‘Manifest’ Season 4 Episode 11 Recap: “Final Descent”

By
Rebecca Murray
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Manifest Season 4 Episode 11 Recap
Josh Dallas as Ben Stone in ‘Manifest’ season 4 episode 11 (Photo Cr. Netflix © 2022)

Manifest concludes its four-season run (three on NBC, one on Netflix) with the release of season four part two on June 2, 2023. Part one wrapped up with episode 10, “Inversion Illusion,” which found Zeke sacrificing his life to save Cal.

Zeke overheard Olive describing Cal as the dragon who can save everyone. If he dies, all is lost. Zeke, being the decent man we’ve come to know and love, knew he was the only one capable of pulling Cal back from the brink of death. Zeke’s now dead as part two picks up, and Cal’s in perfect health thanks to Zeke’s courageous act.

Zeke’s death leading to Cal’s survival was just one of the key events that transpired in episode 10. (Here’s a full recap for those who need a refresher.) Episode 11 picks up with all 828ers in confinement and Angelina’s powers growing after she gained control over the sapphire.

Episode 11, “Final Descent,” opens by revealing it’s been eight months since the events in episode 10. At least 700 people were killed when Angelina used her new powers to open cracks in the earth, and people believe it’s linked to 828.

Cal (Ty Doran) has a nightmare of a massive explosion in a field, an elderly man running toward it while dialing 911, and armed men emerging from the tree line and shooting him in the head. When he wakes up, his sapphire-laden dragon scar is glowing.

Olive (Luna Blaise) and Cal are now in charge of the house after Ben and Michaela were taken into custody by the Registry. They’re struggling to make ends meet but try and keep up a brave face for Eden’s sake. Cal’s escaped the Registry’s mandatory roundup since they still have no idea he’s aged up and is going by Gabriel now.

Cal can’t recall the nightmare but remembers his scar glowing, which hasn’t happened since he destroyed the Omega Sapphire.

Eden (Paisley Day Herrera) and Olive make it through the 828 Detention Center’s security, a massive temporary housing facility with armed guards, razor wire on the fencing, and multiple locked doors separating areas inside the building. Ben and Michaela trade off having visitors, and today’s Ben’s turn.

Ben (Josh Dallas) thinks Michaela’s handling things as best she can and confirms he hasn’t spoken with TJ inside yet. The 828ers are divided into different groups, and Ben’s group hasn’t had a meal with TJ’s. Olive shocks her dad with the news that Cal’s dragon is glowing. The visit ends before they can discuss this revelation.

Ben’s description of Michaela (Melissa Roxburgh) was a lie; she’s deeply depressed and holding onto her grief. She doesn’t even react when Ben tells her Cal’s dragon is glowing. Ben’s worried she’s falling apart, and Michaela confesses she misses Zeke every second and can’t wait to go to sleep to forget her loss. Every morning, she wakes up with a broken heart.

There are only nine months left to save the world, and Ben thinks they need to escape ASAP.

Meanwhile, Dr. Saanvi Bahl (Parveen Kaur) is actively involved in the NSA’s ongoing research of 828ers and is currently doing a brain scan that indicates the passenger is no longer having callings. Saanvi reveals she’s only assisting with the research so she can help the passengers.

That night, Zeke comes to Michaela in a dream/vision/calling. (Welcome back, Matt Long!) They declare their love for each other, and Zeke explains that this isn’t a calling or a dream; she’s in the glow with him.

“The divine consciousness has infinite space, infinite time, but we’re doing what we do best – connecting with each other,” says a very angelic-looking Zeke.

Michaela notices he’s wearing Chloe’s necklace, which he left on her memorial years ago. Matt explains that he hasn’t done that yet. This is Matt from his time in the cave; he’s only been in the glow once, and it was during that period of his life. He’s still in 2018, which means they haven’t met yet. Zeke calls that a “technicality.” (Color me confused!)

A blaring alarm interrupts their conversation, and Michaela’s yanked out of the glow.

828er Bethany’s panicking and knocking on a locked door, desperate to get to her wife, Gloria, who she knows is in danger. Ben assesses the situation and realizes that now’s their chance to escape. He grabs Michaela and they frantically search for a way out of the locked prison. Fortunately, they run into Vance (Daryl Edwards) and Ben quickly explains that they need out to save the Lifeboat in order to survive the Death Date. Vance doesn’t need convincing and instructs them which way to go to escape.

He removes their ID tags before they flee.

Saanvi, Jared (J.R. Ramirez), and Drea (Ellen Tamaki) meet with Director Zimmer (Patricia Mauceri) and Vance, and Saanvi explains Bethany was over-sedated. Vance orders Drea and Jared to do a welfare check on Bethany’s wife, Georgia. After they leave, Saanvi asks Zimmer to stop the experiments in the isolation pod. Vance thinks an option might be to give the 828ers day passes to resolve callings. Saanvi’s certain they’re not solving enough callings to survive the Death Date.

Vance believes the best option is to let the 828ers help them. What do they have to lose? Zimmer refuses to consider letting passengers out and instead wants to focus on finding the missing 13 passengers they haven’t been able to round up. There’s now a $50,000 reward on each of their heads.

Vance secretly hands Saanvi Ben and Michaela’s IDs, hoping she can cover up the fact they’re missing for as long as possible.

Ben and Michaela make it home, and once the hugging is finished, they confess they escaped. Ben’s happy to hear Olive kept his research and explains Bethany’s wife is in trouble. They need to figure out what’s happening to her. It may have to do with Cal’s dragon glowing.

Olive not only kept it; she expanded on it and reorganized all the information. They try calling Georgia, but her line’s disconnected, and Olive and Cal are forced to admit they sold the car because they needed money. Ben and Michaela are shocked, and Olive explains that even Grandpa Steve cashed in his pension to pay for a lawyer.

Olive and Cal are doing whatever it takes to get by, and Michaela promises they’ll make it up to them somehow.

They borrow a car from Zeke’s mom and while they’re at her house, Michaela pulls The NeverEnding Story book off a shelf. (Zeke mentioned it in the glow.) Inside is a Mother’s Day card from Zeke’s deceased sister, Chloe, that Zeke’s mom has never seen before. She’s overcome with emotion and hugs Michaela.

Zeke’s mom makes them accept some cash before they leave.

Manifest Season 4 Episode 11 Recap
Ty Doran, Luna Blaise, J.R. Ramirez, and Ellen Tamaki in ‘Manifest’ season 4 episode 11 (Photo Cr. Netflix © 2022)

Despite Saanvi’s best efforts, a guard discovers Michaela has escaped.

Jared and Drea make it to Georgia’s and hear crashing inside. They discover Wicks (Charlie Kevin) and another officer going through Georgia’s belongings. Wicks claims he has the right to since he’s with the Registry and no one will care that he’s trashing the place.

They receive an alert that Ben and Michaela have escaped, and Wicks joins Drea and Jared in the search.

Back at the Stones’, Cal has his first calling in eight months. He hears Georgia screaming and begging Bethany for help. His calling shows him an old barn with a red car outside, full of guns.

Michaela and Ben arrive at Georgia’s shortly after Jared and company leave. Georgia (Eva Kaminsky) has returned home and is devastated by the destruction left by the Registry. They confess they escaped after Bethany had a calling.

Cal calls his dad and explains he had Bethany’s calling. He describes an open field and the old barn, and Georgia immediately recognizes what he’s describing. It’s 828er Anson Vasik’s place – a dad with two young kids – who’s one of the 13 fugitives. She was supposed to meet him at a barn in Conklin to help him out.

Georgia, Ben, and Michaela arrive at the barn, and Georgia won’t divulge any details but confesses she’s involved with helping 828ers in trouble. They make their way inside, and a man starts shooting at them from the nearby trees. Michaela gets the drop on him, and it turns out to be Billy, the man who kidnapped and nearly killed Zeke at the Xer bar years ago.

He drops his gun and Michaela takes him down.

Jared, Drea, and Wicks question Olive about Michaela and Ben, and Olive claims she hasn’t seen them. (Wicks has no idea Gabriel is Cal.) Jared convinces Wicks that Olive is telling the truth, but unfortunately, right before they’re leaving Wicks spots one of Eden’s drawings. Wicks demands their phones and doesn’t believe Olive doesn’t own one. He realizes Ben’s probably got it, and if they locate the phone, they’ll find Ben.

Michaela ties up and gags Billy just as Olive calls to warn her dad they’re after him. Ben wrecks Olive’s phone and then demands answers from Georgia. She admits she’s part of the safe house and has been helping hide 828ers. She also reveals that nine of the missing 13 are together.

Georgia realizes it was Billy who called her for help, claiming to be Anson and hoping she’d lead him to the safe house. It’s only then that Ben and Michaela learn there’s a $50,000 bounty – dead or alive – on each of the missing passengers.

Georgia takes off after giving Ben a note to give to Bethany.

Ben and Michaela run through the trees and come upon the pit from the explosion Cal saw in his dream. It’s the right size to have been made by an airplane, and the NSA probably made the plane disappear.

Ben believes they need to go back to the detention center and protect the others. He was wrong to think that as the captains of the Lifeboat, they needed to be on the outside. Ben can’t abandon the passengers now; he needs to return and work with the Registry to figure out how to survive the Death Date.

He gives Michaela a hug and heads back home to say goodbye to Olive, Cal, and Eden. Ben apologizes for having to go back, and Olive can’t believe he’s leaving them again. He assures them he’s doing this for his family and that going back is the only way to guarantee they have a future.

Jared, Drea, and Wicks find Billy tied up with a note from Michaela.

Manifest Season 4 Episode 11 Recap
Josh Dallas as Ben Stone and Melissa Roxburgh as Michaela Stone in ‘Manifest’ season 4 episode 11 (Photo by Peter Kramer/Netflix © 2022)

Michaela’s walking down the road when Zeke pops in from the glow. He thanks her for helping his mom, says he’ll always love her, and everything they’ve ever shared is burned on his soul. Zeke tells her never to give up and good luck will find her. (He quotes The NeverEnding Story.)

Zeke believes in her and “so do they.”

Ben turns himself in to the guards at the detention center. As he’s being taken into custody, he whispers to Vance, describing the apple orchard in Conklin.

Saanvi tells Bethany that Georgia’s safe but won’t be able to visit. She also passes Bethany Georgia’s note.

By the time Ben makes it to his room, Michaela’s already there waiting for him. She reminds him they’re co-captains of the Lifeboat.

It’s late at night when Vance makes it to the Conklin apple orchard. He stands on the edge of the pit and stares in disbelief.

The episode ends with the revelation that Zimmer has 828’s pilot, Bill Daly, in custody at the detention center.




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