Garrett Wareing’s TJ was written off of Manifest, but the character has the potential to return – with the answer to the Lifeboat mystery. TJ hasn’t been seen since the penultimate episode of season 2, but his exit left the door open for him to come back in some capacity. Season 4 offers the perfect opportunity for the character to return and finally address one of the show's biggest unanswered questions.
Through most of season 2, TJ was Ben’s most reliable ally when it came to researching the Callings and their historical connections. Together, they made a number of major breakthroughs in regards to what the Callings mean and others who had disappeared or vanished on Manifest. He became quite close to the Stone family, and even started a romantic relationship with Olive. His time with them came to an end, though, when he revealed that he was headed to Egypt. His promise not to break up with Olive indicated he wasn’t gone for good, but the way Olive has moved on from TJ without any explanation has raised questions about his status in the series.
If Netflix does end up picking up Manifest and ordering season 4, the show can finally bring TJ back into the fold. Given how closely he worked with Ben in looking into the Callings, it’s likely that he’d resume his old role by actively participating in the search for answers. In fact, it’s possible that if and when he finishes his studies in Egypt, he’ll come back with some valuable information. When TJ left, he expressed an interest in figuring out the meaning behind Al-Zuras’ journal and discovering a way to avoid the Death Dates. Apparently, Al-Zuras has a link to Egypt, so TJ believed he could learn something there. It could be that through the Al-Zuras connection, TJ can help the passengers “save the lifeboat”.
The Manifest season 3 finale teased that Cal may know what they’re supposed to do next, but it could be that there are still pieces of the puzzle that he isn’t aware of yet. If so, that answer could come from TJ, who actually believes that this is his new purpose in life. He could be right, depending on what ultimately became of Al-Zuras. What’s known about this 16th-century explorer is that he and his crew vanished for ten years before reappearing and getting the Callings. His fate has remained a mystery, but finding out the details about the rest of his life could prove to be a game-changer. If Al-Zuras survived the Death Date and saved his crew, the passengers could follow his example by repeating the same process.
The Al-Zuras mystery took a backseat to other problems for the main characters in season 3, but if any of the passengers is still working on it, it’s TJ. Plus, Al-Zuras could connect with the season 3 finale’s time travel hints. What’s happening with Cal and Captain Daly seems to have something to do with time travel, and if that’s really the case, Manifest season 4 would be the time for Al-Zuras to become relevant again. After all, it was his Callings that made them wonder if they were traveling in time.