Carry-On ending explained: What does the mysterious Traveller want?

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As a seasoned action movie enthusiast with a soft spot for underdog heroes and nail-biting suspense, I must say that “Carry-On” has definitely made its mark. The plot twists were as unexpected as a sudden snowstorm in Los Angeles, keeping me guessing until the very end. The cast did an admirable job portraying their characters, each one bringing something unique to the table.

Carry-On ending spoilers follow.

If you enjoy Christmas movies that are packed with excitement, then the new Netflix thriller, “Carry-On“, might be exactly what you’re looking for.

The fresh film (not surprisingly, mind you, a new installment in the Carry On movie collection), features Taron Egerton portraying TSA agent Ethan Kopek. On Christmas Eve, he’s coerced into allowing a hazardous parcel onto a crowded airplane under duress.

Throughout much of “Carry-On,” we’re often perplexed as to the intentions of the enigmatic Traveler (played by Jason Bateman), and the reason behind the urgent delivery of a package, which turns out to be a bomb carrying a lethal nerve agent, to a particular flight.

As I reached the climax of Carry-On, the pieces of the puzzle finally fell into place. If you’re like me and still finding it hard to wrap your head around, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with a deep dive into the plot twists, complete with some major spoilers for those who want to join the dots.

What does the Traveller want in Carry-On?

It’s only fair to acknowledge that Ethan takes every possible measure to ensure his suitcase is not scanned unnoticed. Whether he’s attempting to call 911 or alert a coworker, the Traveler has him under constant surveillance due to Theo Rossi (The Watcher) monitoring security cameras.

In a critical situation, with Nora’s life hanging in balance, Ethan had no option but to allow Mateo past the security checkpoints. Yet, he took precautions by adding Mateo’s name to a list for random bag searches, hoping it might hinder the Traveller.

Incorrect. The Traveler sets off the bomb with a 10-minute timer and offers to guide Ethan on how to disarm it, provided he halts the security screening. Remarkably, Ethan accomplishes this task, however, at the cost of his superior Sarkowski’s life, taken by Mateo.

At this moment, Ethan realizes that Mateo shares a similarity with him: they both have connections to the Traveller, as the Traveller had previously kidnapped Mateo’s spouse Jesse, who is now bound in the Watcher’s van parked outside the airport. The Traveller intends to use this connection to compel Mateo into taking a bomb onboard the plane.

Later, Mateo is instructed to eliminate Ethan, but tragically, his actions result in Mateo’s own demise. The toy gun he was using overheated, causing it to malfunction fatally. As a consequence, Ethan abandons the suitcase for the Traveler to retrieve, so that Ethan can instead safeguard Nora.

To wrap up unresolved matters, the Traveler instructs the Watcher to eliminate Nora. Unfortunately for Ethan, he encounters Detective Elena Cole (Danielle Deadwyler) before reaching his destination. She suspects that a toxic substance is at the airport and believes Ethan is orchestrating everything, although she’s unaware of the motives behind it.

Ethan shares information about The Traveller and a bomb, disclosing his flight plan to New York. This triggers Elena to secure the terminal for departing flights to New York. In the meantime, Ethan manages to escape and rushes to save Nora. At what seemed like the last possible moment, Jesse grabs the Watcher’s sniper rifle and uses it to eliminate the threat, thereby saving both Ethan and Nora.

Later on, Jesse informs Ethan that it was Mateo who received two boarding passes, but Ethan mistakenly picked up the incorrect one. The intended destination for the traveler was Washington D.C., not the terminal they currently have secured.

That flight is chosen because Congresswoman Grace Turner is aboard it. She’s pushing for a bill in Congress aimed at funding the “defense of democracies” globally, yet in truth, it appears to predominantly benefit private contractors.

If the bill currently lacks sufficient backing, it could gain momentum swiftly under the following hypothetical scenario: If a Congresswoman and many others perished due to a Russian nerve agent, there would likely be an outpouring of support for the bill from Congress, resulting in a surge of funding akin to turning on a “firehose”.

In her own words, Elena expresses that the situation is designed to favor private contractors excessively, giving them more than they could have ever imagined.

Luckily, Ethan has a plan.

Carry-On ending explained

Prior to the Traveler acquiring the suitcase, Ethan devised a cunning plan to exchange it with one that would be just slightly oversized for hand-carry luggage. He made a record of the tag for the checked baggage to keep tabs on it.

(Essentially, you’re curious to know why Ethan didn’t simply move the bomb into another case instead of transferring it. It appears that he realized the Traveller was monitoring the bomb, so would have noticed if the bomb wasn’t in the original case.)

As a devoted fan, when I find myself boarding the flight once meant for Mateo but now left unattended, I struggle to stow my luggage in the overhead compartment due to its bulky size, forcing it to be sent below deck to the cargo hold. Upon scanning the tag, Ethan and Nora catch sight of which flight I am aiming for.

In simpler terms, Nora convinces Elena that it’s safer to let the plane take off because Ethan can defuse the bomb. If the plane stays on the ground, the Traveller might realize his plan has been discovered and trigger the bomb instead, causing more harm.

Before takeoff, Ethan slips into the cargo compartment, locates the suitcase, and attempts to defuse a bomb. However, he fails to consider that the disarming process would switch the bomb to manual mode. This alerts the Traveler via his phone. The Traveler encounters Ethan in an attempt to halt him from further tampering with the bomb, eventually shooting Ethan’s leg to prevent any further action.

Unbeknownst to the Traveler, Ethan has secretly taken out the nerve agent container from the suitcase. Later, when the Traveler tries to retrieve the suitcase, Ethan forces him into the vacuum-sealed refrigerator in the cargo hold and shatters the container inside along with him. This tragic event results in a terrifying demise for the Traveler.

Everything turned out fine in the end, and a year later, Ethan and Nora embark on a long-awaited trip to Tahiti with their baby. Additionally, Ethan achieved his lifelong ambition of joining the LAPD, likely due to the fact that airport security was becoming too taxing for him.

Merry Christmas.

Carry-On is now available to watch on Netflix.

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2024-12-13 15:50