Manifest Season 2 Episode 10: Course Deviation-Review And Recap-Mathew 24:24 And The Apocalypse
An exciting Manifest Season 2 Episode 10 may have flipped everything we thought we knew on its head. The “callings” may not be from God.
Let’s face facts, we love the romantic drama of super cuties Zeke and Jared. Michaela and those eyebrows are to die for and TJ has become a swoon-worthy addition to a well-stocked pond of attractive people leading Team Save 828. That is not what has hooked the fans though. The mystery and the mythos are what keep us coming back each week and as the last few episodes of the season begin, everything we thought we knew could be wrong. Did Manifest Season 2 Episode 10 just flip the script?
Another pre-disappearance moment aboard flight 828 began Episode 10 this week. Those nuggets of information doled out so stingily are like gold to Manifest code crackers. We finally know why Adrian was drawn to a religious group after the return of Flight 828. His father was a preacher and even if he didn’t believe much then, he sure did after, at least until just recently. He has become convinced, and there is some rationale behind his fear, that the “callings” are not the word of God but a clever trick to control the 828’ers into bringing on the Apocalypse.
Adrian is drawn to the High Bridge along with Grace and Ben where he begins to unravel. Shortly before he completely melts down Grace’s water breaks but not before Adrian posits that instead of being pulled towards a place or a person that needs help they are being pushed to create the very calamity they think they are preventing. After Ben and Grace leave for the hospital Adrian hears a kayaker drowning and saves him because, despite everything, he’s essentially a decent guy. Jared Grimes(Adrian) has really grown on me this season. He first presented as a stereotypical zealot but has grown into a much more complex and interesting character. If he is right about the “callings” he may prove to be a valuable ally.
That choice saves the life of not just the kayaker, but Grace and Eden their unborn baby. Everything is connected but by whom? His words resonate with Ben however who echoes them later to Michaela at home. Are they really just being conditioned like Pavlov’s dogs to jump when told to by an entity that does not have anyone’s best interests at heart? If the Returned are truly agents of the end what does that mean for the Death Day? Is that day both their end and all of humanity?
Jared finally gets his moment to shine this week. He saved Mich’s life last week when he arrested her even if she doesn’t know it yet. When he is able to get her released safely he slips her a note telling her to meet at “their place”. A rare callback to when they were in love shows why Jared and Mich were once good together.
More Than Words by Extreme blared over a boom box while the family gathered for his proposal to her. It is a sweet and tender moment that reminds us he is a good guy. Additionally, his explanation of what he has been doing the past several weeks solidified his Team Stone status. He has been working as a double agent for weeks to save Mich and the other 828er’s. Jared has known about the bug at the bar and everything else but couldn’t tell her until now.
Police Chief Kate Bowers has been in on the ruse as well. She wasn’t covering for Jared as an Xer but covering for Jared the spy. Unfortunately, before they can do anything Billy calls Jared. He and his goon squad of under-educated hot heads kidnapped Zeke when they lost Michaela. Jared uses the bug and his knowledge of Mich and the Chief to give them information without giving himself away. It also gives us another chance to hear that guilty pleasure from 1990. He uses this opportunity to get Simon to the bar. By convincing Billy to wait to kill Zeke and bringing Simon in he is able to kill two birds with one stone. Once it is all over Simon, his wife, and a gaggle of Xer’s are arrested.
Ben has to make a decision no one should ever have to. He must choose between his wife and his unborn child. Before becoming unconscious she pleads with Ben to save the baby’s life instead of hers if it comes to that. As moments tick by and both her and the baby become endangered Ben chooses Grace and tells the doctor to do a transfusion hoping to buy Grace some time for the specialist to arrive.
It is a very understandable decision and on-brand for Ben who is a family man through and through. A nice personal touch allows Ben to voice his guilt over the decision he was ready to make to Mich. That brief but powerful moment shapes him as a relatable character with depth and sincerity. Josh Dallas(Ben) although charming in Once Upon A Time has showcased a much wider range of emotions in Manifest.
One threat closes as another reveals itself. Cal’s drawing is mutating. The three looming shadows are growing and are coming after Cal and Adrian. Who are they? What do they want? There is danger everywhere and it appears to be closing in. The shadow monsters are only appearing to Adrian and Cal right now. Likely, this will change in the episodes to come. Jeff Rake has been adept at manufacturing Big Bad’s only to shelve them for later use. The shadow monster is just one of many examples with The Major being another obvious one.
Last season the monster killed Kelly or made Kelly kill herself. In Season 1 Episode 2 Reentry Kelly blabbed to any media source that would let her about her abilities and Flight 828. The shadow monsters didn’t seem to be big on publicity and killed her. Now that the Returned are in the forefront again it seems the shadow monsters are back and not thrilled. As mentioned last season the monster may be a hitchhiker from another dimension who wants to stay hidden so he can stay. Maybe some of the crew of Al Zuras’s lost ship?
The Names
All of the names on Manifest feel very important. Grace and Olive are both representatives of hope and peace with new addition Eden being the literal embodiment of Heaven on Earth before humans were cast out for eating from the tree of knowledge. Cal means devotion and several Popes and Saints have shared a name with Adrian. Zeke or Ezekial is an important prophet from the Old Testament. He is also an ArchAngel. Ezekiel is the Angel of Death or Transformation. If Adrian is correct and the “callings” have been a manipulation of the Devil the 828’ers could be seen as eating the apple. Something is coming, for our group time is running out. Our group needs to prepare for a holy war.
The episode closes as Kyle Edwards lovely song As Long As I’ve Got You plays. There are three looming shadows stalking Cal and Adrian. The seeds of doubt that have been sewn it remains to be seen if love is all they will need to save themselves. Catch up on all our Manifest coverage here while we wait to come to terms with the twist Manifest Season 2 Episode 10 brought us.
Stray Thoughts:
- The phone number seen at the beginning as Olive and Cal are drinking smoothies is 718-871-0623 appears to be a real number however no one answers and it goes directly to a message that says the party is not available. This could be a real business so don’t clog up their voicemail.
- Grace has a condition called placenta accreta. It occurs when a portion or all of the placenta attaches itself to the uterine walls. This a very serious pregnancy complication and almost always results in surgery to save the infant and mother.
- Mathew 24:24- For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. The passage from the Bible means there are false gods everywhere waiting to sway the righteous from their path.
- Anything is possible with Manifest and if it is heading down a Purgatory road or End Times direction our poor heroes might just be on the wrong side without knowing it. It would explain the insanity of the crew of the long lost ship. Only vengeful gods would drive their followers crazy for not following directions. That is more Old Testament teaching or the work of Evil who would not think twice about using any tools necessary.
- “I see said the blind man” is a phrase Adrian hurls at Ben. It references the old axiom that has two common completions. They are:
I see said the blind man, to his deaf dog. I see said the blind man, as he waved his wooden leg.
English Stack Exchange
- There are many variations with hearing-impaired wives, peeing into the wind or picking up a hammer and saw. The implication being the person being spoken too does not understand at all what the speaker is trying to convey. It is a humorous absurdist statement meant to belittle Ben.
As the Managing Editor for Signal Horizon, I love watching and writing about genre entertainment. I grew up with old-school slashers, but my real passion is television and all things weird and ambiguous. My work can be found here and Travel Weird, where I am the Editor in Chief.