Stephen King’s Quote In It: Welcome To Derry’s Ending Is Heartbreaking

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Although Stephen King‘s It has many memorable quotes, one of the most heartbreaking ones is:

Perhaps there’s no such thing as a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ friend – just friends. These are the people who support you when you’re hurting and make you feel less alone. They’re worth caring deeply about, hoping for the best for, and living your life with. Maybe even worth sacrificing everything for. It’s not about labels; it’s about the people you cherish, the ones who feel like home in your heart.

Stephen King’s It, including the Welcome to Derry adaptation, seems like a story about a terrifying, otherworldly creature that preys on children. But at its heart, it’s really about the challenges of growing up and the importance of the bonds we form with friends.

With so many versions of the Losers Club already made for TV and film, some viewers might not have connected with the younger characters in It: Welcome to Derry. However, the HBO show brilliantly embodies the core message of the story in its finale, making that message especially impactful.

Marge Recites The Heartbreaking Quote From Stephen King’s It During Rich’s Funeral

Image via HBO

Marge speaks the quote near the end of It: Welcome to Derry during Rich’s funeral, and it’s a fitting moment. Earlier in the series, Marge is shown as a deeply flawed character. She has trouble being a good friend to Lily, even betraying her to try and fit in. She also doesn’t seem to know Rich exists at all.

At first, she might seem like a difficult friend. But, as her speech at Rich’s funeral reveals, the labels of “good” or “bad” friend don’t really matter – what truly counts is being there for someone and helping them feel less alone.

Marge finally understands why she stayed silent for so long and realizes she shouldn’t blame herself. She recognizes she used to think putting up with things was the same as being strong, and that trying to survive felt like love. While she admits she made mistakes and had trouble recognizing her real friends, she now understands her actions came from fear, not from being a bad person.

This clarifies why she states in her speech that real friends are worth fighting for, wishing for, and dedicating your life to. When she says “scared,” she doesn’t just mean afraid of something like Pennywise, but also the deeper, more personal fear of being vulnerable and feeling like an outsider.

For a long time, Marge believed that blending in would earn her acceptance, but the speech shows she’s now realized this wasn’t true. While this realization is empowering, it comes with a painful price, making the moment both happy and sad.

Rich’s Arc & Heartbreaking Death Makes The Quote Even More Hard-Hitting

When Marge says friends are “maybe worth dying for,” she’s clearly thinking about Rich, who gave his life to save her. Her sadness leads her to wonder why Rich would make such a sacrifice, and she has a hard time understanding it. This is likely why she adds the word “maybe” – she’s grappling with the idea of someone dying for a friend.

She doesn’t dismiss Rich’s sacrifice or think less of it, but she’s still stunned that he would prioritize her life over his own.

Marge’s last line about friends ‘building their houses in your heart’ beautifully captures the show’s message. It suggests that while the kids will probably forget Derry as they get older, a piece of them will always remember what happened there. Even Marge might forget Rich’s sacrifice, because Derry has a way of making people forget its most painful events.

Despite the time travel reveal involving Pennywise in the Stephen King series, Beverly will still name her son after Richie, showing that she secretly fell in love with him and he left a lasting impression on her.

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2025-12-18 05:58