It: Welcome To Derry Richie Tozier Connection & Big Death Explained

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Be warned, major spoilers are ahead for the season 1 finale of IT: Welcome to Derry! Co-creator Jason Fuchs has explained the connection between Richie Tozier and the prequel series, as well as the significance of a major character’s death. In episode 7, Rich Santos died saving Marge Truman from the Black Spot attack. However, the season ends with Rich returning as a spirit to assist his friends in trapping Pennywise again.

The show also introduced a surprising connection between the character and Richie Tozier from the IT movies. Before trying to harm Marge, Pennywise explains that he doesn’t experience time in a straight line. He reveals that she will become Richie’s mother in the future, and they will even name their child after the boy who once saved her life.

In an interview with ScreenRant’s Grant Hermanns for IT: Welcome to Derry, co-creator Kevin Fuchs discussed how the connection between Marge and Richie Tozier was developed. He explained that it was meant to add emotional depth to the Losers’ Club, specifically through the tragedy of Rich’s death and his final act of helping the group, creating a link between generations.

ScreenRant noted the emotional impact of Rich’s death in episode 7 and asked about the decision to have him sacrifice himself. They were particularly interested in how that choice led to his heroic final act – helping the team rebuild the cage in the finale.

The idea for the Rich storyline came about before I even knew who Rich was as a character. I was focused on bringing genuine emotion and sadness to the show, and finding ways to connect those feelings to the experiences of our main characters in 1989 in surprising ways. There are definitely connections throughout the season to the movies and future storylines that are easy to spot, like the link between the Hanlon family and Mike. But I thought it would be compelling to introduce a character who turned out to be a parent of one of our group, a relationship that wasn’t immediately obvious.

We get a small glimpse of Rich’s mother in the story, and it’s interesting to consider why she chose his name. Perhaps she named him Rich because of two important men in her life: the boy who rescued her when she was young, and her son himself. She might not even consciously realize the connection, especially since she’s lived in Derry for so long and memories can fade. It’s particularly heartbreaking to think that when she gave birth to Rich Tozier, she instinctively knew ‘Rich’ was the right name, without understanding why it felt right.

I shared the idea of a strong emotional connection between the characters with Andy very early on – I believe during the pilot’s development in 2021. We always intended to explore that relationship, though we weren’t sure how it would unfold. The plan was for a character named Rich to develop a childhood crush on Marge that would grow into something deeper as the season progressed, culminating in the final moments of Rich’s life.

Fuchs elaborated that Rich’s sacrifice ultimately brought a sense of redemption, providing a glimmer of hope amidst the story’s bleakness. He pointed out that the films consistently explore themes of optimism and the ability of love to overcome hatred, a concept powerfully demonstrated in Rich’s final act.

From the start, we knew this show would be quite dark and depressing, given the story we were telling. But we also wanted to include moments of inspiration and hope. Rich’s death is incredibly sad, but we aimed to make it powerfully moving as well. Being able to bring him back in episode 8 to assist his friends in finishing their task felt like the perfect way to offer that hope throughout the series.

Welcome to Derry features a lot of death, violence, and evil, but ultimately, it’s not a story without hope. The movies, too, leave me feeling hopeful about the strength of people, the power of believing in each other, and especially, the ability of love to overcome hatred. We knew we couldn’t end the season feeling hopeless—there’s already so much of that in the world and within the show itself. That’s why bringing Rich back the way we did felt like the right decision.

The discovery that Marge is Richie’s mother ties together almost all the kids featured in IT: Welcome to Derry with the future members of the Losers’ Club. Will Hanlon is Mike Hanlon’s father, and his continued presence in Derry is what allows the Club to come back together in IT: Chapter Two. This highlights how closely the series and the movies are linked.

As Fuchs points out, Richie’s arrival offers a hopeful conclusion. Even though he dies, he still plays a crucial role in trapping Pennywise in Derry again. The fact that Richie is named after him emphasizes the enduring connection between the cycles of IT and reinforces the Club’s hope in their fight.

Since Pennywise clearly tries to survive throughout the two-part movie, future seasons of IT: Welcome to Derry will probably continue to tie back to the original story. If seasons 2 and 3 are made, we can expect to see more connections to the past as the show explores how Pennywise has fed on Derry throughout history.

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2025-12-15 17:09