Manifest finally explained what happened to Captain Daly, but has yet to actually bring him back. Daly’s cameo in Manifest season 4, part 1 left him in the same place he disappeared to in season 1. His brief appearance in season 4’s “High Flight” provided some much-needed answers to the show’s Daly mystery.
Apparently, Daly and Fiona are trapped within the divine consciously, which is also where the passengers were between 2013 and 2018 and where Cal went when he touched the tailfin. Cal left, but the two of them are most likely still there. Daly believed in season 1 that they’d be back in 2024, but that claim was based on the assumption that they would disappear for the same length of time as the passengers. But other disappearances have made it clear that there are no set rules on how long he and Fiona have to be gone. For that reason, the divine consciousness could send them back to Earth at any point in the show’s last ten episodes.
Why Doesn’t Captain Daly Want To Return?
When Ty Doran's Cal Stone met Daly and Fiona, it was revealed that neither character is anxious to leave the divine consciousness. Both seem to be content with their current situation. In fact, Daly tried to stop Cal from leaving. His remark about Cal knowing that Grace can’t be saved indicates that he sees no point in them departing the divine consciousness. That makes sense, considering that both he and Fiona know that they’ll lose their memories if they leave. They obviously have more knowledge of what’s going on than the passengers, but wouldn’t be able to share this information even if they returned.
What Happened to Captain Daly After Cal Left The Divine Consciousness
In addition to clearing up season 1’s Captain Daly debacle, Manifest confirmed the connection between Daly’s brief return and Cal suddenly showing up five years older in the season 3 finale. These two moments happening so close together was not a coincidence. Saanvi postulated in season 4 that Daly appearing in the cockpit at Eureka was a result of the character trying to stop Cal from leaving the divine consciousness. If that’s true, that would mean Daly accidentally came with him, albeit only for a few seconds.
Whether or not Captain Daly went back into the divine consciousness after the scene in the cockpit remains to be seen for the time being. If so, he and Fiona could linger there until their time is up. Depending on when that day comes, one or both of the two characters could play a role in stopping the apocalypse in Manifest season 4, part 2. Neither has been around enough to be counted as key allies, but as fellow Flight 828 passengers, they are a part of this fight and could’ve been chosen by the divine consciousness for a reason.