Editor’s Note: The following are spoilers for Manifesto Season 4 Part 2.Manifesto came to an end for the second and final time, with passengers facing the date of their death. With not only their fate in their hands, but the whole world, the passengers are most of the time focused on solving their callings and doing everything possible to keep the lifeboat afloat. Despite this, it still leaves a lot of room for relationships on Manifesto, from the semi-love triangle between Zeke (Matt Long), Michaela (Melissa Roxburgh) and Jared (JR Ramirez) to the romance between Olive (Luna Blaze) and passenger TJ (Garret Wareing). The supernatural drama even takes a short time to explore Ben’s fan favorites (Josh Dallas) and Saanvi (Parveen Kaur), though given the series’ finale, in hindsight, it wasn’t the best choice for storytelling.
The story of Ben and Saanvi
Ben and Saanvi have always had chemistry, even in the first season. Although they both have the foundation of being passengers, this connection led them to an even more important connection that would serve as the foundation of trust between them. son of Ben Cal (Jack Messina) is diagnosed with leukemia at the beginning of the series, and Saanvi’s pre-flight research eventually cures him (along with many other patients over the five and a half years of their disappearance). Through Saanvi’s research and connection to the Stones, she becomes a key figure in the investigation into the Summons and what happened to the passengers of Flight 828.
During the first three seasons, they work together, often as partners, as they continue down the rabbit hole that callings and explorations take them down. While Saanvi confesses her feelings for Ben to her therapist, who was Major (Elizabeth Marvel) in disguise and they continue to serve the chemistry and the moments that reinforced how deep they care for each other were some obvious roadblocks. Ben, for example, was married and devoted to his wife, Grace (Athena Karkanis). They even have a child over the course of the series, which later becomes important in Eden. Saanvi also has some obstacles, albeit not as big as her husband’s. In addition to some story-packed individual arcs, Saanvi also has another romantic interest, Alex (Sydney Morton), a married woman with whom she has a brief relationship.
Things brighten up in terms of Ben and Saanvi’s potential relationship once Season 4 kicks off. Unfortunately for Ben, Grace dies in the Season 3 finale, and with the death date approaching in the upcoming series finale, the show’s plot becomes more focused, bringing them together. In addition to that, Manifesto also seems to really capture the Ben and Saanvi dynamic, touching on more romantic imagery. In the fourth-season episode “Romeo”, they pretend to be together and share a kiss while investigating a nursing home, which is revealed to contain catatonic passengers previously tortured by the Major. They have a similar phenomenon in the second part of last season: Ben kisses Saanvi to avoid arousing the guards’ suspicion while investigating the detention center they are trapped in. The fact that Ben and Saanvi use romance to keep the mission under wraps not once but twice is no coincidence.
What went wrong with Benvy
Then it happens. They finally connect. In “Lift/Drag”, Ben is able to save Saanvi and is reunited with her for the first time in several episodes. When she returns, Saanvi thinks she has figured out a way to wake up the nursing home’s passengers, but when her attempt seems to fail, Ben finds her in her grief. From there it’s history. A literal story because this is the last time they were intimate. They talk about it two episodes later in the “Last Landing” ending. On the night before their death date, they discuss their still-existing feelings, but admit that both still love their former lovers, Alex and Grace, despite being “madly in love” with each other. They are not “endgame”. This seems a little convenient given that the characters have no idea they’ll be reunited with their loved ones in a pseudo-alternate timeline. Grace is gone, so why would he bring up the subject, especially since he also had love for Saanvi in his heart?
Benvi’s content in season 4 is a bad bait. The progress made in this final season quickly regresses with their conversation in the finale and feels like little more than anything else. If the plan from the beginning was for Ben and Grace to reunite in the face of her death, then it would have been better for the entire relationship to keep the characters on that straight path, rather than introducing the connection almost as an afterthought a few episodes from the end. Saanvi could think about his situation with Alex, and Ben could do the same about his wife. Beyond that, there’s the fan jargon that the characters are drawn to despite not being familiar with it before. The use of words like “end of the game” or even the names of ship suitcases tends to distract the audience from the content they are watching, which defeats the purpose of the storytelling.
Probably one of the toughest issues with the tiny side arch that Ben and Saanvi get in season 4 is how unimportant it is for the rest of the season. All the scenes that play on romantic feelings between them could easily be removed, and nothing would have changed. This further frustrates Saanvi as she skips a few episodes towards the end of the season and this isn’t the first time the character has pulled a short stick. It’s hard enough to lose the execution of your favorite ship, but for it not to be endgame or important? It stings.
Sometimes what was probably well-intentioned sometimes just didn’t work, as in the case of Saanvi and Ben. Their romantic gestures this season likely started as a nod to fans, and while the content was initially funny and well-acted, it was the sequel that messed up their momentum and put them firmly in narrative convenience territory. Not enough passionate love scene; characters should also treat each other with passion. ManifestoBen and Saanvi’s less-than-optimal relationship proves that sometimes it’s better not to develop a romantic thread than it is to do so and end up announcing that you’re revisiting a past relationship, no matter how important it was. Not every ship has to take place, but the story itself is never a good idea to tease and back off when it comes to delivery.
Source: Collider
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