One major character death in HBO Max's IT: Welcome to Derry Episode 7 could have heartbreaking implications on the franchise's future when it comes to the canon timeline. Viewers were shocked when the original group of kids died (save Lilly Bainbridge) during the climax of Welcome to Derry Episode 1. However, over the course of the following episodes, the show pieced together the new team that fans have followed for some time now, which includes Will Hanlon, Ronnie Grogan, Rich Santos, Lilly, and Marge Truman.
Marge is the most recent addition to the tight-knit group of friends trying to survive Pennywise while figuring out Derry's secrets, but her relationship with her peers has not been underdeveloped. Most notably, in Episode 7, Marge and Rich finally professed their love for one another, but not before they were in the midst of tragedy.
While the attack at the Black Spot was completely underway and the hangout was engulfed in flames, Rich became Marge's "knight" by putting her in a box and lying on top of it so that she would not die from either smoke inhalation or falling debris. Tragically, Rich did not survive until the first responders arrived, and he heroically sacrificed himself to save Marge, marking one of the most heroic yet tragic moments in any IT project.
There is still one episode of Welcome to Derry Season 1 left as of writing, so where some characters like Marge end up has not been revealed just yet. However, more than one sign points to Marge growing up to be an extremely important character in the franchise's future, and if it were to be true, it would be more than heartbreaking.
Is Marge Truman Richie Tozier's Mother?
Many fans will remember Finn Wolfhard's Richie Tozier from the 2017 and 2019 IT films, as he was one of the most memorable characters across the two flicks, most known for his comedic relief and bravery. When Rich Santos was first introduced in Welcome to Derry, many fans likely noticed the similarity in his and Richie Tozier's names, and that may not be a coincidence.
Along with those two characters having similar names, there are also a lot of elements between Marge Truman and Richie Tozier's mother that line up completely, meaning that it is possible Marge could turn out to be Richie's mother.
For instance, Richie's mother's name is Margaret, which is Marge's full name. In the IT novel (and the most recent films), Margaret Tozier goes by Maggie, but her full name is Margaret.
It is also worth mentioning that Marge and Richie share a lot of the same character qualities, such as how they attempt to be class clowns. As mentioned, Richie was the comedic relief in a lot of scenes in the two IT films. Early on in Welcome to Derry, Marge always tried to make the Patty Cakes like her by making jokes or making them laugh in other ways, sometimes even taking it too far, just like Richie.
Another bit of evidence that could prove Marge is Richie's mother is that they look somewhat similar. Marge and Richie both wear extremely thick glasses, which is not too common in the IT movies or Welcome to Derry, making it seem like that is not just a coincidence.
It would also make complete sense for Marge Truman to name her son Rich, Richard, or Richie in honor of Rich Santos, since he literally sacrificed his own life for her and made sure that she survived. Rich was also Marge's first true love, so naming her child after him would be one of the best ways to honor his memory.
It is also worth mentioning that, in an interview with DECIDER, Welcome to Derry producers Andy and Barbara Muschietti revealed that the show will include "at least two big twists" that will tie directly to the characters in the Loser's Club:
"[There are] at least two big twists where they’re definitely connected to the [Loser’s Club] characters that we know."
One of those twists could very well be that Marge turns out to be Richie's mother. In the IT novels and films, Richie's mother is such a minor character that it would not cause any continuity issues by making her character turn out to be Marge. After all, it would not be the first time that a character from the movies appeared in the HBO Max show.
What Happens to Richie's Mother in IT?
In the IT novel, Richie's mother, Maggie, dies of unknown causes. Before her death, though, the book describes that Maggie struggles and wants a girl that she can relate to.
On the surface, this doesn't seem very important, but considering Lilly Bainbridge's background, it seems likely that Welcome to Derry will also have a tragic ending for her as well. It would definitely be heartbreaking, but the most likely outcome for her at the end of the Season 1 finale is that she will be sent back to the Juniper Hill asylum and receive a lobotomy.
The show's opening credits very clearly display someone receiving a lobotomy, and that has not yet been shown on-screen, so it is almost like the series is setting up the fact that Lilly will tragically be given a lobotomy at the very end.
If that were to happen, it could explain why Maggie Tozier feels so lonely if she is revealed to be Richie's mother. Lilly and Marge were extremely close, and their relationship has only strengthened over the past couple of episodes. Therefore, if something like that were to happen to Lilly, Marge would be left without a girl or woman close to her in her life.
Yes, she does still have Ronnie for the time being, but if Charlotte and Rose get Hank Grogan out of Derry and smuggle him into Canada, Ronnie will be going with him (assuming she survives Pennywise in Episode 8).
No matter which of those possibilities comes true, that still leaves Marge without any female friends or figures in her life to lean on, further indicating that she eventually becomes Richie's mother.
