Episode 2 of Season 4 of "Upload" kicks off with Ingrid and Nathan 2.0 embarking on jobs to finance their honeymoon. Amidst the Angel layoffs, Ingrid finds herself employed as an untrained therapist — but with a twist: she's represented as a chinchilla in the virtual realm. Meanwhile, Luke and Nathan are toiling away at Workload, a virtual staffing agency, where their current assignment entails monitoring automated supermarkets for shoplifters.
Over at Horizen, JB unveils a startling revelation: the human workforce is soon to be supplanted by Workload's labor force, comprising AIs and uploads striving to afford Lakeview subscriptions. In collaboration with Betta, they're launching a groundbreaking cloud service for living humans, enabling brain scans to be uploaded and stored. Assuring everyone that the previous season's beheading glitch has been rectified with volunteer assistance, he confidently declares it safe. However, the narrative cuts to an ominous scene where Horizen deceives unsuspecting human staff, like Tinsley, into testing the cloud, only to suffer the same beheading fate.
Ivan has taken on a new avatar as a hobby influencer, with his latest endeavor being culinary adventures. Desperate for assistance, he beseeches Aleesha, who reluctantly agrees. Their cooking session is abruptly interrupted by Nora, who insists with conviction that Nathan 1.0 is alive and concealed within Lakeview. Skeptical, Aleesha nonetheless agrees to smuggle Nora in to search for him.
Elsewhere, the Bellboy AI, still reeling from catching Ingrid's bouquet at the wedding, is proposing to anyone who crosses his path. Aleesha cautions him against harassing uploads, but to everyone's astonishment, he splits into two, ejecting a Bell Girl AI. The two instantly form a bond, making passionate love scenes wherever they go. Luke and Aleesha are taken aback by this sudden romance, with Luke's sarcasm tinkling through as he wonders if AIs impart meaning to their kisses. Aleesha attempts to elucidate, but her thoughts are cut short by a call from Baba Tunde of OMI. He tasks her with intercepting a package from Horizen.
Luke, reluctantly coerced into attending therapy, finds himself saddled with Ingrid's snarky chinchilla, an unhelpful companion if ever there was one. The pet's travel crate bears an address pointing to Horizen's longevity spa, nestled in the heart of NYC. Tunde, fueled by suspicions of clandestine human experiments, tasks Aleesha with infiltrating the establishment as an undercover agent. Despite her misgivings, rooted in concern for Ivan's safety, Tunde remains unyielding in his resolve.
Elsewhere, Nora's quest for Nathan 1.0 in Lakeview proves futile, as he remains captive at the mercy of two doctors who grill him relentlessly, refusing to grant him freedom until he divulges the desired information. Seeking respite in the real world, Nora encounters Nathan's spectral apparition once more. He confesses to being imprisoned within a stark white room adorned with colossal screens, his last vivid memory a haunting encounter with executives who forced him to engage in a debate—a life-or-death contest against Nathan 2.0 to determine which version deserved existence.
Nora's fury knows no bounds upon learning that Nathan 2.0 has been evading her. He hesitates to relive the memory for her, burdened by guilt, urging her to let go and move forward. Yet, Nora is unwavering in her determination.
In a parallel scene, romance blossoms—or rather, withers—in the lobby as Bellboy AI pops the question to Bell Girl AI, only to have his heart shattered as she dumps him for Bartender AI, branding him as dull and unexciting. Lucy watches the drama unfold with amusement, while Luke's heart aches sympathetically for the rejected Bellboy AI.
Nora compels Nathan 2.0 to unveil his stored memories of Nathan 1.0. In a moment of unity, they vow to confront any challenge together, just as the Horizen executives make their entrance. The executives barrage them with inquisitive questions, yet the Nathans remain steadfast, unyielding under pressure. Frustrated, the executives issue an ultimatum – survival for only one. Nathan 2.0 remains defiant, refusing to comply. Conversely, Nathan 1.0 speaks up, imploring them to spare Nathan 2.0. Nathan 2.0 is taken aback as the Horizen technology seemingly terminates Nathan 1.0's existence.
Upon the conclusion of the memory, Nathan 2.0 collapses in despair, wishing he had been the one to make the ultimate sacrifice. Nora, filled with remorse, offers her comfort. He eventually embraces the belief that Nathan 1.0 still lives, but before they can devise a strategy, Horizen ejects Nora from their presence. Stunned, she witnesses Tinsley's uploaded consciousness functioning within the Horizen elevator, hinting that the cloud indeed functions, albeit with dire consequences in the physical realm.
Inside the elevator, the Bellboy AI weeps, drawing the attention of Aleesha and Luke, who join him in commiseration. They share drinks, offering solace to the distraught AI. Luke refrains from his usual barbs towards Aleesha, cherishing the shared moment instead. A somber Aleesha remarks that desires do not always materialize, reflecting her melancholy.
As the honeymoon draws near, Ingrid vents her frustrations, acknowledging her shortcomings as a therapist and noting Nathan 2.0's emotional turmoil following the reliving of Nathan 1.0's sacrifice. She postpones their honeymoon, opting instead for a comforting embrace that Nathan 2.0 deeply appreciates.
Meanwhile, in the real world, Ivan is disheartened by the absence of Nora and Ingrid's support in his hobby-related task. However, his spirits lift momentarily when Aleesha arrives, fresh from her visit to an NYC spa.
At the conclusion of Upload Season 4 Episode 2, Aleesha, Ivan, and Nora meticulously scrutinize the footage of Nathan 1.0's apparent demise, realizing it was a fabrication. He had not perished. Aleesha hypothesizes that Nathan 1.0 is being held at the spa, subjected to experimentation.
