The plot point that Ethan failed his polygraph test for the police academy comes up several times throughout Carry-On, and heavily motivates him to succeed in the film’s climax. The story of Carry-On follows Ethan, an airline security guard who is blackmailed by an unknown man into allowing a dangerous weapon to be smuggled onto an airplane. Reviews for Carry-On have been quite strong, as critics have been praising the tense power struggle between Ethan and the mysterious Traveler, whom he talks to throughout most of the movie.

Taron Egerton plays Ethan, who begins to reexamine his life choices after finding out his girlfriend is pregnant. In addition to Egerton, the cast of Carry-On includes Jason Bateman, Sofia Carson, Danielle Deadwyler, Theo Rossi, and Dean Norris. Finding out about the pregnancy motivates Ethan to ask for a promotion, but he is immediately forced to deal with the Traveler’s threats as he tries to prove himself to his boss. However, by the end of Carry-On, Ethan uses his past mistakes as motivation to take the Traveler down.

What Ethan Lied About On The Police Academy’s Polygraph Test & Why

Ethan Lied On The Polygraph Test To Protect His Father

At the beginning of Carry-On, it is clear that Ethan is unhappy with his career path after finding out he’s going to be a father. His girlfriend, Nora, encourages him to apply to the police academy again, but Ethan is hesitant. It is revealed that Ethan failed to get accepted to the police academy. Later in the movie, Ethan tells the Traveler that he didn’t get accepted into the police academy because he lied on the polygraph test.

During the polygraph test, Ethan lied when he was asked whether he had ever witnessed a crime that he didn’t report. He lied to protect his father, who he knew had stolen money. His decision to lie on the polygraph test has haunted Ethan ever since, and has made him terrified of becoming just like his father. Ethan’s father also wanted to be a police officer, but failed to get into the academy countless times. After the reveal at the end of Carry-On, it is clear that Ethan’s father never became a police officer because he too lied on the polygraph tests.

The Real Meaning & Importance Of The Polygraph Test

Ethan Was Ashamed Of Himself After Lying On The Polygraph Test

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It is clear through their conversations that Ethan never told Nora the real reason why he didn’t get accepted into the police academy. Ethan’s failed polygraph test was something he was ashamed of, but he kept this shame to himself. Letting the package get through security at the airport unchecked would have had lifelong repercussions for Ethan. In addition to the guilt he would have felt after hundreds of people on the airplane died, Ethan never would have been able to pass the polygraph test.

Talking about Ethan’s failed polygraph test in Carry-On and finally defeating the Traveler at the end of the movie, Egerton said:

Jason has the upper hand for the entire movie. I’m like a rat in a trap for the whole thing, so it did feel quite good to finally get my own back and be the kind of winner at the end… it felt good to finally shove him in that fridge.

Therefore, by defeating the Traveler and proving to himself that he was capable of doing the right thing and saving the day, Ethan freed himself from the shame he previously felt. Ethan’s moment of catharsis and victory at the end of Carry-On allowed him to finally move forward in his life.

Why Ethan Finally Becomes A Cop In Carry-On’s Ending

The Events Of Carry-On Proved That Ethan Was Ready To Be A Police Officer

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After Ethan saves the day and defeats the Traveler, the movie cuts to a year later. Instead of working on Christmas Eve, Ethan, Nora, and their baby are finally traveling to Tahiti for the holidays. As they are going through airport security, Ethan places his police badge in the bin, confirming that he has finally become a police officer. Before the events of Carry-On, Ethan was always unsure whether he deserved to be a cop. However, by the end of the movie, he is confident that he is capable of doing the right thing.

Once he let go of the guilt he felt over his father’s crimes, he likely easily passed the polygraph test and was accepted into the police academy.

Ethan was put in an extremely difficult position in Carry-On. He had to risk the life of his girlfriend and several of his coworkers to stop the Traveler from killing hundreds of people. Ethan’s smart and decisive actions throughout Carry-On prove that he was ready to be a police officer. Once he let go of the guilt he felt over his father’s crimes, he likely easily passed the polygraph test and was accepted into the police academy.