Manifest: 3 Reasons the Government Is Totally Involved in Flight 828's Disappearance

The biggest mystery surrounding Manifest's Flight 828 isn't just what happened to the passengers and crew during their five-year absence aboard the doomed plane but also who or what was responsible for the disappearance altogether. There has to be a reason as to why the passengers are hearing the same voice in their heads and falling prey to the same irresistible urges that have led them to uncover several serious crimes.

Whether or not it's the work of a higher being using those affected as agents for the greater good remains to be seen, but it's clear that there are some less than altruistic forces at work now that bodies are dropping. After one of the passengers who had publicly accused the government of being corrupt was killed, something tells us officials might know more than they're letting on and are potentially covering up their involvement with whatever happened to Flight 828. Let's look at the clues so far:

1. The FBI and NSA were among the first officials on the scene. This seems pretty standard since the circumstances surrounding Flight 828 are so extraordinary. It makes sense that government officials would want to take charge of the scene and immediately begin the groundwork on their investigation. But on the flip side, being in charge means no one else is holding you accountable, making it easier to assess who knows what and sweep any unsavory findings under the rug.

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2. Officials have been acting super sketchy. Nothing screams "I'm evil and hiding something" more than an abrasive head official -- in this case, NSA Director Vance (Daryl Edwards) -- ordering their team to spy on the passengers after holding them for questioning for 36 hours. Sure, he could be acting in their best interests but something seems way off, especially after he impeded Ben (Josh Dallas) and Michaela's (Melissa Roxburgh) investigation into Kelly Taylor's (Julienne Hanzelka Kim) murder and threatened Det. Vasquez if he didn't spy on Michaela. We're not saying he's the bad guy just yet, but the prospect of him being on the right side seems pretty slim at this point.

3. They took Kelly Taylor's body. The murder of the one person who spoke out about the government hiding things about the investigation is pretty suspicious. However, her maid already confessed that she killed Kelly because she was jealous when Kelly's return disrupted the new normal she had established with Kelly's husband. But as Ben and Michaela realized, Kelly might hold an important clue into figuring out what happened with their flight because the government officials stole her body and tried to cover their tracks (maybe even by coercing Kelly's maid into making a false confession). This can mean only one thing: Kelly was right and the government is indeed hiding something. But what exactly are they keeping from us?

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Government officials might not know what happened to the passengers of Flight 828 during their five-year absence but it's clear that they're not exactly trustworthy. As the mystery continues to unravel, it'll be interesting to see where exactly they land in the scheme of things.

Manifest continues Mondays at 10/9c on NBC.