On the
Pacific Northwest coastline, a
pod of
orcas is tracked down by
whalers. An adolescent male orca is captured and separated from his family and sold to the Northwest Adventure Park. Months later, Jesse, an orphan abandoned by his estranged mother six years ago, has fled from Cooperton with his fellow orphans and spends three days roaming
Portland, begging for money and stealing food. To evade police in pursuit later that night, he and his friend Perry break into the adventure park's observation area, unaware that they triggered an alarm. While painting
graffiti on the walls and its water tank, Jesse comes face to face with the orca before getting caught by the police. Jesse's social worker Dwight informs him that his new foster parents, Glen and Annie Greenwood, would be happy to take him in. Jesse, who hopes to be reunited with his mother, begrudgingly goes to live with them in
Astoria. To avoid being sent to juvenile hall if he flees again, Jesse is allowed to make up for his vandalism by cleaning and repainting the observation area. He forms a bond with the orca, named Willy, when he takes a liking to Jesse's
harmonica playing. With probation ending, and his job almost up, Jesse sneaks out of the house to visit Willy and falls in the tank. He nearly drowns but Willy saves and brings him to the surface. Randolph and Rae, Willy's respective caretaker and trainer/veterinarian, notice that Jesse is the only human that the normally ill-tempered Willy responds to, and eventually, Jesse is offered a summer job. He also starts to warm up to the Greenwoods. Park owner Dial sees Jesse and Willy's talent in hopes of finally making money from the orca, who has thus far been a costly venture for him. On opening day, however, he refuses to perform due to being antagonized by children in the observation area. Jesse, unable to get him to do tricks while dealing with pressure from spectators except the Greenwoods and Dwight, tearfully storms off. Willy cracks the tank with his stress-induced rage, having had enough of the children's constant banging. Jesse plans to find his mother despite Dwight affirming that she does not want him. He sneaks out to stop by the tank to say goodbye to Willy. Before leaving, something responds to Willy's calling again. Jesse follows the responses and realizes Willy is communicating with his pod. The discovery is interrupted when park manager Wade and some colleagues sneak into the observation area to deliberately damage the spot where Willy smashed the tank so that the water will leak out. Randolph explains to Jesse that Dial plans to kill Willy and collect the $1 million in insurance money that he is worth. Jesse hatches a plan to return him to the ocean, with Randolph and Rae joining in. They use a forklift to transport Willy from tank to Glen's pickup truck, which Jesse and Randolph stole prior. Dial launches a search when he is informed by Wade about Willy. When the truck gets stuck in the mud on Old Forest Road, Jesse uses the truck's
CB radio to call Glen and Annie for help. Both of them arrive and Glen is reluctant to assist but relents when Jesse pleads with him. After a brief stop at a car wash to hydrate Willy more, Glen drives the truck to Dawson's Marina, where Dial, Wade, and their men have assembled at the gates to halt them. Glen's truck smashes through the gate and backs Willy into the water. After a struggle with Dial's men and Wade, Willy manages to swim away, but two of Dial's whaling ships seal off the marina. Jesse runs toward the
breakwater and encourages Willy to follow him and jump over. On the breakwater, Jesse recites a Haida prayer Randolph had taught him through the story of
Natsilane, before giving Willy the signal to jump. Willy makes the jump over and lands in the ocean on the other side, free to return to his pod, while a dismayed Dial and Wade can only watch. Jesse thanks and hugs Glen and Annie as Willy calls out to him in the distance. == Cast ==