The Major Theory That Changes Everything On Manifest

"Manifest" might be the most mind-bending show that has aired on TV recently. And if this fan theory is true, it would be yet another twist in a series that has offered many of them. Problem is, due to problems behind the scenes, fans might never get to find out if the theory is correct.

"Manifest" is an NBC drama thriller that follows a group of airline passengers who have suddenly reappeared after a mysterious 5.5 year absence. The two main characters are Ben (Josh Dallas) and Michaela (Melissa Roxburgh), a brother and sister with very different ideas about what really happened to Flight 828. Ben is a college professor looking for a rational explanation, while Michaela, a cop, thinks there's a spiritual explanation. And fans are just about as puzzled as Ben and Michaela are. To explain what's going on with "Manifest," fans have offered theories about everything from alternate Earths to time travel to the end of the world.

Making matters even more frustrating for fans, NBC cancelled "Manifest" on June 14, 2021, after the third season finale (via Deadline). The cancellation came halfway through "Manifest" creator Jeff Rake's plans for a six-season story.

But now we have some better news. As reported by Deadline, Netflix is reportedly considering picking up "Manifest" for its remaining three seasons. If that does happen, fans will get to see if this wild theory about The Major is accurate.

The Major, better known as Major General Katherine Fitz (Elizabeth Marvel), shows up near the end of the show's first season. She's a shady figure who runs a mysterious government-funded project to experiment on passengers from Flight 828. She also appears to have knowledge of the Callings — premonitions which the passengers experience — but doesn't explain where that knowledge came from. Later, The Major admitted that the project was hoping to turn the passengers' warped DNA into a superweapon, and then died. 

However, some fans think there's more to The Major than meets the eye. According to the big theory on Reddit, The Major is actually Michaela's older self visiting from the future. Beyond their shared interest in the Callings, the most compelling piece of evidence is that both Michaela and the Major wear necklaces that appear to be similar. (Here's a side-by-side comparison). 

As for what Michaela and-or The Major's plans are, that's less certain. It's also possible that The Major is a future version of an entirely different character, perhaps even a different time-traveling one — another fan, for instance, suggested that it's Michaela's daughter. However, unless Netflix or another network greenlights "Manifest" season 4 and beyond, this theory will remain a theory.