Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched IT: Welcome to Derry’s latest episode on HBO or via HBO Max subscription, so be warned!
While IT: Welcome to Derry obviously exists squarely within the horror genre and isn’t readily analogous with mystery fiction, the HBO series does have its share of questions that need answers, and the showrunners are happy to fill this detailed world with clues for Stephen King devotees to gnaw on while waiting for Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise to rear his painted head. And it seems as if one huge and vital connection between the TV and movies’ timelines may have been staring us smack dab in the face all along.
The premiere episode introduced a slew of Derry’s younger residents, but only one who both avoided being killed off and (has so far) avoided joining the main protagonist group: Matilda Lawler’s popularity-minded Marge. Due to her split focus, Marge’s story hasn’t been put under the microscope just yet, though it seems like crossing paths with IT’s evil influences will set her straight. But comments made by director and EP Andy Muschietti hint at Marge being a major piece of narrative connective tissue.
SPOILER THEORY: Marge Grows Up To Become Richie's Mother Maggie Tozier
In Episode 4, Marge's well-being took a downward turn once IT's influence entered her mind and fueled her fears, causing the teen to believe her eyeballs were bulging out of her head, recalling the class video about parasitic flatworms. She'll soon be rocking an eyepatch, as shown in the trailer for the back half of the season, and Andy Muschietti told TVLine that the character's eyes remain a key part of her story. In his words:
There’s a specific reason that’s not going to be revealed until the very last episode for which she is wearing the Coke bottle glasses. And so we decided that [her fear] was about the eyes.
Andy Muschietti to TVLine
Stop. The. Presses. I can't fully recall the last time I've heard the phrase "Coke bottle glasses" out in the wild and not in relation to something set 50. years prior. But it is 100% applicable when referring to Richie Tozier's eyeglasses. Which speaks to the idea that poor eyesight might be a genetic issue for one side of Richie's bloodline. Not that it's impossible to believe two different people in Derry, Maine sport thicker-than-usual lens in their glasses, but it's still pretty specific.
Plus, there's the forehead-smacking obviousness that Marge, like Maggie, is a nickname for Margaret. If it's truly a complete coincidence that Matilda Lawler's character boasts two Richie-specific connections without any parentage reveals, I'll spend a night in the Neibolt House all alone. Where I'll no doubt wonder how I didn't realize these connections before now.
Why This Marge/Maggie Tozier Theory Might Not Play Out?
To be sure, Maggie Tozier and hubby Wentworth were not major players in the novel, and she certainly isn't the most important Margaret in Stephen King's oeuvre, as that prize goes to Carrie White's mother. So if Marge does get a final-episode reveal that she's related to Richie, then...what? Will that actually change anything we already know, or add more value to the movies?
I can't automatically say yes, but that factor would rely entirely on what Muschietti & Co. have planned for the finale, where the importance of Marge's glasses will be made clear. I don't imagine anything truly bonkers will happen, such as Pennywise getting Marge pregnant in college or something. (Although now that's all I'm hoping for.)
Plus, when we see Maggie Tozier in the movie, she doesn't appear to have any scarring around her eyes, which will presumably be the case for Marge after her incident. That's not entirely proof against, since Marge's existence probably wasn't on anyone's minds at the time the movies were filmed. But it doesn't help, either.
Our Rundowns Of IT: Welcomd To Derry's Episodic Easter Eggs
- IT: Welcome To Derry's Premiere Is Full Of Stephen King Easter Eggs, And My Favorite Involves Bathroom Graffiti
- There Are A Whole Bunch Of Cool Easter Eggs In IT: Welcome To Derry Episode 2, And I Love The Super Subtle Shining Detail The Most
- IT: Welcome To Derry Episode 3 Has Lots Of Stephen King Easter Eggs, And I Love That Key Weapon Reveal The Most
- IT: Welcome To Derry Episode 4 Easter Eggs Include More Pennywise Teases And A Huge Origin Story
Whatever ends up happening, here's hoping Marge can avoid any and all Three Stooges-esque eye pokes, clowns with lemon juice-squirting flowers, and major dust storms.
IT: Welcome to Derry airs Sunday nights on HBO at 9:00 p.m., with episodes available to stream simultaneously on HBO Max.