It: Welcome to Derry’s Most Devastating Death Makes Stephen King’s Saddest Twist Hit Even Harder

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Warning: Spoilers ahead for It: Welcome to Derry season 1, episode 7, “The Black Spot.”

Though It: Welcome to Derry has already shown several shockingly violent deaths in its first season, the most heartbreaking moment actually deepens the tragedy of the original It story. The series is filled with references to Stephen King’s work, carefully woven into the narrative to enrich his established fictional world.

The show’s intense and violent plot might cause viewers to overlook the more delicate references to Stephen King’s other stories. For example, while episode 7 of season 1, “The Black Spot,” delved into the history of Pennywise, the episode primarily centered on the disturbing story of a racially motivated massacre that occurred at the Black Spot nightclub.

I heard the story of what happened at The Black Spot, and it still chills me to the bone. A truly awful white supremacist group tried to lynch Hank Grogan, and when everyone at the bar refused to hand him over, the townspeople – fueled by hate – locked us all inside. They then set the place on fire and started shooting at the people trapped inside. So many innocent people were killed that night. It was a massacre, pure and simple.

Both It: Welcome to Derry’s Rich and It’s Richie Missed Out On Their Love Stories

Interestingly, the most heartbreaking moment in the recent killings quietly echoed a previous story by Stephen King. The death of Rich in Welcome to Derry was a nod to Richie Tozier’s storyline in It, as both characters shared similar journeys. Throughout the first season of Welcome to Derry, Rich served as the group’s source of humor.

Rich was an open and chatty kid, always wearing his emotions on his sleeve. While he meant well, he could be a bit awkward and sometimes got overly excited. This is similar to the character Richie Tozier from the books It and It: Chapter 2, who is known as the funny one and later becomes a stand-up comedian.

Rich was instantly smitten with Marge from the very beginning of It: Welcome to Derry. He told Will about his crush right away, and later, in episode 5, “29 Neibolt Street,” he felt brave enough to hold her hand while the group was exploring the sewers with Matty.

Okay, so in episode 4 of It: Welcome to Derry, things got seriously scary for Marge – it looked like she was a goner! Luckily, she survived, but ended up with a really bad eye injury. It was actually kind of sweet – Rich helped her recover, and they really bonded over it. That’s what made Marge start siding with Rich instead of her usual friends. It was a big turning point for her character, you know?

I was really getting into this movie – Rich and Marge had amazing chemistry, and he’d just blown her away with his drumming. They were about to finally tell each other how they felt when everything went crazy – a fire broke out at the Black Spot. Rich actually saved Marge from the flames, but it cost him his life. His last words to her were ‘I love you,’ which was just heartbreaking to watch.

Rich’s It: Welcome to Derry Death Makes Richie Tozier’s It Story Even Sadder

Even though the heartbreaking event in It: Welcome to Derry was hinted at earlier, it still felt incredibly tragic when it happened. Rich and Marge were never able to explore their feelings for each other because Rich died before they could.

Richie Tozier experienced a similar loss decades later in It: Chapter 2, when Pennywise killed his long-lost childhood friend, Eddie, near the film’s conclusion. While the book hinted at it, the movie adaptation of It: Chapter 2 confirmed that Eddie and Richie had feelings for each other, but never openly admitted them.

Eddie died in an unhappy marriage, and Richie never had a serious relationship until after Eddie was gone. It was only after Eddie’s death that Richie confessed his love for him. This pattern repeated with Rich, who only revealed his feelings for Marge right before giving his life to save hers. Both Richie and Rich, characters known for providing comic relief, ended up as tragically similar figures – expressing love only through loss.

Richie’s It Ending Is Even More Poignant After It: Welcome to Derry

Both parts of It feature a character named Richard who provides comic relief. Despite his attempts to stay positive, his story ultimately ends with a sad tale of lost love. However, Richard’s sacrifice wasn’t in vain, as Marge was one of the few survivors of the tragic events.

Just like the horrifying events in It: Welcome to Derry, the Losers Club’s last battle with Pennywise provided a fitting end for Eddie, even though his death was sad. Despite the tragedy, Eddie ultimately played a crucial role in permanently defeating Pennywise.

Even though Eddie and Richie didn’t live to see it, their efforts ultimately freed Derry from the monster. While both lost people they loved, they can find comfort in knowing they helped defeat the evil force.

Following the brutal killings known as the Black Spot massacre, Pennywise told Ingrid Kersh that he would go back into hibernation. After his last battle with the Losers Club, he was completely destroyed. The heroic actions of a character in It: Welcome to Derry saved the person they loved, and the death of Eddie’s love interest in It ultimately protected the entire town.

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2025-12-09 22:11