Whalers patrol the Pacific Northwest coast in search of a pod of orc-as. After being taken from his family, one of the orc-as is sold to the Northwest Adventure Park. A few months later, in Portland, Jesse, an orphan who was left behind by his mother six years ago, fled Cooperton with other orphans and spent three days stealing food and begging for money on the streets. Later that evening, he and Perry break into the adventure park's observation area to avoid pursuing police. Before being apprehended by the authorities, Jesse encounters the or ca while writing graffiti on the walls and its water tank. Dwight tells him that Glen and Annie Greenwood, his new foster parents, would be delighted to adopt him. Reluctantly moving to Astoria to live with them, Jesse longs to be with his mother again. Jesse is permitted to clean and repaint the observation area to make up for his vandalism in order to avoid being sent to juvenile hall if he runs away again. He develops a relationship with the or ca, Willy, after he enjoys Jesse's harmonica playing. Jesse slips out of the house to visit Willy as his probation is coming to an end and his job is about to expire, and he ends up in the tank. Willy saves him and pulls him to the surface just in time to prevent him from drowning. After noticing that Jesse is the only human that Willy, who is typically ill-tempered, responds to, Randolph Johnson, Willy's Haida caregiver, and Rae Lindley, his trainer/veterinarian, offer Jesse a summer job. Additionally, he begins to get to know the Greenwoods. Dial, the park owner, recognizes Jesse and Willy's talent and hopes to finally profit from the or ca, which has been an expensive endeavor for him up to this point. But because he feels agitated, he declines to perform on opening day. Despite the pressure from onlookers, Jesse is unable to get him to perform tricks, so he storms off with tears in his eyes and makes plans to find his mother. Willy has had enough of the kids' incessant banging and lets loose with his stress-induced rage. Sneaking out to say goodbye to Willy, Jesse stops by the tank. Willy's calling is answered once more before he leaves. Following the replies, Jesse discovers that Willy is speaking to his pod. When park manager Wade and a few coworkers enter the observation area covertly and purposefully damage the location where Willy broke the tank so that the water will leak out, the discovery is halted. Jesse is informed by Randolph that Dial intends to murder Willy in order to obtain the million-dollar insurance. Randolph and Rae join Jesse in his scheme to get him back into the ocean. Using a forklift, they move Willy from the tank to Glen's pickup truck, which Jesse and Randolph took. When Wade tells Dial about Willy, he starts looking. Jesse calls Glen and Annie for assistance using the truck's CB radio after it becomes stuck in the mud. They both show up, and although Glen is hesitant to help, he gives in after Jesse begs him. Glen takes the truck to Dawson's Marina, where Dial, Wade, and their men have gathered at the gates to stop them, after making a quick stop at a car wash to get Willy even wetter. Willy is backed into the water when Glen's truck crashes through the gate. Two of Dial's whaling ships close off the marina, but Willy swims away after a battle with Dial's men and Wade. Willy is urged to follow Jesse as he dashes toward the breakwater and leaps over. Jesse signals Willy to jump on the breakwater after reciting a Haida prayer that Randolph had taught him through the Natsilane story. While Wade and Dial look on in dismay, Willy jumps over and lands in the ocean on the other side, free to go back to his pod. As Willy calls out to him in the distance, Jesse thanks Glen and Annie and gives them hugs.
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