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Cody introduces himself to the documentary. This shows that the movie is filmed like a documentary. -
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Cody talks about the old legendary surfer Big Z. He states how Big Z once came to Antarctica where Cody lives. This shows how great Big Z was. Cody got to meet Big Z and he was his idol. This leads in to the opening credits. -
We meet Cody, his mom, and Glen. We learn more about him and his past, as well as where he comes from. We also learn that surfing isn't just important to him, it is his whole life. -
We learn about Reggie Belafonte, the big surf producer who brought Big Z and Tank. We also learn about the annual Big Z surf competition at Pen Gu Island. We see that Reggie sends out Mikey to recruit some of the future surfing stars of the world. -
We know that Cody is from Antarctica from when we met him. Mikey, the surfing recruiter, comes to Antarctica to recruit Cody. -
Cody can't catch a wave from the recruiter, Mikey, who says he has waited his whole life for this. He then chases after Mikey and the whale and eventually makes his way on. -
We meet Chicken Joe on the Whale. Joe and Cody become good friends. Chicken Joe is a minor character, but he also has his own subplot. -
The surfers arrive at the Pen Gu Island. This is the primary setting of the story, and this is where we explore most of the movie. -
Cody meets a lifeguard, Lani whom he says he is in love. Joe pushes Cody to talk to her a lot but he is very nervous. This introduces a subplot of their relationship. -
Cody and joe have a flashback of Big Z's death. He died in a competition with Tank, and there was a big memorial for him. -
Tank is the previous surf champion, and he disrespects the Big Z memorial, which is Cody's idol. Big Z died during a surfing competition. Cody confronts Tank and challenges him to a surf off. -
Cody wipes out when surfing a huge wave against Tank. He gets slammed in the whitewash and even hits a fire urchin. Lani, the lifeguard, runs over and saves him from drowning. During the wipeout, there is a flashback to Shiverpool, where Cody predicts that his first wave is going to be awesome and that people are going to watch it over and over again. He wasn't wrong that people were going to watch, however, they were watching his crazy wipeout. -
Flashback to Shiverpool where Cody and his family talk about his chances of winning the competition. Glen does not believe in Cody at all. While Cody believes that he has a high chance of winning. -
Lani takes Cody to Geek, her uncle so that he can help Cody from his fire urchin sting. We see Geek get mad at the cameramen who are doing the documentary on Cody when they try and film him. When Geek is helping Cody, the documentary flashes to the Fire Urchin that Cody stepped on when he wiped out. Also the documentary flashes towards 3 kids talking about what happens when someone steps on a Fire Urchin. -
Chicken Joe starts his journey trying to find Cody, this is a subplot that we follow throughout the movie. -
Geek agrees to teach Cody to make a wooden surfboard since Cody has only surfed ice boards. During this, Cody finds out the Geek is actually Big Z. Cody freaks out, and he begs Big Z to help him surf. Big Z has not surfed since he lost to Tank when everyone thought that he had died, however, he agrees to help. During this, there are plenty of different flashbacks asking different characters their definitions of a winner. -
Big Z gives Cody surfing lessons and has Cody craft his own board. During this, he surfs with Big Z and Lani joins along. During this, Lani and Cody get closer and Big Z and Cody become good friends. This gives Cody a new perspective on surfing, and he finds a new meaning to surfing. -
Cody goes on an adventure with Lani, this progresses the subplot between the 2 of them. Also, it changed his view on Big Z and surfing, and he let Big Z teach him better. -
Cody finally finds himself and his true love of surfing while shaping his surfboard from coalwood, the best surfboard material in the world. He finds himself realizing that surfing isn't about winning. It is about having fun. In the process, he is able to get Big Z to surf again. Big Z, Lani, and Cody have a great time surfing together.
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Reggie and Mikey set up for the competition, this occurs when Big Z is training with Cody. -
After Lani, Cody, and Big Z have a great time surfing, they end the night with a campfire. During this, Cody proposes that Big Z should come to watch him at the competition. Big Z denies it because of his past. A flashback of Big Z during his wave that "killed" him occurs, and he explains why he stopped surfing and why he can't go back. -
Chicken Joe finds Cody when Cody gets trapped by the natives that Joe had befriended before. With this, they go to the competition as it is about to start. Cody is prepared and ready to go and Chicken Joe has completed his side quest of finding Cody. -
Cody decides to join the competition after being embarrassed and injured by his head-to-head battle against Tank. Cody asks Big Z to watch him at the competition, however, Big Z declines, as he is too embarrassed from his loss against Tank, and he doesn't want people to know that he is still alive. -
The competition commences and Cody is doing great and having fun. As day 1 comes to an end, the finalists are Cody, his best friend Chicken Joe, and Tank. Cody is very happy with this, as he and Joe are having a blast. -
The surfing heats up, Tank is out of the competition, and after he cheats by trying to take out Chicken Joe when he is already out. While Cody is finding a beautiful barrel, he bales out to help Chicken Joe. -
Tank and Cody are forced out of bounds into the boneyard, which is where it is believed that Big Z died. Since they are out of bounds, they are both disqualified, and Joe rides in a wave for the win. During this, Tank hits a rock and gets knocked out, while Cody is dodging and weaving all of the rocks. Then Cody sees Big Z watching him, he grabs onto Big Z (who is on a rock) and they ride into shore together, as Lani saves Tank from drowning. -
Chicken Joe takes the W and he is praised for winning.
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A lot is learned after the competition. Both Big Z and Cody learn that friendship and friends are more important than surfing and competitions. Big Z tells everyone that he is not actually dead and that Cody brought him back to the public. Cody is praised by the others for bringing back Big Z, but he is just happy he has a new friend. -
Cody, Lani, and Big Z surf into the sunset all as newly made friends. Cody has learned that friendship is more important than surfing. Cody learns that he does not need a competition to prove he is the best at surfing, he is finally at peace after this. -
Cody's mom is very proud of Cody, even after learning that he did not win. She is proud that he got second and made plenty of friends. Glen, his brother, was still annoyed with Cody, calling Cody a loser. However, Cody's mom tells Glen to be more like Cody.
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A flashback that Cody has.
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Cody and Joe's flashback
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Big Z's flashback
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Cody's flashback after he wipes out against Tank.
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During Cody's wipeout. Flashback to Cody and his family.
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Includes Reggie/Mikey, The Kids, Lani, and Tank. Tank goes in depth about trophies. Comedy.
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Includes the kids and Tank.
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The kids are asked if winning is more important than friends, they say friends are more important.
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