earlier that night. This suggests that Al-Zuras may have had Callings like the Flight 828 passengers and that he detailed them in his journal. If Al-Zuras did record future events as he saw them, it is possible that he left hints about the Death Date and how to stop it.
What is the meaning of the supernatural light that appeared to Ben?
A supernatural light appeared to Ben twice. The light materialized in the nightclub to illuminate a safe exit for Ben and Olive, and again as Ben examined the Al-Zuras text. The light could be connected to the Callings or the manifestation of a new supernatural ability within Ben. Whatever the case, fans can only hope for answers to these questions in the coming months.
New episodes of Manifest will return to NBC on March 2. Until then, catch up on Hulu.
