Unplugged

Set in the city of Circadia in 2045, Unplugged imagines a future where neural connectivity has replaced traditional screens and interfaces. Society is more “linked” than ever—through thought, emotion, and instant access to one another. But beneath this seamless integration lies a growing tension between innovation and control. With a tone that blends the urgency of Black Mirror with the emotional weight of The Social Network, Unplugged explores the cost of connection in a world that’s forgotten how to be human. Synopsis In the hyper-connected city of Circadia in 2045, neural interfaces have replaced screens, and the world runs on instant thought-sharing. Riley Quinn, a brilliant young developer, creates VitalLink, a neural app designed to foster empathy and human connection. Haunted by the mysterious death of her mother, a renowned tech visionary, Riley believes VitalLink can fulfill the dream they once shared—using technology to bring people closer. When LUMINEX, a powerful tech conglomerate with a dark past, offers to acquire her app, Riley hesitates. The same company may have been involved in her mother’s downfall, and their polished promises mask something sinister. Soon after the meeting, Riley is contacted by a rogue hacker named Cipher, who sends her files revealing that LUMINEX is not only repurposing her code but has embedded a failsafe—a neural override that could strip humanity of free will. As Riley digs deeper, she discovers the Cerebralink files—remnants of her mother’s work that were never meant to surface. The code confirms her worst fear: VitalLink has become the key to a global mind-control program. With the help of Cipher and an underground resistance group known as The Disconnected, Riley uncovers the full extent of LUMINEX’s plan. Billions could soon fall under corporate control, with no memory of ever being free. To stop the takeover, Riley must make the ultimate sacrifice: destroy the very technology she built. Infiltrating LUMINEX’s neural network, she initiates a self-destruction protocol, wiping the failsafe—and her app—from existence. But saving the world means letting go of the dream that defined her. In the end, Unplugged is a cautionary tale about power, grief, and the price of connection. As society reawakens into disconnection, Riley walks away from the ruins of her invention—free, uncertain, but finally in control of her own mind.