Manifest - False Horizons

Discussing Ep. 2.3

This really was the Saanvi show, both in a good and bad sense. I'll get the bad out of the way first.

This was probably the only time we actually saw Saanvi smile in happiness at all this episode, because the rest of the time, she was upset. sad, anxious, fearful or pissed off! We got a small glimpse of her background story last season and it felt like I was more distracted by Ben and Grace and The Major and all of that so her backstory kind of fell to the wayside. But considering that the idea of Saanvi and Ben getting together was a major potential last season, I look at that coupling now and realize that that could have set up a very dangerous pattern for Saanvi in the arena of love. Reason being, because of this:

This was a bombshell! Was Saanvi the 'other woman?' Was she a homewrecker? I'm hoping we get some kind of clarification for this because this puts everything under a whole new light and puts her character, to a small degree, in a somewhat bad light. Also, I feel less sympathy for her at the beginning of the episode when she's waiting for her guy on the plane, realizing now that he was a married man going on a vacation with Saanvi. Not a good look at all!

Having said that though, she went through a lot of pain in this episode. First, she had to sort of re-live that experience with her ex after the Major tells her to finally come to terms with her past. Then Ben goes and tries to dupe her, telling her about this made up 828er who was getting massive callings. I never understood why they didn't go and ask Saanvi about who she was talking to in the first place. I didn't understand how it was that Vance was monitoring her movements and yet he didn't know that she was going and seeing a therapist. He had vans and monitoring equipment watching her every move and yet he didn't realize that she had been seeing a therapist?

I honestly thought that Ben had screwed everything up though when he did reveal everything to Saanvi. Not that him telling her was necessarily bad, but the way he told her. He told her everything in her fucking office! He told her how Vance was still alive and that they were aware that there was a mole that was stealing information about her research. For fuck's sakes, Saanvi's office could have been bugged for all Ben knew! I didn't have a problem telling Saanvi the truth because at least they could have figured out all the people she talked to and narrowed down the list of suspects. But to tell her everything while in her office? Stupid!

 
At the end of the day though, Saanvi redeemed herself big time. I kind of figured she'd test The Major by revealing that bit about her research findings being locked up in her fridge. Just the way that she said it gave that hint that she was at least suspicious of her therapist. And sure enough, The Major fell for it. So now it's a Spy vs. Spy kind of game going on between The Major and her players and Vance and his players.

Speaking of the players, seems I was wrong about Troy. Looks like he may not be involved with The Major after all.....for now. However, I knew that we would be introduced to another covert agent. One I did guess while the other took me by surprise.

Like I said before, I'm suspicious of everyone at this point, and Simon White seemed a tad bit too eager to work with Ben. Though I do have to wonder....he got into contact with Ben through Ben's friend and fellow student (and seemingly former love interest) that we were introduced to in the last episode. And that was just by chance, or was it? So was this part of the plan all along? How could Simon or The Major coordinate everything to have Ben apply for a professor's job at the school in order to get involved with Simon himself?

The other mole that I didn't see and totally took me by surprise was Grace's new friend, Erica. And we get Grace's calling that involves a gargoyle.

I really hope that we get some kind of explanation as to how these callings work and who are the ones giving them the callings. I have a feeling that we won't, that it's just going to be brushed aside because none of it makes sense. Why does Grace get the callings in her own voice? Why are the calling and visions so abstract and so vague that the receiver has no idea how to proceed and how to follow the callings? I don't blame Grace for snapping at Erica when Erica took verbal shots at Cal and wished that Grace's baby dies. How could Grace interpret "open her eyes" as meaning that she had to warn Erica as to what she's getting into by getting involved with Simon and The Major. How is she supposed to connect Erica with the gargoyle at the school?

I have to believe that we're going to see Erica more often at the school, possibly picking up Simon and that Grace is going to put two and two together but it seemed like a real long stretch to make the connection.

As for Zeke, I was impressed that they found the loophole that was able to get him out of jail. I'm glad that Zeke acknowledged that he fucked things up and made things worse. I kind of get the impression that they went through this whole sequence of events to accomplish two things....to build up the relationship between Zeke and Mick and to solidify that relationship, and to make an enemy of Jared. On the relationship between Zeke and Mick, I still don't feel it. Maybe it's because they're pushing so hard through Cal and visions and what not to make it seem like destiny or fate that Zeke and Mick end up together. Perhaps I don't buy the relationship because at this point, that's the only thing that connects them. We haven't really seen them connect with each other beyond that.

As for Jared....damn! He has fallen so far from grace that it's incredible. I gave him a ton of credit last season for putting everything on the line for Mick and he went through a lot, despite having no understanding as to what was going on or what the callings were all about. And now, he's buying drinks for anti-828ers and adopting this overall asshole mentality. I suppose I could understand the hurt and pain that he's going through because what he said was right.....he essentially gave up his life for Mick and she rebuffs him....again....for a guy she just met. This would be the second time that Mick has hurt Jared, the first being when she never replied to his proposal before she disappeared. So I can understand why Jared is hurting and is adopting this mentality. Still, it's disappointing.

And finally, I'm interested to see where they go with the Olive storyline. Again, she's being pushed aside, not being involved in the callings and as a result, she feels left out. While I write this particular group off as a bunch of overly zealous and delusional fanatics that don't understand what the 828 flight was all about.....the fact is nobody does. The callings, as I said before, are vague and really more unhelpful than helpful in terms of getting the receiver to accomplish a specific task. And while I question whether the 828er running the church (I forget his name) is sincere or is merely trying to play on the fears and desperation of people, including other 828ers, I suppose I can't blame Olive for going there and trying to find a place to belong. She doesn't feel like a part of her own family, while she is still connected with Flight 828 and it's all around her. At least here, she feels special where at home, she doesn't feel special at all because the others are all getting callings and she's not. However, I do wonder now if The Major is going to exploit this church in some way, if she hasn't already, and somehow get to Ben and his new baby through Olive. I could totally see that.

So now The Major has been exposed. She appeared to Saanvi as Erica.....but now we know who she really is. Kathryn Fitz. And her history in Black Ops. is rather extensive, so much so that I wonder if Vance is sweating a bit in regards as to what he's dealing with. She's the real deal! But is she working for the gov't or is this her own personal project. She has gov't resources at her disposal so I suppose she has gov't approval, so how is Vance going to combat that?

It's a chess game with high stakes now!