‘Manifest’ Recap: Season 4, Episode 19 “Formation”

Dec 21, 2023

Season 4 part 2 of Manifest is here, and so is the penultimate episode of the series. In episode 19, there is just one day left until the Death Date, but there may be a way to stop it, though Cal is more focused on what he has to do to save everyone. Meanwhile, Angelina wants to bring on the end of times now more than ever.

Keep reading to find out what happened in "Formation."

Olive sees Cal looking at the wooden dragon, but Cal doesn't want to drag her into his mess. She says they are the original Gemini twins.

"We were together in the beginning, and we’ll be together in the end."

Cal wishes he could have grown up with her, and Olive admits that when the plane disappeared, it felt like it took both of their childhoods with it. She missed him so much, but she knew that he was still alive. They may have lost time, but they have never lost each other. Cal tells her about the Calling he had with the peacock and the sapphires. He thinks it's how he's supposed to save the world. He hasn't told Ben because he hasn't figured out how. Olive says they are all in this together, and that is how they’re going to figure this out — together.

They show the drawing to Ben and Michaela, and Cal says the two sapphires have to connect, even though that means him and Angelina. Cal thinks there's a different way, not knowing why the divine would put him through some twisted test to reach out to the person who hurt his family the most. Ben says the Calling wants him to go to her, so he should go. He was wrong when he said he wasn't strong enough to take her down. He thinks Cal is the only one strong enough to convince Angelina to do something right.

Angelina is taken to the plane, where Cal is waiting for her. He tells her she was right about them needing to work together. Cal talks about the Calling and says that this journey has always kept them connected to one another. Even before they met, he knew she had this enormous potential for good and kindness. He could feel it, and he still can. Their sapphires glow, and Cal asks her to join him. They can stop the Death Date, and for her, it's a chance to make up for all the bad things she's done and the pain she's caused. Angelina doesn't understand why he would say that, considering all the pain she's endured. Their sapphires stop glowing, and she tells Cal that God chose her. She is the redeemer. Cal tries to convince her by telling her they can save everyone since they’re the only two with the sapphire, but Angelina doesn't want to save everyone.

"The Death Date is a cleansing. A chance for a complete do-over."

Angelina is afraid this is goodbye. She leaves the plane, despite Cal's pleas.

Cal is back at the 828 facility and tells Ben, Michaela, and Olive that their sapphires are connected. It was like together, they created a glow. He's focused on the fact that he failed. Angelina doesn't want to save the world. She wants to end it. She always wanted to end it. Cal leaves upset, and Ben leaves to check on Saanvi.

Angelina and Eagan talk to Adrian, who is there to make amends. He spent months tracking down everyone he could to apologize for the harm he caused. If they don't make amends, they risk the world coming to an end. He’ll risk his freedom for the lives of all mankind. Angelina doesn't want Adrian's apology. She says she is an archangel sent by God, and Adrian just laughs. Angelina tells him that God infused her with sapphire, and she now has the power of destruction and salvation. Adrian doesn't believe a word she or Eagan are saying, but Angelina keeps trying to tell him that she is special. He asks her to prove it by reading his mind or making something levitate, wondering what power she has.

Two passengers are pleading with Angelina to bring them with her, but she says she isn't ready to choose. It's not a decision she’ll make lightly. Adrian tells her that she doesn't pick or choose who survives. It's all or nothing. The only way they’ll finish the journey is together. She brings up Noah and the ark, and Adrian says God told him exactly how to do it. He gave it to him in sapphire. Angelina says that God will show her where the ark is.

Adrian can tell that Eagan is having second thoughts about Angelina, and he tells him there is still some good in him. Adrian talked to his parents and knows he mended his relationship with them, as he gives Eagan the necklace from his mother. Eagan is capable of redemption if he chooses to do it. He admits to Adrian he knows where Angelina's ark is, and he overheard Saanvi talking to Olive about a piece of wood. A piece of Noah's Ark. He wants to tell Angelina about the driftwood, having held the sapphire and knowing its power, but Adrian tells him that if he does, he could save himself, but doom everyone else.

"I really like my ass."

Eagan tells Angelina he's leaving, and she tells him she can save him. He says that he's willing to take a risk that maybe he can save himself and a few others along the way. Angelina says he can't leave. She is chosen, and she chooses him. For once in his life, Eagan isn't taking the easy way out. Eagan and Adrian leave, and Angelina tells the two passengers who were pleading with her that they’re in. God will show her the ark and punish those who betray her.

Michaela tries to comfort her nephew, but Cal thinks she hates him and resents him for the fact that Zeke gave up his life for his. Michaela says she misses Zeke, but he knew what he was doing. Though Cal says he died because he thought he could help save the world — he's just a screwed-up kid who didn't ask for any of this. Michaela tells him that none of them asked for this, but it doesn't mean they can't rise to the occasion. Zeke knew that. She shows Cal the drawing from Zeke that she got from Carlos and tells him that Zeke dying meant he got to live. And sometimes, we don't always see the connection with people. He has to let go of that guilt.

"Honor the connection you had to him by making his sacrifice mean something."

While she and Zeke believe in him, that doesn't matter unless he believes in himself. Olive comes over, sees the drawing, and puts the pieces together — peacock, Gemini, and the wooden dragon. The three original symbols that brought them the Death Date. They might get them some answers. Saanvi comes over and sees the symbols, and Michaela tells her that recent Callings brought them back to the symbols, which means they might have something new to show them. Saanvi tells them Marko brought a message from The Glow. He said "Kovcheg" in Bulgarian, which means coffin.

"Tomorrow … is the day we die."

Olive suggests looking at the symbols through a different lens, and they go over what they already have, their what and how, and they certainly know why. Cal thinks the wooden dragon is their where and a clue to the location. Saanvi asks what kind of dragon it is, and Cal says Henry told him it was a Shenlong, which translates to King of the Storm. Storm King Mountain.

Meanwhile, Ben brings Marko over to the passenger boards, who points out a picture, again saying, "Kovcheg." The ark. Ben brings the photo over to the others and tells them that "Kovcheg" doesn't just mean coffin; it also means ark. Noah's Ark. Saanvi was about to say she threw a piece of Noah's Ark into the fissure at the base of Storm King Mountain. And sapphire was inside it. Olive says the ark piece was unearthed from Mount Ararat when the plane returned as if reaching out after thousands of years. Cal doesn't need Angelina to fulfill his Calling. He needs driftwood.

"We’re going on a treasure hunt."

Ben, Michaela, Cal, Olive, Eden, Saanvi, Vance, TJ, Jared, and Drea all show up at the base of Storm King Mountain and find where the fissure was, still the way it was, untouched, aside from there not being any lava. Olive notices the fissure is the same shape as Cal's dragon scar, which is definitely not a coincidence, and they start digging.

Cal tells them it's not time yet. They’re supposed to wait. He’ll know when it happens. Ben suggests they set up camp since it’ll be dark soon.

Ben tells Vance to go to Florida and be with his family. He's done enough to help him, his family, the passengers, the whole world. He owes it to himself and them. They have a tearful goodbye, but Ben prefers "Until next time."

Ben and Michaela collect firewood and come across the same tree Michaela carved their initials into when they were younger. Their mom made them co-captains while on a bird-watching trip. Ben says it's like their mom knew and she was preparing them for this journey, this moment. Michaela says she was preparing them to lead together.

"All good things."

Ben asks Michaela if she ever regrets taking a later flight, and she admits that life would’ve been a lot easier. But it also wouldn't have been as eye-opening. She wouldn't have met a lot of people, including Zeke. Ben says he would have gone with Grace, and Michaela points out he wouldn't have had Eden. However, he mentions one way or another, Eden would find a way to them. What's meant to be will be.

Saanvi and Ben talk about their relationship and what happened, and Ben admits he will never get over Grace. Saanvi admits her heart is still with Alex. Even if they were to survive the Death Date, nothing would change with her, but she can't help but to still love her.

"So you may not be my end game, Ben Stone, but I’ll always have mad love for you."

In their tent, Michaela tells Jared he never asked her why she got on the later flight. The answer was it was to stall, and the reason he proposed was because he wanted to help her through the Evie drama. Jared loved her, and he still does. She tells him whatever tomorrow brings, they both envisioned different futures for themselves. She would never ask him to compromise on his happiness. Especially when everything he needs is one tent over. Michaela tells him that the last few months have been great, but she saw the way he and Drea looked at each other. His heart wants and needs to be with her. Michaela knows he won't love her any less if he lives his life with the woman he deserves. Jared leaves the tent to be with Drea.

Cal wakes up in the middle of the night and holds his glowing scar out to the fissure, which also glows. Ben comes up behind him, and Cal tells him he has to go. They all have to do their part, and this is his. To help save the passengers and shift the scales. He knows what he needs to do now. Cal thanks Ben for being his dad, and the two hug, sobbing. Ben watches Cal as he walks towards the glowing fissure, the two sapphires connecting. Cal puts his hands over his heart, as does Ben, and Cal is taken away in the sapphire, which emits a powerful light going towards the sky.

All of the passengers see the glowing sapphire emitting from the fissure and towards the sky. TJ, Michaela, and Saanvi walk toward Ben and the fissure and continue to watch it glow.

Season 4 part 2 of Manifest is streaming now on Netflix! Check out the rest of our coverage on the series here, including episodic recaps and more!