Littlefoot Must Free Willy 3: The Rescue

Littlefoot Must Free Willy 3: The Rescue is the third chapter in The Land Before Time/Free Willy saga created and developed by Daniel Esposito. It is a sequel to Littlefoot Must Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home. It will appear on StoryFire as a part of a quadruple feature with Littlefoot Must Free Willy, Littlefoot Must Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home, and Littlefoot Must Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove in the future.

Plot

Sixteen year-old Jesse works as an orca-research assistant on a research ship called the Noah alongside his old friend Randolph who promised Glen and Annie to keep him out of trouble while on the job. Aboard just such a ship, the Botany Bay, ten year-old Max Wesley takes his first trip to sea with his father, John, a whaler from a long line of whalers and learns the true unlawful nature of the family business which includes selling whale meat to an underground Japanese market. During his first hunt, Max accidentally falls overboard and comes face to face with Willy. Jesse and Randolph discover a spear on Willy's fin, leading them to suspect he, his pregnant mate Nicky and their pod are being illegally hunted by Botany Bay's whalers who are posing as commercial fishermen. Jesse goes to the Noah's head boss Drake about the threat to the whales, but he refuses to take action until Jesse manages to get proof. When Jesse and Max meet for the first time, Jesse introduces Max to Willy properly after learning of Max's experience and his liking of whales.

Later that night, while Randolph distracts John and the whalers at a bar like Jesse asked, Jesse manages to sneak on board the Botany Bay to steal one of the spears used to shoot the whales and discovers that the whalers are heading back out to go after Willy, Nicky and their pod, using an audio recording of a song which Jesse plays on his harmonica as a lure for Willy. Drake plans to call for help the next day, but knowing it will be too late then, Jesse, Randolph, and their fellow researcher Drew Halpert steal the Noah from her mooring and go after the whalers themselves. An outraged John finds out that his son is not on his side, but it does not stop Max as he jumps into the water, forcing the whalers to pause their pursuit of the whales to perform a "man overboard" rescue for Max, which gave Jesse, Randolph and Drew enough time to catch up.

After the trio unsuccessfully use a flare gun and their boat's P.A. system to try to bluff the whalers into stopping, Jesse rams the Noah into the Botany Bay just as John fires a harpoon, the jolt causing the harpoon to miss Willy and knocking John into the water. Willy tries to kill him, but Jesse and Max convince Willy to spare him. John gets trapped under a net and nearly drowns, and ultimately comes face to face with Willy himself. Willy pushes him to the surface, allowing Jesse and Randolph to rescue him. The Coastal Marine Patrol arrive, having been summoned on the radio by Jesse before he rammed the Botany Bay, and catch the whalers in the act and arrest them. Being saved by Willy causes John to see the errors of his whaling ways and reconciles with Max who forgives him.

Days later, Jesse, Randolph, Drew and Max witness the birth of Willy and Nicky's son. Max suggests naming the newborn calf after Willy, but Jesse decides to name him after Max. After that, Willy, Nicky and Max swim off into the open sea.

Trivia

• The 100 Acre Avatar League, Hyp, Mutt, Nod, Mo, Ash Ketchum, Pikachu, Misty, Togepi, Brock, King Julien, Maurice, Mort, Terk, Tantor, Louis, Aladdin, Jasmine, Abu, Genie, Taran, Princess Eilonwy, Fflewddur Fflam, Gurgi, Baloo, Bagheera, King Louie, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Peter Griffin and his family, Glenn Quagmire, Joe Swanson, Cleveland Brown and his family, Tim the Bear, Bob Belcher, Linda Belcher, Tina Belcher, Gene Belcher, Louise Belcher, Teddy (Bob's Burgers), Roger Rabbit, Jack Skellington, Zero, Bernard and Bianca, Jake, Wilbur the Albatross, The Bowser Family, The Crime Empire, The Psycho Rangers, Team Rocket, Ozzy and Strut, The Horned King, Creeper, Rothbart, Percival C. McLeach, Makunga, Dr. Blowhole, Oogie Boogie, Professor Screweyes, Ratigan, and Fidget will be guest stars in this film.
• The Bowser family, The Crime Empire, the Psycho Rangers, Team Rocket, Ozzy and Strut, The Horned King, Creeper, Rothbart, Percival C. McLeach, Makunga, Dr. Blowhole, Oogie Boogie, Professor Screweyes, Ratigan, and Fidget will work for John Wesley until he redeems himself.