Symbology: Killer Whales (Orca)

In Castaway, with Tom Hanks, directed by Robert Zemeckis, when Chuck (Tom Hanks) is on the raft he made in the middle of the ocean, he sees a whale, and the whale winks at him.  The whale will replace his best friend, "Wilson", who is actually a volleyball.  After a huge storm, Wilson falls from his perch, and despite Chuck's best efforts,  he cannot retrieve him.  Sadness with crying ensues.   The whale is there with his curious speech and his blowhole, the mist from which awakes Chuck on two occasions.  It is as though the whale is actually an alarm clock.  On the second awakening, Chuck sees a large Tanker, which goes on to save him from the hostile ocean.

In Free Willy, with Jason James Richter, directed by Simon Wincer, and with music by Michael Jackson, the Killer Whale, "Willy", is caught and put into captivity.  Once in captivity his dorsal fin goes floppy.  Eventually some kind and caring people steal Willy from the tank he is being held in and truck him to the local marina (they make sure to keep him watered down).  Once Willy is in the marina there is still once obstacle to overcome: He has to jump a barricade of rocks.  And he does so to the music of Michael Jackson.  Once free, his dorsal fin goes back to normal, that is, it stiffens up. 

Although they have not been known to attack and eat humans in the wild, I would still be weary of swimming in their company.  Seeing them approach, you might think they are smiling at you, but that grin is just their natural expression.  Who knows what they're thinking, but it is probably along the lines of, "I wonder if it is edible?"  So all you have to do is thrash a bit or try hitting him on the nose.  Killer whales hate being hit on the nose.