The plot point that Ethan failed his polygraph test for the police academy comes up several times throughout Continueand strongly motivates him to succeed in the film's climax. The story of Continue follows Ethan, an airline security guard who is blackmailed by an unknown man into allowing a dangerous weapon to be smuggled onto a plane. Reviews for Continue have been quite strong, as critics praise the tense power struggle between Ethan and the mysterious Traveler, who he converses with for most of the film.
Taron Egerton plays Ethan, who begins to re-examine his life choices after discovering his girlfriend is pregnant. In addition to Egerton, the cast of Continue includes Jason Bateman, Sofia Carson, Danielle Deadwyler, Theo Rossi and Dean Norris. Discovering 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 Continue, Ethan uses his past mistakes as motivation to take down the Traveler.
About What Ethan Lied About on His Police Academy Polygraph Test and Why
Ethan lied on his polygraph test to protect his father
At the beginning of ContinueIt's clear that Ethan is unhappy with his career after finding out he's going to be a father. His girlfriend, Nora, encourages him to reapply to the police academy, but Ethan hesitates. It is revealed that Ethan failed to get accepted into the police academy. Later in the film, Ethan tells the Traveler that he wasn't accepted into the police academy because he lied on his polygraph test..
During the polygraph test, Ethan lied when asked if he had ever witnessed a crime 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 left him afraid of becoming like his father. Ethan's father also wanted to be a police officer, but he was unable to get into the academy numerous times. After the revelation at the end of Continueit becomes clear that Ethan's father never became a police officer because he also lied on polygraph tests.
The true meaning and importance of the polygraph test
Ethan Was Ashamed of Himself After Lying on Polygraph Test
It's clear from their conversations that Ethan never told Nora the real reason he wasn't accepted into the police academy. Ethan's failed polygraph test was something he was ashamed ofbut he kept this shame to himself. Letting the package pass through airport security without checking would have repercussions for Ethan's entire life. In addition to the guilt he would have felt after the deaths of hundreds of people on the plane, Ethan would never have been able to pass the polygraph test.
Talking about Ethan's failed polygraph test in Continue and finally defeating the Traveler at the end of the film, Egerton said:
Jason has the upper hand throughout the film. I'm like a mouse in a trap through it all, so It felt really good to finally recover and be the kind of winner at the end… It felt good to finally get it 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 Continue allowed him to finally move forward in his life.
Why Ethan Finally Becomes a Cop at the End of Carry-On
The Carry-On Events Proved Ethan Was Ready to Be a Cop
After Ethan saves the day and defeats the Traveler, the film skips 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 go through airport security, Ethan puts his police badge in the trash, confirming that he has finally become a police officer. Before the events of Continue, Ethan was always unsure if he deserved to be a police officer.. However, by the end of the film, he is confident that he is capable of doing the right thing.
After letting go of the guilt he felt over his father's crimes, he probably easily passed a polygraph test and was accepted into the police academy.
Ethan was placed in an extremely difficult position in Continue. He had to risk the lives of his girlfriend and several of his coworkers to stop the Traveler from killing hundreds of people. Ethan's intelligent and decisive actions throughout Continue prove he was ready to be a police officer. After letting go of the guilt he felt over his father's crimes, he probably easily passed a polygraph test and was accepted into the police academy.