Fictional Characters from Idaho Quiz

Answer: River Phoenix

"My Own Private Idaho" is a 1991 film directed by Gus Van Sant. It stars River Phoenix as a down on his luck hustler who turns to prostitution to get by. With his friend Scott (Keanu Reeves), Mike tries to reconnect with his mother and travels to his hometown in Idaho. Along the way, Mike goes through a personal journey where he wonders if he is in love with Scott who is a "gay for pay" prostitute only.

Answer: Napoleon Dynamite

"Napoleon Dynamite" stars Jon Heder as the titular character. Napoleon is a slacker who daydreams his way through school and life. His friends are equally weird and lazy. One friend, Pedro (Efren Rameriz), is an exchange student from Mexico who runs for class president.

Much of the film focuses on Napoleon's efforts to date a popular girl and to navigate the rigors of high school life as a loser teenager.

Answer: Alpine

Alpine was born in Minidoka and grew up in that city and in the mountains of Idaho where he became a ranger and a skilled climber. Most of his tasks involve scaling mountains or buildings. In addition to his physical strength, Alpine is an expert at accounting which he uses to capture villains when other means fail.

Answer: Wayward Pines

"The Wayward Pines" trilogy was written by Blake Crouch. It features Ethan Burke, a Secret Service Agent. When Burke gets into a automobile accident and is stranded in the town of Wayward Pines, he investigates the unusual mysteries of the town. He eventually becomes sheriff and grows aware that something more sinister is at hand.

In the television adaptation, Ethan Burke is played by Matt Dillon.

Answer: The River Wild

"The River Wild" is a 1994 film starring Meryl Streep and David Straithairn as Gail and Tom Hartman, a couple whose marriage is strained. Along with their son, Roarke (Joseph Mazzello), the Hartmans go on a rafting expedition on Idaho's Snake River. Along the way, they meet a trio of men led by Wade (Kevin Bacon).

The men appearing friendly at first but things take a dramatic turn when Maggie, the Hartmans' dog, discovers Frank's body washed up along the river. Wade and Terry then hold the Hartmans hostage and threaten for the rest of the rafting trip.

Answer: The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon

Shed is a Native American man from the fictional town of Excellent, Idaho. The novel focuses on Shed's life as an adult and his struggles with his personal identity. Shed is mixed white and Native American who had an abusive and deprived childhood and was once raped by the man he thought was his father.

After his mother is murdered, Shed travels across the American Plains to discover more about his Native American heritage.

Answer: The Grinder

Dean Sanderson was a famous television actor who lived the big life in Hollywood. When his show ends, he returns to Boise, Idaho where he is originally from to join his family's law firm. Dean has no law experience except for playing a lawyer on television. Dean's lack of legal experience angers his younger brother Stewart (Ben Savage) and the two often clash.

Answer: Leader

Leader is a Marvel Supervillain who usually faces off against the Incredible Hulk, who was also exposed to gamma radiation. Leader is known for his super smarts to the point that his brain appears to be ready to burst out of his head. His skin is green just like the Hulk's. He is extremely egotistical and has the ability to heal himself.

Answer: Gunslinger in a circus

Bronco Billy is the star of a traveling circus. Although the circus travels all over the country, the film is primarily set in Idaho. Billy's big act is shooting balloons off a woman while he is blindfolded. While in Idaho, Billy meets Antoinette (Sondra Locke) who joins the circus as Billy's assistant much to the chagrin of the other performers. Antoinette's stage name is Miss Lily.

However, Antoinette is actually very rich and her life in the circus and her wealth do not mix well. She must decide what she wants for her life as Billy prepares to move on to another location.

Answer: Lalu

"Thousand Pieces of Gold" is set in the 19th century. Lalu was born in China but her family sells her to a Californian to pay off their debt. She is eventually sold to Hong King, a Chinese merchant from Idaho. Despite being a slave, Lalu and Hong King initially get along very well and she hopes to marry him as he is a known wife trader. However, Hong King is actually a successful saloon owner who forces Lalu to become a prostitute in the saloon. As an adult, Lalu changes her name to Polly as she tries to make in the Wild West as an Asian woman.

In the 1991 film adaptation, Lalu is played by Rosalind Chao.