Upload Season 3 Ending Explained: Which Nathan Destroyed at End Copycat or Downloaded One?
Upload Season 3’s last episodes were released on Prime Video on Friday 10 November, entitled Upload Day and Flesh and Blood respectively, or the season finale of Upload Season 3, the TV series that talks about a near future in which it is possible to download one’s soul in a digital “paradise”. And, as we discovered, even reload it into a body cloned back into reality. To clarify the conclusion of this season, and why not also for the consumption of those who will need a refresher when the next one comes out, here is our explanation/summary of the ending of Upload Season 3.
In the realm of compelling television, Upload has emerged as a frontrunner, captivating audiences with its innovative premise and gripping narrative. As avid viewers await the highly anticipated Season 3, speculation and curiosity about the ending are at an all-time high. In this comprehensive exploration, we dissect the intricacies of the Upload Season 3 ending, offering insights and interpretations that go beyond the surface. Our journey begins with a meticulous analysis of the character arcs that unfold in the concluding moments of Season 3. From the protagonist’s transformative journey to the supporting cast’s evolution, every narrative thread is woven into a tapestry of emotional resonance. We delve into the choices made by the characters, shedding light on the motivations that drive their actions.
Upload Season 3: The Story Plot
It’s been a month since Nathan downloaded into the cloned body Ingrid had made for him; so, based on what happened to the other downloads, it’s only a matter of hours before Nathan’s head explodes. To avoid losing this version of Nathan forever (the other, which is missing pieces of recent memory, is still in Lakeview), he and Nora have created a (fairly empty, Chandler & Joey armchair aside) personal Upload where Nathan will recharge, basically to wait out Nora’s death so she can join him. But when they are about to proceed, Nathan convinces Nora to wait one more day, to celebrate Upload Day together. Meanwhile at Lakeview Ingrid is jealous of Nathan-copia and the time she spent with Nora probing Choak’s memory, while she was instead with Nathan-download. Ingrid tells her Nathan that she almost kissed Nathan, but then she holds back; when Nathan-copy says that the same thing happened to him with Nora, Ingrid has an attack of jealousy. Understandable, given that as she points out “I was also about to betray you, but with yourself”.
Upload Season 3 Ending Explained: Ingrid Dresses up as Nora to Hit on Copycat Nathan?
Ingrid then goes to Tinsley and gets access to Nora’s account, to take on her appearance and try to win over her Nathan, but he (perhaps understanding the exchange) reiterates his loyalty to Ingrid. She doesn’t even have time to move away from her before she is called by some engineers who mistake her for the real Nora and ask her for help fixing some bugs; Ingrid-Nora doesn’t succeed, but she teaches her chauvinistic colleagues a good lesson and understands that Nora’s life is not so rosy.
Luke Notices Karina’s Dark Side?
Speaking of romantic relationships, Aleesha has more and more doubts about Karina, so she asks Luke for help. He then organizes a meeting between the three of them, to chat and have a drink. When she turns a bottle of cheap vodka into a bottle of champagne Karina is impressed and gets told a few other tricks invented by the ex-military man. At the end of the meeting, a pleased Luke reassures his friend Aleesha about the goodness of his partner, but the favorable impression does not last long: the time to return to his room and realize that they have taken away the view of the lake that he had confessed to having downloaded with a trick. Luke realizes that Karina isn’t at all… nice, let’s say.
Nora is Held in the Office and Nathan Cannot Testify?
Nathan and Nora have planned their last day together before he Uploads, but she is urgently summoned to the office of Holden, Nathan’s ex with whom they are working on a class action lawsuit against Freeyond and his dark riches owners, who remind us of the secret meetings of the Republicans in the Simpsons with Burns, Krusty, the Texan who shoots, etc. Nathan accompanies his partner to the office, but for Nora the issue becomes long, and the lovebirds’ day is in jeopardy. The major procedural problem, however, is that Choak’s memory cannot be used as evidence when he talks to Ingrid’s father about the idea of passing a law that authorizes Upload work and thus kills the workers and saves 500 billion dollars.
It cannot be used because, legally, the Uploads and their memories belong to the companies that own the digital paradises. And for the same reason, Nathan won’t be able to testify either. But Holden has an ace up his sleeve: Doctor Kapoor is about to arrive in the studio, the one who had made the Uploads and who had given Nathan some tablets for stomach pain, passing them off as a remedy to delay the explosion of his brain. He had done it under threat from Horizen, who did not want it known that the downloads were safe because he would have caused the various Uploads to fail. But now Kapoor is ready to testify.
Dr. Kapoor is Killed Before Testifying?
However, as he is about to enter the building, Kappoor is the victim of an attack carried out by exploding a food delivery robot. The doctor is dead, but at least Nathan and Nora now know that the downloads are safe and that the nosebleeds were not a symptom of an impending skull explosion.
Which Nathan Destroyed at End Copycat or Downloaded One?
And here we are at the last episode of the third season. This opens by showing us a moment in the trial in which Lucy, Nora and Aleesha’s boss at Horizen, has to justify her proposal to advertise the Upload to children too. On his way out of the courthouse, Nathan talks to Nora about how much he feels dependent on her for everything. Nathan would like to have her job and would like to take Nora to Montreal on a trip and propose to her, as he reveals to Luke, who he asks to be his best man at the wedding. Meanwhile, Aleesha is at home with Karina watching the trial on TV, and her partner’s cynicism makes her understand that she can no longer put it off, she must act and react, perhaps trying not to get fired or killed. So, she, along with Luke, comes up with a plan.
Ingrid Has to Testify Against Her Father?
When Nathan returns to the studio after a walk, he goes to talk to Nora and Holden about the case and how the only option to win the trial is to use Ingrid’s testimony against his father. And so, Nathan and Nora invite her to dinner to convince her. At the restaurant, while they wait for Ingrid, Nathan-download receives a call from Nathan-copy, who begs them to hurry because he has planned a special evening to ask Ingrid to marry him, thus ruining Nathan-real’s surprise a little, even if Nora doesn’t suspect anything. Ingrid arrives and the two try to convince her, but she refuses. So, Nora asks to speak alone with Ingrid for a moment and explains to her that thanks to her they will be able to show the world the true face of those companies and also safeguard the rights of both their beloved Nathans. Ingrid accepts, she returns from her beloved Upload of her proposing to her in a very romantic way, but she panics, refuses, and leaves.
Aleesha and Luke’s Plan Against Karina?
Aleesha, at home, pretends to be sick and asks Karina to stay with her. Aleesha and Luke’s plan then comes into play, which begins with him setting up the so-called “two jigs” in Lakeview, causing panic and forcing Tinsley to ask Karina for help. Meanwhile, Aleesha manages to steal, through a mirror, Karina’s login details, that she has to go to the office but promises her that she will visit her in a Lakeview suite during work breaks. And so Aleesha pretends to stay at home but goes to the office and, while Tinsley first and Luke then keep Karina busy, she enters her girlfriend’s PC and takes possession of a series of compromising files, which she promptly passes on to Nora so that she can use them in the process, specifying that they belong to Karina to at least provoke her dismissal. Once the plan is successful, Aleesha gives Luke a kiss and leaves, but he is struck by that gesture.
Ingrid Testifies but Reveals the Existence of Two Nathans?
In preparation for the trial, Ingrid tells Nora that she rejected Nathan’s marriage proposal because, deep down, she thinks that if someone loves her it means there’s something wrong with her. Nora consoles her by telling her about her problems, including Nathan’s obsession with Montreal. At the trial, Ingrid confirms her father’s involvement in Nathan’s murder and in Horizen’s very shady plan to convince potentially unfavorable voters to load onto Freeyond and then fake an attack. But in her fervent defense of Upload rights, Ingrid lets it slip that there is also another Nathan download. This triggers controls at Horizen, which decides to get rid of all downloaded copies. He convinces Ingrid to accept Nathan’s proposal.
Horizen Loses the Case but Not Face?
Meanwhile, Karina’s files downloaded by Aleesha arrive at the trial. The prosecution lawyers ask to evaluate the new evidence, and in practice shortly after they agree to compensate the families of the people Uploaded on Freyond with one million dollars each. However, this plea agreement will not change anything in Upload and download rights, and all evidence of the conspiracy will be classified. Not exactly what Nora and Nathan expected, and the matter is also going badly for Aleesha, who now fears being fired by Karina, who immediately summons her to her office. At this point the series shows another of those increasingly frequent moments of denunciation against the large corporations that govern the world, showing us a video in which Horizen changes its name to Betta (a bit like Facebook and Meta) to clean up its image and announce new rules, including the ability for Uploaders to work even when dead to pay for their stay in Lakeview.
The Nathans are Captured and one is Destroyed: But Who?
The most obvious consequence, however, happens to Nathan-download, who is soon stopped by Horizen agents and taken away before Nora’s eyes. More or less the same thing happens, in the digital afterlife, to Nathan-copy. Sometime later, Ingrid and Nora find themselves at Nathan’s or Nathan’s mother, and receive a call from Nathan who says that the other has been killed: but who’s talking? Before he can make it clear, Upload Season 3 ends, leaving us with a textbook cliffhanger ahead of season 4.
What Does It All Mean?
The season 3 finale of Upload leaves us with many questions about the future of Nathan, Nora, and the other Uploads in Lakeview. It is clear that Horizen is a powerful and dangerous company, and they are determined to maintain their control over the Upload industry. However, Nathan and Nora have shown that they are not afraid to stand up to Horizen, and they will likely continue to fight for the rights of Uploads in the future. It will be interesting to see how the show addresses the cliffhanger ending in a potential season 4. Will Nathan and Nora be able to escape from Horizen? Will the two Nathans be able to coexist? And will the laws governing Uploads finally change? Only time will tell.
