How ‘Manifest’ Brings Matt Long’s Zeke Landon Back From The Dead

In Season 4, Part 1 of Manifest, the series broke viewers’ hearts by killing off one of its greatest characters, Zeke Landon.

Though Zeke, played by Matt Long, wasn’t a passenger, he shared Callings, became essential in solving the many mysteries of Flight 828, fell in love with and married Michaela, and saved Cal’s life…twice! Of the many deaths over the course of Jeff Rake’s 62-episode drama, Zeke’s hit the hardest. (Sorry, Grace!) But in Season 4, Part 2, Manifest brings our beloved hero back to life in more ways than one.

If you have yet to watch Manifest‘s final 10 episodes and want to avoid spoilers, consider this your chance to stop reading. But if you’re curious to learn how Zeke physically lives on in the series, even after death, we’re breaking down and praising his unexpected return below. Just be warned, major Manifest Season 4, Part 2 spoilers lie ahead.

What Happened To Zeke In Manifest? How Did Zeke Die?

Before we get into Zeke’s return, let’s take a moment to reflect on his death. As noted in Decider’s Season 4, Part 1 explainer, in Season 4’s midseason finale, Zeke realizes that Cal (who’s dying of cancer) is the only person who can save the world, and he’s the only person who can save Cal. He places his hand on Cal and uses his empathic abilities to free him from the fear, pain, and terminal illness tearing him down, and in doing so, he sacrifices his own life.

As Zeke slips away, he tells Michaela, “We were always meant to be together, Mick. I was given a second chance at life. I didn’t know why, but it was you, Mick. It was you…It was my second chance to make up for all the pain and hurt I caused. And now I finally get to do that. I’ll see you again, under the stars.”

How Manifest Brings Zeke Landon Back In Season 4, Part 2: Is Zeke Dead Or Alive?

Wow, I could cry just writing about Zeke’s death! But I won’t! Because as we established, Zeke makes a triumphant return in Season 4, Part 2. The last 10 episodes start with Michaela still heavily mourning Zeke from the confines of the 828 detention center. She wears his wedding ring around her neck, and in Season 4, Episode 11 he even visits her in a special Calling-esque visit to the glow.

Zeke, surrounded by that famous white glow we keep hearing about, appears before Michaela and tells her he’s in the divine consciousness, which has infinite space and time. When he drops in on her in Episode 11 he’s in 2018, which means he’s in the cave and they haven’t met yet. He vanishes, but when Michaela and Ben visit Zeke’s mom later in the episode, his memory — and his sister Chloe’s — remains alive. Before the end credits roll Zeke visits Michaela again and thanks her for helping his mom. He tells Michaela he can’t guide her or tell her about the future but assures her he’s hers forever before quoting his beloved book, The Neverending Story.

As the season progresses, Zeke drops by from the glow to share his love for Michaela, help her process her grief, and talk about the past — including all their missed connections and almosts he remembered thanks to the clarity of the glow. Turns out, he was doing airport pick-ups the night Flight 828 was supposed to return to JFK! It’s all connected!

In Episode 14, Zeke tells Michaela it’s time for her to move on without him and we watch him forget who she is right before her eyes. She later gets pulled into the glow, finds him freezing in the cave back in 2018, shows him the magazine page with her face on it, and urges him to find the cabin down the mountain and repeats “find her!” Though she says goodbye in that moment, Zeke remains close to Michaela’s heart throughout the season, even appearing via flashbacks in Episode 18. But our most satisfying Zeke moment from Season 4, Part 2 comes in the series finale, when Manifest creatively brings him back from the dead.

Who Does Michaela End Up With? Are Michaela And Zeke Endgame?

After the passengers board Flight 828 again, survive their judgment, land in the glow, and walk off the plane, they find themselves in JFK on April 7, 2013 — the same day they were originally supposed to land five and a half years ago. Though the 828ers still remember their shared journey, no one else has a clue. They consider it the “ultimate second chance” and set out to live the best lives they can with their vast wisdom. Grace is at the airport waiting for Ben and Cal, who’s a kid again just like Olive. Saanvi reunites with Alex and will presumably team up with Ben to cure Cal’s cancer. Ben and Michaela’s parents are still alive. TJ reunites with his mom, and though he and Olive obviously can’t be together anymore, he shares a meet-cute with Violet, who briefly dated older Cal. And Michaela reunites with Jared to finally turn down his marriage proposal. THEN, she remembers Zeke was on airport drop-off duty that night and races outside to find him.

The two instantly hit it off, and though Zeke has no memory of Michaela, their love story, or the pure chaos they’ve been through, she tells him to drive so she can fill him in on the“never-ending story.” The final shot of the series is Zeke’s cab driving away from the airport with Michaela beside him in the passenger seat.

Despite all the pain we endured in Season 4, Episode 10, Zeke and Michaela were endgame after all. Thank you, Manifest.

All four seasons of Manifest are currently streaming on Netflix.