Sam Whitemoon
Sam Whitemoon is the main antagonist of the segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead" in the 1987 horror anthology film Creepshow 2.
He was portrayed by Holt McCallany.
Biography
Sam Whitemoon was a young Native American man who lived in a small desert town called Dead River along with the rest of his Navajo tribe, which was led by his uncle Benjamin Whitemoon. Although Ben was a wise, friendly, and good- natured man who wanted the best for his people, Sam clearly inherited none of those noble qualities. He was an incredibly vain, thieving bully and thug who wanted to leave the town and move to Hollywood, where he imagined his good looks and especially his long hair would cause him to become a movie star.
Sam Whitemoon robbing Ray and Martha Spruce's store.
Sam Whitemoon holding Martha Spruce hostage.
To that end, he and his two buddies Andy and Fatso attempted to rob the town's general store, run by the kindly old couple Ray and Martha Spruce, so they could get enough money for the planned move. The Spruces were known for their great generosity to Sam's tribe, but he clearly thought nothing of it. While robbing and trashing the store, Sam noticed a bag filled with jewels and other valuable relics and heirlooms from his people called the "Illinea", which his uncle had earlier given to Ray as collateral to help pay off the tribe's debt to him. Ray attempted to stop Sam and his gang from taking the bag, a struggle ensued, and Sam ended up shotgunning Ray and Martha, killing them both. Sam and his friends then left in Andy's convertible.
Sam told his buddies to quick head home and gather whatever belongings they wanted to bring with them and then meet at Sam's home so they could skip town and head to Hollywood before the authorities learned of the Spruces' murders. They would never make the trip, however. Supernatural forces angered at the injustice of the Spruces' murders and the theft of the tribal relics caused Old Chief Wood'nhead, the cigar- store Indian statue that stood outside the general store, to come to life and seek vengeance. The Chief killed Andy and Fatso as they prepared to leave (Fatso with a few arrows, Andy with a tomahawk to the head), then targeted Sam at his house. Sam attempted to kill the reanimated statue with his shotgun, but the bullets had no effect on it. Sam then attempted to flee, locking himself in his house's bathroom and attempting to escape through its window. However, Old Chief Wood'nhead punched through the wall, and grabbed Sam by his beloved hair. Sam was dragged back through the hole in the wall and had just enough time to scream before being brutally scalped by Old Chief Wood'nhead, killing him.
Sam Whitemoon encouters Old Chief Wood'nhead
Sam Whitemoon getting scalped by Old Chief Woodn'head
Ben Whitemoon then awoke the next morning to find the stolen relics lying at the foot of his bed. He returned to the Spruce's store to find Old Chief Wood'nhead a simple wooden statue again, back in its old position in front of the store, but now holding Sam's bloody scalp in its hand and with its war- paint, which had earlier in the short begun fading from exposure to sunlight, now fresh and new (Possibly made up of Sam's blood). Realizing what had happened, Ben gives a blessing to the statue, that its warrior spirit may rest.
Personality
Sam Whitemoon was a selfish, heartless punk who had no respect or reverence for anyone or anything but himself.
He didn't care at all about his people (to whom he, at one point, referred as "wimpy-ass red men") and their history, hence attempting to steal their cherished cultural heirlooms in order to pawn them for quick cash. He didn't care about the Spruces' many years of kindness and generosity to his people and everyone else in the town, which was why he saw nothing wrong with robbing them (and he and his friends had sometime earlier been caught trying to shoplift from the store) and murdering them. He didn't even care about his so-called "friends," as he treated them like dirt and referred to them to their faces as his "slaves." All he cared about were his outer appearance and getting "paid and laid."
Sam's vanity and greed were the only driving forces in his wretched life, and they drove him to an early, awful, but extremely well-deserved death.