In less than a month, “Manifest” will finally provide fans with answers in Season 4, Part 2.
With the looming threat of death for not just the 828ers but the entire world and the ongoing mystery of the 828ers (where did their supernatural powers come from?), the final 10 episodes of the series have a lot of ground to cover.
Here’s how fans suspect the series will conclude.
1. The 828ers are stuck in a parallel universe
Several fans suggest that the 828ers are stuck in either a parallel universe or split timeline and how the passengers react to the callings will determine which reality takes over. As it goes, the passengers enter the parallel universe when Flight 828 departs from Jamaica and gets struck by dark lightning.
In Universe 1, Flight 828 crashes into the ocean and only some of the passengers survive. In Universe 2, the plane enters a time warp and gets stuck in the plot we know from “Manifest” with the five-year time jump, callings and death date. One fan suggested that when the plane entered the dark storm, since Cal was the only one awake and looking out the window, he briefly looked at himself on the alternate plane as they switched realities.
The passengers who survived in Universe 1 are capable of receiving callings from their alternate selves in Universe 2. Time travel typically brings with it consequences, in the 828ers case it is the looming apocalypse and death date — the butterfly effect is at play so even small decision can have a big impact on the timeline. The callings are given from surviving passengers in Universe 1 to try and help the 828ers avoid their impending doom that came from messing with the timeline.
This theory explains why several of the passengers recall their death and the plane crash during callings. It also explains why parts of the plane were found at the bottom of the ocean and why only some passengers receive callings. To repair the timeline, the 828ers must all get on “the lifeboat” together and follow the callings.
Fan theory from: ManifestThrowaway123, Cyberflash13x.
2. Cal is in a coma
Everything is Cal’s dream — it’s cliche, but it ties up a lot of loose ends. Cal was terminally ill when the series began and this fans suggests that he fell into a coma either right before or after the Stone family trip to Jamaica.
When someone is in a coma, they can often hear what is going on around them. Cal is listening to everything happening around him, especially his father desperately searching for a cure. Everyone on Flight 828 is actually either a patient, hospital employee or visitor, and Saanvi is Cal’s doctor.
The lifeboat represents Cal’s life force. Everyone’s actions around Cal impact his wellness, hence “everything is connected.”
During Season 3, Cal suffers from intense burns over all of his body. This fan thinks those burns are a reaction to his cancer treatment. When the treatment is no longer working, Cal touches the tail fin (a representation of the afterlife) and spends a moment in the afterlife, where he speaks with his mother.
All of the extreme plot lines, such as the Sapphire, Noah’s Ark and apocalypse, are part of Cal’s elaborate dream.
Fan theory from: Manifestfan.
3. The callings are evil
A number of 828ers — such as Eagan and Adrian — believe the callings are actually evil. At one point in the series, even Michaela explored the idea that the 828ers were blindly following callings from an evil source.
This fan theorized that Michaela’s first calling, which led to the rescue of two kidnapped young girls, led the 828ers to trusting the callings. Once the 828ers were willing to follow, the callings shifted and brought about negative consequences. Although many of the callings lead to lives being saved, they often led to death as well.
Cal believes the callings are prompting him to stay close to Angelina, even after she burned down the Stone family home. Cal’s blind obedience to the callings gets put the Stone family in a lot of danger and even leads to Grace’s death.
Fan theory from: realitylegends.
4. Time will reset as if 828 never disappeared
If the 828ers make the right decisions, time will reset and it will be as if nothing from the series ever happened, one fan believes. During the final half of Season 4, a war will break out between good and evil — the Stone family will lead the good while Angelina heads the evil. Passengers will have to pick a side. Ending the battle will require 828ers to sacrifice themselves for the greater good — their sacrifice might be the life force Cal needs to conquer Angelina.
If enough 828ers sacrifice themselves, time will reset and it will be as if 828 never disappeared. We will see Flight 828 safely land on time. Many of the events in “Manifest” will still come to pass. Michaela will meet Zeke, Ben and Grace will have Eden and Olive will meet TJ.
Fan theory from: pikameta.
5. The 828ers are trapped in a Bermuda Triangle anomaly
This theory is really out there, but so is most of the “Manifest” plot so it deserves some recognition — this fan combined theories about the Bermuda triangle, Atlantis and old philosophy.
During the flight from Jamaica to New York, it is likely the plane passed over the Bermuda Triangle and got trapped in some sort of Bermuda anomaly. During their shared calling, Grace, TJ, Ben and Cal all witnessed Flight 828 (the Silver Dragon) from Al Zura’s boat, which implied that all vessels lost in the Bermuda Triangle got trapped in the same space-time anomaly — including driftwood from Noah’s Ark.
One fan took this theory to the next level and proposed that the 828ers are actually in Atlantis. Theories from the philosopher Edgar Cayce suggest that during the Biblical Great Flood of Noah, the city of Atlantis sunk beneath the ocean and souls that lived in Atlantis were reincarnated to “usher in a new era of enlightened human consciousness.”
According to this fan, Cayce also suggested humans would evolve to have supernatural powers and that if humanity changed its behavior, prophesied horrific events could be avoided. Sound familiar?
Fan theory from: night__hawk_.
6. Cal knew Grace was going to die
Out of all the 828ers, Cal receives the most vivid callings. This fan suggested that Cal suspected Angelina was dangerous all along and knew she would attempt to kill Grace. He was insistent on welcoming Angelina into the family because he felt it could prevent the inevitable. If Angelina truly felt that she belonged in the Stone family, maybe she would not kill Grace.
They also noted that when Cal touches the fin and returns five years older, he came back at the exact moment that Grace was dying, suggesting he knew exactly when and where it would happen.
Fan theory from: hh_sav_.
7. Michaela is really the Major
During season one, viewers are introduced to the Major — a major general conducting government-funded experiments on the 828ers. Some fans believe that the Major is actually Michaela’s older self visiting from the future.
It’s a loose theory based on the fact that Michaela and the Major are both interested in the callings and what they mean. They also wear similar jewelry.
Fan theory from: Purewow, caltordith.
When does ‘Manifest’ Season 4, Part 2 come out?
“Manifest” Season 4, Part 2 will land on Netflix on June 2, otherwise known as the “death date.”
Trailer for ‘Manifest’ Season 4, Part 2
According to the trailer, “It’s all connected.”
“Our story is ending in a way we might not even realize,” Michaela declares. “The world is ending, and we know when,” Ben announces to a crowd of listeners.
Watch the teaser for how the 828ers are going the face the end of the world.
What is ‘Manifest’ rated?
“Manifest” is rated TV-14 for mild violence and frightening scenes, per Common Sense Media.