All living creatures everywhere are pretty much assholes. We all deserve each other.

I always liked the phrase "noble creatures"
It's just weird to me.

This is a giant 20 ton sentient killing machine. Emotionally it's somewhere between resigned and resentful slave and a grumpy violent loner who hates their daily job and everyone they work with.

If they're not gonna let it go they should at least toss a live seal or a couple terrified penguins in there every few days so Shamus can kill a motherfucker like the poor creature was meant too.

If the whale doesn't hate this kind of thing then you could open up a Seaworld on the ocean and hire wild orcas to show up and dance like jackasses for a few hours in exchange for fish.