'Manifest' Season 2 Episode 13 Review: In a heartbreaking finale, [spoiler] is dead and it's not who you think
Spoilers for 'Manifest' Season 2 Episode 13 'Icing Conditions'
Questions, questions and more questions... 'Manifest' seems to have left an air of mystery hanging in this heartbreaking season finale. As the episode begins, two key players — Zeke Landon (Matt Long) and Cal Stone (Jack Messina) — are dicing with death.
With the new trouble at hand, Grace Stone (Athena Karkanis) and Ben Stone (Josh Dallas) are both hyper, wondering why the three criminals took their son. Blaming Michaela Stone (Melissa Roxburgh), Grace asks, "Where is my son?" When Michaela tells them that they want to "get back" at her for turning them into the cops despite the calling's warning, Ben is furious. In a fit of rage, Grace demands, "Get my son back!"
Meanwhile, Zeke fights his frostbites as Olive Stone (Luna Blaise) stands beside him and Michaela gives him a peck on the cheek. In a calling, Zeke sees himself lying down on a sheath of snow. Death and doom seem to haunt the Stone family and there is no way out of this disaster. Through tumultuous twists and turns, the episode drags the storyline for a long time until finally giving a closure, but not without chills and thrills.
Jared, Drea and Michaela: Dream team
To bring Cal home, Michaela decides to get the box of meth from the NYPD and that's when Jared Vasquez (JR Ramirez) has to step in to give his authorized signature. When Jared finds out, he tries to help Michaela. There is so much emotion and swagger in one dialogue, "Let's get him home!" Ramirez's performance seems to be getting glorious by the day and that's something you wouldn't want to miss.
The only to save Cal is to pay the ransom, Michaela feels and Jared gives a go-ahead to her plan. Along with Drea Mikami (Ellen Tamaki), Jared keeps an eye on Michaela while she drops the bag for the three criminals.
Michaela goes with the bag of stash to a public place and just as she is about to walk away, a lady creates ruckus by calling her out for leaving the bag getting another cop into the picture. By then, it's too late and the criminals run away with Cal. The plan is a major failure and it only leaves Ben seething in anger.
Saanvi and the Major: A deadly face-off
Robert Vance (Daryl Edwards) shows Saanvi where the Major is. Without telling him, she grabs the opportunity and gets ready for a face-off. "Major General Kathryn Fitz," she calls her and blames her straightaway. "People are gonna die, I need to find a cure and you stole my work?" However, she isn't ready to comply with what Saanvi wants.
The two women meet for the first time and it should spring a lot more excitement and fear than it does, and that comes across as a slight disappointment. Nevertheless, it is interesting to see how Saanvi stands up for herself. She threatens the Major, only to get a threat back in return. But, she is adamant to get her research work back.
Meanwhile, Robert Vance gets her the research. "Just because I am dead doesn't mean I don't have connections," he tells her. That's when Saanvi has a huge revelation for him: The Major knows he is alive! Towards the end of the episode, the Major meets Saanvi again. She keeps coughing. While Saanvi tries to strike a deal but to no avail. Moreover, the Major says, "I am a powerful mutation and you cannot replicate it." Their tussle has big repercussions and The Major is dead. Scared out of her wits, Saanvi flees the scene.
What do the three men want?
It is unclear why the three men — Kory Jephers (DazMann Still), a metro bus driver who helps deliver stolen cold medicine to a meth lab run by two brothers, Jace (James McMenamin) and Pete Baylor (Devin Harjes) — want their meth box back. What's their real motive and why do they want to get back at Michaela? While Jace is aggressive, Pete has a soft heart and he even forges a good bond with Cal.
Zeke has a calling and he sees Cal in it. Is Cal the next one to get frostbites? Just then, Olive gets a text that reads: "It's OK. I'm not scared. Tell Mom and Doug I love them." With the clue behind Doug, they figure out Cal's location and drive down to the Dugout Diner.
Zeke and Cal: A snowy death trail
As the episode is about to come to a close, Zeke has an intuition about where they have to go. With his final moments approaching, Zeke and Michaela share an emotional moment and go to save Cal. Michaela and Jace come face to face with a gun but right at that moment, the snow breaks and they all fall into the ice-cold water.
Zeke jumps into the water to save Cal and Ben dabbles through it to bring him up. After a lot of struggle, they find Zeke too and help him up. However, it is too late. Zeke breathes his last in Michaela's arms. Just when you think it's the end of their love story, there is a miracle, a glow on his face, and he springs back to life.
A little more explanation for the miracle would have been better, but for now, we will have to believe the unbelievable. Ending with a big cliffhanger, it is a shock when the cops can't find the bodies of the three men. Did they vanish in thin air? Towards the end, Ben has a calling. The entire plane is on fire and then he sees a ship with a new set of faces. As 'Manifest' comes back with another season, there is a lot more to look forward to, but we hope the mystery is solved at some point in the series before it becomes a drag.