Manifest: Every Theory On Who Killed Grace (Was It Really Angelina?)
Angelina (Holly Taylor) isn’t the only character under suspicion for killing Grace (Athena Karkanis) on Manifest. There’s no denying that she’s the top suspect, but fan theories are singling out other characters who might have killed her instead. After all, the show refrained from confirming that Angelina was the murderer.
The Manifest season 3 finale delivered one of its biggest surprises yet when it killed off Grace. The tragic incident occurred after Angelina, spurred on by Adrian (Jared Grimes), broke into the Stone family home in an attempt to kidnap Eden, Grace’s youngest child. Grace tried to stop her, but exactly what happened during their confrontation wasn’t shown. What is known though, is that it ended with Grace dying of a stab wound and Eden in Angelina’s care. In the episode’s final moments, Grace was greeted by an older version of Cal, who had somehow disappeared and returned five years older. Everything that transpired in the house served as clear setup for Manifest season 4.
Both Cal’s return and Grace’s death are sure to drive the story when the series returns on Netflix. Grace’s murder will emotionally devastate several main characters, particularly Michaela (Melissa Roxburgh) and Ben (Josh Dallas). For the latter, revenge may be a possible answer to what happened. But while Angelina may be the first on their suspect list (and for good reason), it’s not impossible that Manifest is hiding a big twist with Grace’s murder. Here’s every theory on what really happened to Grace at the end of the Manifest season 3 finale.
In this case, the most obvious explanation may be the one that turns out to be true. For several episodes, Manifest was building up to Angelina becoming an antagonist to the Flight 828 passengers. Her obsession with Eden, attempts to “become” Olive, and the fire she set in Eden’s bedroom were all hints that she was a loose cannon and a character who suffered from delusions. There’s also been a sense that she might become a danger to the Stone family. She’s never murdered anyone before, but her commitment to her religious beliefs and this idea that Eden is her “guardian angel” have already made her a kidnapper, as evidenced by the Manifest season 3 finale. When Grace tried to stop her, she seemingly crossed the point of no return and killed her to get what she wanted. If she’s so sure that she’s right, she may not have allowed anyone to stand in her way.
If that’s what happened, then Angelina just solidified her status as a major villain for Manifest season 4. Apprehending her and bringing her to justice could be the main goal for Michaela, Jared (J.R. Ramirez), and Ben in the season’s first few episodes. As Angelina herself said, she has nowhere to go, which is why it’s hard to imagine Angelina being on the loose for long with Eden. It’s only a matter of time before the police catch up to her.
The Manifest season 3 finale gave viewers plenty of reasons to assume that Angelina was to blame for Grace’s death, but created enough room for doubt by not showing how she was stabbed. And, Angelina wasn’t at any point seen carrying the knife that dealt the fatal blow. This doesn’t rule her out as the killer, but does raise the possibility that something mysterious took place offscreen when Olive (Luna Blaise) was locked in the closet. It’s been speculated that Angelina is just a misdirect and that the real killer is a new character who will become a villain in the episodes to come.
The Flight 828 passengers have been targeted by hate groups in the past, so it’s not outside the realm of possibility that someone would try to do a member of the Stone family harm. Furthermore, Ben is currently under house arrest, which means he was supposed to be home at the time of the murder. For that reason, Manifest season 4 could reveal that Ben was the murderer’s true target. The main problem with this theory is that it would be a huge coincidence if someone snuck into the house at the same time that Angelina arrived.
If Angelina did kill Grace, then there’s no question that Adrian is at least partially responsible. It was he who convinced her that she has to be with her guardian angel. Of course, he didn’t mean for Angelina to kill someone and kidnap a child in the process. Adrian’s role in Grace’s murder was reflected by the Calling on the airplane where Michaela met Adrian. When she saw him, he had blood all over his hands. When asked about what he had done, he said he “only showed the path”. The blood and Adrian’s remark were taken as more hints that Angelina killed Grace. They supported the idea that Adrian had caused Grace’s death, even if he didn’t perform the act himself. Interestingly, some fans believe that the blood on Adrian’s hands had a more literal meaning.
One theory postulates that Adrian followed Angelina to Ben and Grace’s house and tried to intervene in the conflict over Eden. If an altercation ensued, Adrian may have been the one who actually stabbed Grace. Throughout the series, Adrian has been a foil to Ben, but not an evil person in any sense. He simply has views about the Callings that contrast greatly with the main characters. With that in mind, Adrian killing Grace could only have been an accident. But even if it wasn’t intentional, it’ll effectively kill any chances that still remained of Ben and Adrian putting aside their differences and working together.
One of Manifest season 3’s darkest theories has been picking up steam for a while now. Some think that the older version of Cal killed Grace. The episode showed Cal walking into the room and being the first person to find her, but a different interpretation of the scene argues that Cal – despite his love for his mother – killed her because the Callings demanded it. When she was dying in his arms, he claimed that he now knows what they have to do, which has led to the theory that during his time away, Cal figured out that Grace has to die in order to push Ben in the right direction. Grace’s death could be a catalyst for Ben doing what needs to be done to save the Lifeboat. Grace’s death being necessary or inevitable does seem likely, given that Cal didn’t seem shocked at seeing her in that condition.
According to this theory, Cal killed her in order to set up what comes next for the Flight 828 passengers. With all of his talk in the two-part finale about things having to happen a certain way, it could very well be true that Grace’s death had to occur, but even so, Cal being the one to pull it off would feel out-of-character and a step too far for the series. Considering that family and love are at the heart of Manifest’s story, Cal murdering her would be entirely too dark of a path for the show to take in season 4.