Ep 1. Tailfin

The third season of the nail-biting supernatural drama series, Manifest is back with the first episode titled "Tailfin". The episode picks up from where the second season left off and promises a whole new level of intrigue, mystery, and suspense. Manifest follows the story of a group of passengers who miraculously survived what would have been a fatal plane crash. As if that wasn't strange enough, upon landing, they quickly began experiencing inexplicable visions and hearing eerie voices that seemed to be guiding them towards a dangerous fate.

In Season 3 Episode 1, we see the characters as they try to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. The Stone siblings - Ben, Michaela, and their parents - discover that the events they've experienced and witnessed have drastically changed their lives, and they must now adapt to a new reality. Ben's growing need to understand the forces behind the 'callings' takes him on a dangerous journey. Meanwhile, Michaela and Zeke have to battle the trauma of their past and struggle to move forward.

The episode opens up with a flashback from 1984 that shows a military vessel chasing a plane that matches the description of Flight 828 that Ben Stone and the others were on. For some reason, the military's goal was to force the plane off course, and they were willing to use deadly force, if necessary. This revelation immediately raises the questions of whether the passengers of Flight 828 were part of some sort of government conspiracy. The scene flashes forward to the present, and we see Ben and Michaela returning from the hospital after helping T.J., a fellow passenger, recover from an accident. As soon as the Stone siblings are back home, they are greeted by an alarming fact. The tailfin of the plane that they were on was found that very day.

As the episode unfolds, we see Ben brooding over the reappearance of the tailfin and the questions it raises. He is convinced that the tailfin holds the key to the mystery surrounding their callings and puts everything he has into deciphering the code embedded in its designs. Meanwhile, Michaela has her own problems to deal with. As a cop, she has to table up a case involving a group of street racers, but as she gets deeper into the investigation, she begins to experience a series of visions. The visions take her back to the day the tailfin was discovered and make her question whether she's in the right place at the right time.

The episode also sees the return of Zeke - Michaela's partner - who's still struggling to cope with the trauma of his past. Zeke is never too far from her thoughts, and she even makes a special effort to include him in a family dinner. However, things take a turn for the worse when he starts experiencing terrifying visions of his own. These visions throw a wrench between his relationship with Michaela and test his mental fortitude.

Overall, "Tailfin" sets the tone for the rest of the season. The episode is packed with thrilling moments, character-building scenes, and several new mysteries to solve. The subtlety with which the writers introduce new plot points is nothing short of impressive, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the next installment. The cast's chemistry is also at an all-time high, with each character's personality coming alive and boding well for what's to come. With the severity of the situations that the passengers find themselves in, it's going to be hard to keep their personal lives and the challenges they face separate. Manifest never ceases to amaze its audience, and Season 3 Episode 1 is no exception.