Does Ben find Eden in Manifest season 4 part 1? (spoilers)
By Reed Gaudens
The long-awaited return of Manifest has arrived, and there’s a lot going on for the Stone family. Manifest season 4 part 1 reunites us with the Flight 828 passengers two years after the events of the season 3 finale, and as you could imagine, those events have ripple effects.
Following Grace’s murder and Eden’s kidnapping at the hands of Angelina, Ben still grapples with — and basically unravels from — his inconsolable grief. Not to mention, he’s been tunnel visioned on finding Eden for two years, in spite of others telling him to accept defeat.
But with Ben Stone, we know that where there’s a will, there’s most definitely a way. He doesn’t give up, and while that determination can be to an unfortunate fault, it’s an admirable quality when it comes to those he holds most dear. And he intends to keep his promise to Grace about Eden.
Does Ben manage to prove everyone wrong and find Eden alive and well? If so, how does he reunite with his youngest child, and does it mount to a confrontation with Angelina? Here’s the very-spoilery answers to one of the season’s most compelling mysteries.
Warning: Major spoilers ahead from Manifest season 4 part 1!
What happens to Eden in Manifest season 4?
From the very beginning of Manifest season 4, Ben remains headstrong and steadfast in his attempts to find Eden. He doesn’t listen to Michaela’s pleas to rejoin the Lifeboat or Jared’s reveal that the state has declared Eden legally dead and closed the case.
Although they temporarily bring him down, he uses the setbacks as fuel to continue searching for his daughter. He believes Eden is still alive, that she’s out there somewhere, and that belief is enough to keep him going — even if he has to go it alone.
Ben allows Cal to follow a Calling to Anna Ross, who reveals that she drew a windmill and gravestones from a Calling. Cal traces the Calling to a cemetery in Ramapo, where Ben meets up with Anna and discovers a child looking for help to save his drowning father. While Ben briefly thinks the child shouting “Daddy!” was Eden, it’s not.
The first episode of season 4 part 1 reveals Anna Ross has been harboring Angelina and Eden in her basement, a betrayal she keeps hidden from Ben and the rest of the world. However, she kicks Angelina out, leading her to dye her hair and cut Eden’s in the bathroom of a library. Angelina leaves some traces of her whereabouts behind. She and Eden later seek refuge at Adrian’s home for wayward passengers after he saves them from a dangerous boarding situation.
Ben decides to make an appearance on Aaron Glover’s podcast to remind the world about Eden, and even though it seems like a bad idea, it’s actually helpful in making a breakthrough in the case. Aaron receives a message from a listener who spotted a woman matching Angelina’s description. He and Zeke notice the address Aaron gave them is across the street from Anna’s home. They ask to view her security camera footage, and Zeke senses she’s lying about something. Finally, Anna tells the truth.
In episode 3, now knowing that Eden is in fact alive as he had believed, Ben turns to Jared and Drea for help with investigating, which takes them to the library. After, Ben receives a Calling of a drawing on the wooden ceiling of the attic, which he traces with chalk in the hopes that he can use Eden’s drawings as clues. Olive recognizes Eden’s drawings as the song she and Cal sing.
Bolstered by the small wins, Ben visits Eagan after seeing him in a Calling and getting an unexpected phone call from him about Eden. Of course, Eagan withholds the information he has from Adrian in exchange for his release from prison. Ben turns to Vance for help with Eagan’s release, but he goes to the address Eagan gives him on his own. As Ben approaches Adrian’s boarding house, he’s attacked and tied up in the basement.
Do they find Eden in Manifest season 4?
Since Ben went on this rescue mission on his own, everyone’s searching for Ben. While tied up in the basement, Eden wanders down and finds him, but Angelina follows her and calls Ben a “very bad man,” further brainwashing Eden.
Thanks to their investigation into Erika Burness purchasing a jarring amount of fertilizer, combined with Michaela’s Calling of a bee, Drea realizes that Ben is trapped at Adrian’s boarding house. At the same time Jared discovers there are bombs at the house, a tense altercation happens inside, with Angelina threatening to detonate the bombs.
Cal rushes in to talk Angelina down, while Michaela, Jared, and Zeke rescue Ben. After freeing Ben, Michaela gets the other passengers out of the home while Ben finally reunites with Eden. Angelina sets off the detonator, and the house blows up before Ben can get back into the house to save Cal. Thankfully, Cal wasn’t harmed in the explosion.
The family’s reunion in the explosive fifth episode was a long, winding, and very dangerous road, but the Stone family officially became whole thanks to Ben’s tenacity, Cal’s bravery, and everyone’s loving support. It’s not an easy transition for Eden after two years with Angelina, but the Stones aren’t ones to give up.
What did you think of the journey to finding Eden? Sound off in the comments, and make sure to watch Manifest season 4 part 1 only on Netflix.