In the famous film "Free Willy", what was Willy?

"Free Willy" is a 1993 American family drama film, directed by Simon Wincer, produced by Lauren Shuler Donner and Jennie Lew Tugend, written by Keith A. Walker and Corey Blechman from a story by Walker and distributed by Warner Bros.

The film stars Jason James Richter in his feature film debut, Lori Petty, Jayne Atkinson, August Schellenberg, and Michael Madsen with the eponymous character, Willy, played by Keiko. The story is about an orphaned boy who befriended a captive orca at an ailing amusement park.

Released on July 16, 1993, the film received positive attention from critics and was a commercial success, grossing $153.7 million from a $20 million budget.

Near the coastline of the Pacific Northwest, a pod of killer whales is peacefully swimming. The pod is tracked down by a group of whalers. One of the orcas has a distinguishable set of three spots. The orca gets trapped and sent to the Northwest Adventure Park while his family is unable to help.

Months later in Portland, Oregon, Jesse, a troubled 12-year-old abandoned by his estranged mother six years earlier, spent three days in the streets after fleeing from Cooperton until police catch him and Perry, who escaped, vandalizing the park's observation room where Jesse encountered the orca named Willy. Jesse's social worker Dwight earns him a reprieve by having him clean up the graffiti despite his placement with the Greenwoods remaining intact.