Norm, the polar bear and heir to the Arctic throne, finds himself on an unexpected journey. As the son of the king, he inherits a unique gift—the ability to communicate with humans—much like his grandfather. Unfortunately, this remarkable trait makes him an outcast among his peers, leaving him reliant on the friendship of Socrates, a sagacious bird, and Elizabeth, a lovely female polar bear who captures his heart.
After years of isolation, Norm’s world shifts dramatically when his grandfather mysteriously vanishes, and an influx of human tourists threatens the Arctic wilderness. Socrates introduces Norm and a trio of lemmings to a lavish condo that has been set up amidst the icy landscape. Here, they meet Vera—a representative for the ambitious developer Mr. Greene. When Norm heroically rescues Vera from a devastating avalanche, Mr. Greene instructs her to seek out an actor to portray a polar bear in a new campaign.
Determined to help, Norm, along with the lemmings, embarks on an adventure by sneaking onto a ship heading to New York City. Once they arrive, Norm disguises himself as an actor donning a bear costume, auditioning for Mr. Greene’s commercial while enjoying a meal with Vera. However, Mr. Greene soon realizes that Norm is a genuine bear and grows increasingly suspicious about Norm’s motives, believing he may be attempting to rescue his grandfather, who Greene has imprisoned.
During an escalating incident in a restaurant where Mr. Greene attempts to harm Norm, the polar bear manages to thwart Greene's plan, unwittingly becoming a symbol of hope and skyrocketing the developer's media approval ratings. Greene hires Norm as his mascot to capitalize on this new popularity. Before appearing on a television program, Norm meets Vera's daughter, Olympia. She urges him to use his influence to bolster Greene’s ratings, only to later expose Greene’s ulterior motives in development projects threatening the Arctic.
As Norm's fame grows, Greene sabotages him, manipulating recorded messages to falsely depict Norm’s support for destructive projects. Heartbroken yet resilient, Norm receives solace from Vera and Olympia, who inform him of Greene's ongoing plans to construct additional homes in the Arctic. Teaming up with the lemmings, Norm uncovers Greene's bribing of a Polar Council member, exposing the plot to Pablo, one of Greene's investors. The revelation prompts Vera to resign from her post and join forces with Pablo, leading Norm and the lemmings on a chase after the trucks transporting the houses.
Things take a dramatic turn when Norm is captured along with his grandfather as another truck attempts to transport them. With the help of the lemmings, Norm escapes just in time to intercept the boats destined for the Arctic, successfully detaching the homes. However, chaos ensues as Norm is separated from his grandfather and companions, resulting in a temporary loss of consciousness.
When Norm awakens, he finds himself back in the Arctic, where the lemmings and other animals rejoice at his return, though his grandfather remains unaccounted for. Celebrating his bravery, Norm is crowned the king of the Arctic, just as his grandfather finally arrives at the ceremony. With Mr. Greene’s ambitions now exposed and in shambles, Vera and Olympia embrace their new role under Pablo's leadership, while Norm and Elizabeth happily welcome their three cubs into the world, signifying a new era for the Arctic.
