Manifest Season 2 Episode 1 Recap – Fasten Your Seatbelts

It’s been a long time since the finale of Manifest ended, and it seems like everyone is still perplexed as to what the ending meant.

For those that don’t remember, “Fasten Your Seatbelts” picks up right where the first episode of Manifest left off. Zeke and Jared were in Michaela’s apartment arguing when Michaela arrived, and Zeke‘s gun went off. Who got shot is revealed, and things get pretty intense.

The new season of Manifest starts with Michaela having a nightmare back when they were still on the plane. Michaela was browsing pictures of her with Jared. Ben said their mom‘s not wrong that Jared couldn’t wait forever. Suddenly, Michaela started to hallucinate about why they‘re on the plane again. She kept shouting, “The turbulence stops. The turbulence stops.” “Save the passengers,” says Cal, seated next to her.

Back to the present, Jared and Zeke wake him up after what happened. Zeke keeps pushing where Michaela got shot to stop the blood. She tells him to run, and he does so reluctantly.

Michaela still hallucinates about what happened on the plane while she‘s taken for surgery in the hospital. When Ben and his family arrive, Jared tells them what occurred. Dr. Saanvi Bahl informs Ben and the others it was a close call, but Michaela will survive.

Ben sees Michaela, concerned about his sister. She reveals she hopes the cops don’t locate Zeke. She recalls her most recent call, recalling the plane collapsing and Cal begging her to save the people. Regrettably, Ben must be the bearer of terrible news. He informs her of the “death date” he and his family uncovered.

Two months later, Ben is working to save the passengers by scouting out their residences for any potential dangers.

Ben goes to one of the passengers of Flight 828 named Randall. Randall (Christopher Piccione) points a gun at him. He thought Ben was someone watching him.

Ben goes to the hospital to tell Dr. Saanvi what he found out about Randall.

Ben and Grace go to her 14-week ultrasound together. Ben discovers Grace is pregnant with Danny’s kid while he was away, but she miscarried. Ben argues that if the baby is Danny’s and not his, they should notify him, but Grace refuses and insists that the kid is theirs for the time being.

Ben and Grace arrive home with Michaela doing a little exercise with the help of his father. They tell them the news about Grace‘s pregnancy, and they all get shocked and happy at the same time.

Later, Ben and Michaela discuss the death date. Michaela believes saving the passengers means saving them now, not later. She also wants to assist Zeke, who has fallen off the radar.

Michaela returns to the precinct and talks with the new supervisor, explaining that the shooting was an accident. Because she is still on medical leave, the new supervisor believes she is too close to the case and should return home. On her way out, Jared scolds her for not allowing him to visit her in the hospital. Michaela informs him she would not have been shot if he had listened to her. He claims he is unaware of it.

Back at home, Ben and Michaela discuss the passengers, including two names she noticed on the station’s Missing Person board: Anson and Trina Vasik. Ben recalls how much Anson cherished his children. He knows they wouldn’t abandon them.

Ben and Michaela go to see the Vasik children, who are cared about by a neighbor. They asked the three children who‘s the head of the house. Sasha (Shiloh Verrico) says “me,” but Milo (Ashton Hilliker), her brother, says Mama Sharice (Gina Daniels) is in charge. They ask Sharice what happened to their parents when they came back from the plane. She says numerous random calls, people watched them, and it seems like the two are not in the right mind because of it. She also mentions certain callings. They go to the basement and see many posted notes like Ben’s board. There’s a lot of information there, including a bible verse: “Revelation 20:14.”

Ben goes outside and sees a white van. He takes a photo of it but didn’t get the plate number — it doesn’t have one. 

Cal goes to Zeke’s house to see him. Zeke’s mother welcomes him and says Zeke is not there. Cal shows his drawing where Zeke is, so the mother lets him in the house.

Zeke looks devastated, like an older adult who doesn’t care about his hygiene; Cal tells him he needs a haircut. Zeke asks about Michaela. He feels guilty because Michaela almost died because of him. Cal says he needs to be with Michaela; they don’t have enough time.

Michaela sneaks back inside the precinct to use the computer system to find out more about the Vasiks. Jared meddles in her affairs once more. He doesn’t want her to chase her dreams any longer. She irritates Jared by confessing she told Zeke to flee.

Saanvi is still seeing Dr. Ragier, oblivious that she’s The Major. According to the doctor, she has more than pleasant emotions for Ben. Saanvi comes to a halt and says she does not wish to go there. Dr. Ragier later tells Saanvi she shouldn’t waste her money and time on any more sessions since she’s holding back and being guarded. Saanvi starts to go but then turns to the doctor and says, “Something happened to us on that plane.”

Michaela sees Zeke across the street. Zeke says he is following Michaela. She says to go somewhere, but Zeke insists not to hide anymore. She hears sirens and advises him to go, but he says he will give himself in to the authorities. “I wish I met you some other way, you know, in some other time,” Zeke adds.

Michaela grabs him and tells him about another call involving a commuter bridge and a yellow Pontiac.

Michaela and Ben locate the Vasiks in the yellow Pontiac prepared to drive down the cliff in an area overlooking the George Washington Bridge. Ben chats to Anson and says all of the passengers on the 828 get callings, and he’s confident they’re not terrible. Anson and his wife are both sure they should die since they had a vision of the location and a car crashing off the cliff with their children inside. They’ve chosen to leave today without their children to rescue them from that fate.

Anson begins to accelerate, but Michaela stands in front of the car. She then peers over the precipice and notices another automobile has slipped into the ravine — a family is inside.

Ben reveals to the Vasiks after the family has been saved that the callings they were experiencing instructed them to help protect the family. The Vasiks say their gratitude to the siblings after what happened. 

Ben brings out the garbage later that night when he notices a white vehicle parked outside. He’s seen this suspicious vehicle before and rushes over, shouting for whoever is inside to get out. He is swiftly apprehended behind, and his captors drape a sack over his head. He is then pushed into the vehicle, which drives away.

Cal returns home and asks Michaela why Zeke doesn’t understand why he’s significant. In return, she hugs him and then receives another call to go onboard the crashed Flight 828. Zeke is also onboard this time.

Ben sits in a room. Someone removes the sack off his head. “You’re not the only one who can come back from the dead,” Vance says across from him.

Our Thoughts

In the episode’s refresher montage, one of the scenes featured The Major telling her troops to stay still until they are sure the youngster (Cal) was the Holy Grail. Perhaps the Holy Grail is Grace’s unborn child if she’s not sure about Cal. You know, as we wait for proof that Ben is the father. Perhaps it was the unborn kid who gave them all a second shot at life. There have been several religious references and overtones, and the unborn baby’s role in rescuing the world is virtually biblical. We’re also excited because Vance suddenly appears. We want to know how he survived the explosion and who helped him.