Mike Maquinna returns to his hometown of Gold River on Vancouver Island to attend the funeral of his father, Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations chief Ambrose Maquinna. With a troubled past that includes alcoholism, Mike has no intention of staying to claim his rightful place as Chief, but he does intend to return to his current life as a lumberjack in Bella Coola. Meanwhile, a lone Orca whale, nicknamed Luna by Western media, has been spotted in the area, the whale unusually socializing with boats and humans. Luna, suspected of being a missing pod minor who now lives south of the area in Puget Sound, becomes a public sensation, both as a show and as a human interest story. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) administration, led by Ted Jeffries, plans to reunite Luna with her pod, which means capturing the young Orca. This DFO move doesn't sit well with Mike and the gang, who see Ambrose's spirit inhabiting Luna. They feel that it is better for Luna to decide where she chooses...