The Constantine season 1 finale sure had its fair share of revelations, but there was one that stood out against the rest.
Be sure to watch the season 1 finale of Constantine before you delve into this article because there are spoilers ahead.
Manny has always been, and will probably continue to be, the most enigmatic and frustrating character on Constantine. He shows up whether he’s wanted or not, and he often leaves John on his own, forcing him to go to some extreme measures to get out of trouble.
Is it just us, or does Manny seem confused about his true purpose here on Earth? Ever since Manny started to break some rules, he’s been a little more helpful, a little more forthcoming, and a little more brazen. But is this a good thing?
Probably not.
At the end of Constantine season 1, we found out that Manny is the one controlling the Brujería. If your head is spinning, we don’t blame you. But isn’t Manny an angel? Isn’t he a good guy? As far as we can tell, yes, he is. While his logic may be counter-intuitive, it doesn’t mean it’s not still sound.
To break down Manny’s motivations, we have to look both inside and outside of the show to find some answers. Inside the show, Manny has always been John’s champion. Sure, he might not always agree with Constantine’s methods, but Manny is aware of John’s ability to send demons back to their domain.
He seems enthralled by humanity (especially after that quickie in the hospital with his new doctor friend!), and he wants them to fight against the evil rising all around them. But why in the world would he back up John while simultaneously being the one to control the Brujería?
In the comics, the Brujería want to destroy Heaven, and therefore Manny’s own kind. Doesn’t it seem kind of silly to team up with the guys hellbent on killing you?
Outside of the show, and aside from the comics, we have one other possible source of information — the movie Constantine, starring Keanu Reeves. Love it or hate it, this movie is a prior adaptation of the same work. The plot revolves around an angel, Gabriel, who wants to bring Lucifer’s son to Earth, in order to find out which human beings survive, thus proving their worth and loyalty to God.
Like we said, counter-intuitive, and yet kind of solid reasoning.
While we don’t think the creators of NBC’s Constantine would copy the plot of the movie, we do have to wonder if Manny’s motivations aren’t as straightforward (and evil) as they appear to be. After all, he did place a bounty on John’s head only to remove it again.
Perhaps Manny is merely testing John. When we first met Manny, he did tell our favorite petty dabbler that there was hope for his soul yet. If Constantine can beat the Brujería, maybe he can take on an even bigger foe. The biggest and baddest enemy of John Constantine has always been Lucifer himself, so it would make sense that Manny prepare John to face the Devil by sending all of his demons after him.
After all, in the finale episode we got a hint of a possible future plot line that involves John contracting lung cancer, causing him to finally come face-to-face with his own damnation. If Manny knows this is about to happen, could he just be preparing him for the inevitable, or even trying to save his soul? The bigger question may be if he’s acting on his own, or if someone else is calling the shots.