Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy

“I’m in a gigantic cave, but everything around me is blurry. There’s something big and dark up ahead; I can’t make out what it is. Then someone shouts, ‘Nic, run! It’s behind you!’ I’m about to turn around to look, but another gust of wind whooshes past me, and I’m back in Ms. Lena’s office.”

Nic’s unique and mysterious power to affect other Remarkables’ gifts is one of the first hints that she is the Manowari. The vision adds suspense and intrigue to the novel by offering a glimpse of a later scene in which an unknown creature chases her. This vision comes true in Chapter 19 when Alex calls out to Nic as the dragon approaches her.

“‘Some days, you may not understand the things I do, the things I’ve done,’ Dad says, ‘but protecting you is my priority. A’ight?’”

Within the immediate context, Calvin is referring to his decision not to let Nic meet her favorite author, TJ Retro, on her birthday. His insistence that “protecting [her] is [his] top priority” in all of “the things [he’s] done” hints at the revelation that he kidnapped Nic from her mother in Uhuru in an attempt to save her life. Although Nic defies her father’s wishes and sneaks out to the book signing, she later comes to appreciate his protectiveness.

“The beauty of the Gift is that it helps us when we need it. It knew that our ancestors needed to fly, and it helped them do so. Nowadays, it takes a little more effort, but hearing the ancient words helps you do the first step of flying. Levitation.”

Ty Porter’s retelling of “The People Could Fly” demonstrates how Thomas roots the story in African American culture and folklore. Incorporating folktales is a major way that the author develops the theme of The Importance of Heritage and Cultural Identity. Flight, which allowed the characters’ ancestors to escape bondage, is a symbol of freedom. During the novel’s climax, a grimmer version of this scene plays out as Nic learns “the ancient words” and uses them to fly away from her former mentor and inspiration.

“‘History shows what happens to Black people when we’re seen as a threat, what still happens,’ he says. ‘I never want you to live in fear or think that every person who doesn’t look like you hates you. But there are ignorant people who make assumptions about us because of the color of our skin. If those people knew what some of us are capable of, it could put a lot of innocent folks in danger. That’s why we must use the Gift responsibly.’”

Although the story is a fantasy novel, the author grounds the narrative in real issues, such as racism. In the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, Nic and Calvin discuss racism, which connects to the theme of The Struggle for Justice. The tension between Nic’s desire to help others with her Gift versus LORE’s expectation of total secrecy lest “a lot of innocent folks [be put] in danger” represents an ongoing conflict in the series.

“‘Centuries ago, it was prophesied that one day there will be a Manifestor who will destroy the Remarkable world. This person is called the Manowari, the destroyer.’ A chill crawls down my back. ‘How will they destroy it?’ ‘No one knows. That’s why it’s terrifying.’”

This passage presents the Manifestor Prophecy that gives the novel its title. At this point in the story, the reader knows that Ty Porter is the Chosen One, but neither Ty nor Nic realizes that he is speaking to “the Manowari, the destroyer.” The prophecy provides foreshadowing and raises the question of what it means that Nic is destined to “destroy the Remarkable world.”

“The woman has my face, my complexion that’s lighter than Dad’s, my thick, curly hair. Hers is in a braid that hangs past her shoulders. Her eyes, big and dark like mine, are filled with tears. ‘Alexis is the name I gave you,’ she says thickly. ‘I’m your mother.’”

The introduction of Nic’s mother marks a pivotal moment in the novel’s rising action and sets much of the remainder of the plot into motion, including Calvin’s arrest. The undeniable similarities between the characters’ appearances confirm Zoe’s claim, and the fact that her eyes are “filled with tears” indicates that she didn’t choose to leave her daughter, as Calvin told Nic. Zoe’s revelations overturn Nic’s understanding of her life and the fact that the girl doesn’t even know her birth name underlines how much her father hid from her.

“LORE won’t wipe his memory for kidnapping you, but I wouldn’t put it past them to do it over the Msaidizi to make an example outta him. You gotta clear his name to get some answers. Only way to do that is by finding the Msaidizi and the real thief.”

Ms. Lena’s explanation of the possible punishment facing Nic’s father raises the stakes and motivates Nic and her friends to undertake the quest that comprises much of the main plot. The Struggle for Justice leads Nic and her friends on a journey that will strengthen their friendship and ultimately reveal all that has been hidden from Nic while also clearing her father’s name.

“Grandpa Doc came to the rescue. He battled Roho and won. After that, everyone realized Grandpa was the Chosen One and Mr. Porter wasn’t. Mr. Porter’s in major denial, though. It’s no secret that he’s convinced that the ‘real’ Manowari will show up one day and he’ll defeat them.”

Thomas subverts the Chosen One narrative by having Ty fail to defeat the villainous Roho and lose the Remarkable world’s faith in him. This humiliation helps motivate Ty’s desperate yearning for vindication and his obsession with the Manifestor Prophecy, which drive his drastic actions during the novel’s climax.

“I would’ve saved Emmett Till. I would’ve protected that kid with the water gun in the park with a mojo. Same goes for that lady who was asleep in bed. I would’ve used an invisibility tonic to help that kid with the tea get home safe, and the man who was jogging. I would’ve used a knockout juju on that jerk with the gun who went in the school. Once I know how to use the Gift, I’m gonna help Unremarkables with it. Forget what LORE says.”

This passage illustrates how the Black Lives Matter movement influences Thomas’s writing. The allusions to the deaths of Emmett Till, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery and to other victims of racism, violence, and police corruption advance the theme of The Struggle for Justice and develop Nic’s characterization as a heroine with a strong commitment to justice. Because she has been a Remarkable growing up in an Unremarkable world, she has seen how her Gift could make a difference in the fight against racism.

“‘How about something super tiny? Like…’ I tap my chin, pretending to think it over, then snap my fingers. ‘A minnow?’”

In a demonstration of The Importance of Heritage and Cultural Identity, Nic uses her knowledge of the Hairy Man folktale to trick the shapeshifter’s son. Actions like this establish the protagonist as someone who fights with her wits and cultural knowledge.

“Sweet girl, you and Tyran Porter are very similar. Some may say you’re two sides of the same coin. His failure will be your success.”

The Devil’s daughter’s statement that Ty’s “failure will be [Nic’s] success” provides another clue that Nic is the Manowari. Her ominous words foreshadow the novel’s climax, in which Ty emerges as the novel’s antagonist after learning that Nic is the one destined to destroy the Remarkable world.

“I think about the statues of Harriet, Nat, and the others, and the photos of Guardians helping runaways. I think of General Blake and Sarah getting hundreds of people to freedom. Once upon a time, LORE helped those who needed it and celebrated people who did the same. I can’t stand by and let them punish Dad for a crime he didn’t commit. Old LORE wouldn’t.”

Thomas weaves the themes of Heritage and Justice into the story’s fantasy elements by making historical figures like Nat Turner Manifestors. Nic’s experiences at the Underground Railroad museum encourage her to keep striving to prove her father’s innocence by helping her contextualize her quest within a broader historical struggle for justice. Nic’s question about why LORE stopped “help[ing] those who needed it” remains open for further exploration in the next installment in the series.

“This would be easier if he was an awful dad, but the way you wanna save him, he must’ve been pretty good. For some reason, he chose you over me and didn’t tell you I existed. You know how that makes me feel?”

In this scene, Alex finally voices the jealousy of his sister that he’s kept bottled up. His belief that Calvin “chose” Nic over him gives insight into his character and the conflict between the twins. This conversation helps Nic and Alex understand one another better, allowing them to escape from the wizards in the short term and to grow closer in the long term.

“‘I’d do the same for my daddy,’ he says. ‘I’ll take you to the entrance of Boss Man’s old colony, that’s it. Nothing more, nothing less. Deal?’ He holds his hand out to me. I shake his hand. ‘I thought it was a lair, not a colony.’ ‘Boss Man had grand plans.’”

The understanding between Nic and Hairy Man Junior develops The Struggle for Justice. The protagonist wants to save her father from false accusations, and Junior empathizes because he loves his late father and feels that he was misunderstood. In addition, Roho’s “grand plans” offer another mystery for Nic to explore in the next book.

“‘I’ve already gotten you guys in enough trouble.’ ‘So?’ says Alex. ‘We’re in this together. One of us goes to the colony, all three of us go to the colony. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.’”

As the trio heads toward Roho’s lair and the novel’s climax, JP and Alex demonstrate The Dynamics of Friendship and Loyalty by telling Nic that they are “in this together.” Alex’s insistence that they face the danger together shows growth because he used to feel disdain for Unremarkables like JP and jealousy of his sister.

“I hold my hand out for Alex’s. He stares at it and takes a deep breath. ‘Okay. I trust you.’ It’s not ‘I love you,’ but it feels close to it.”

Thomas uses the booby traps guarding Roho’s lair to advance the children’s characterization. For example, the trust that the twins have cultivated throughout the novel develops the theme of Loyalty and empowers the usually fearful Alex to take a leap of faith into a seemingly bottomless pit.

“I move toward them, and they put their hands up, signaling me to stay away, as if they’re repulsed at the very thought of touching me. My parents wouldn’t do that. ‘This is an illusion.’ ‘If only you were an illusion and not our actual daughter,’ Zoe sneers. ‘Why did I waste my time searching for you?’ ‘I shouldn’t have taken you,’ Dad says. ‘Your brother is obviously the better twin.’”

The tunnels that show people their worst thoughts reveal that Nic is still deeply troubled by her inability to use the Gift even though she has made peace with Alex. The repetition of the italicized ‘you’ emphasizes her crushing sense of inferiority. As the story continues, Nic learns to believe in her own strengths.

“‘I am the Msaidizi,’ she says, ‘and I answer to you.’”

In a major plot development, Nic finds the object of her quest. While this represents a significant achievement for the protagonist, the suspense remains high because she must still prove her father’s innocence. Early in the novel, Nic expresses a desire for a dragon, which foreshadows the Msaidizi’s draconic form.

“The Manowari. The Msaidizi is prophesied to answer to the Manowari. But the Msaidizi answers to…It answers to…”

Thomas subverts the usual Chosen One narrative by making her protagonist the Chosen One’s destined foe. The author uses fragments and ellipses to convey the protagonist’s disbelief and horror upon learning that she is the prophesied destroyer; she is so distressed by the revelation that she cannot bear to complete her thoughts and acknowledge the truth. This moment represents the protagonist’s lowest point emotionally and fulfills the foreshadowing about the Manowari.

“‘You are chosen to defeat an evil force that will cause destruction. That’s what the Prophet told me. You’ll one day defeat an evil force. […] For years, my entire life revolved around those words,’ he says. ‘I’ve been called a failure because people thought I couldn’t live up to them. They thought wrong.’”

Because of Ty’s obsession with the Manifestor Prophecy and his desire to prove that he is not “a failure,” he becomes determined to destroy Nic. Ironically, Ty’s narrow focus on the prophecy that claims he will “defeat an evil force” prevents him from realizing that he is acting the way that Roho did. Ty’s emergence as the novel’s main antagonist complicates The Dynamics of Friendship and Loyalty because Nic is his goddaughter and the child of his two closest friends. These connections add to the conflict’s suspense.

“‘You’re the only gift you need,’ I hear Dad say. ‘Everything you need is inside of you.’ I get it now. The power to save myself, it lies within me.”

Nic proves victorious in her climactic battle with Ty because she realizes that she has “the power to save [her]self.” This moment of self-acceptance is especially significant in light of the feelings of doubt and inferiority she struggles with throughout the book.

“‘We thought Tyran hurt…’ Alex’s voice trails off. ‘The prophecy didn’t matter after that.’ ‘Does it matter now?’ ‘You’re still my sister.’ ‘And my best friend,’ says JP. I throw my arms around them. Today I found out the worst news of my life, but I also realized the best: I have more than just a brother and a best friend. In Alex and JP, I have family.”

Nic’s realization that Alex and JP are her “family” brings the novel full circle by fulfilling the wish she made for a bigger family at the start of the book. Alex and JP’s continued loyalty is especially important because the prophecy tore Ty, Zoe, and Calvin apart.

“‘Calvin Blake,’ Evergreen says, in a stiff, official tone, ‘the Council of Elders hereby sentences you to five years of house arrest. You will be confined to the home of your father, Doc Blake. You must also complete five years of volunteer work […].’ ‘That’s all?’ Dad says. ‘All? We can send you to another realm if you’d like!’ Evergreen snips. ‘However, Ms. Zoe DuForte asked the council for some leniency in your sentencing.’”

The announcement of Calvin’s unexpectedly light sentence is a key factor in the happy ending and the culmination of the theme of Justice. Zoe’s request that the Council show Calvin “some leniency” demonstrates mercy and prioritizes her children’s well-being.