By Owen Quinn author
Warning – here be spoliers.
Television and movies are full of cute kids but only a mere handful burn themselves intyo the audience’s mind. The reasons are varied and often it is one that makes us cheer and cry at the same time.
Welcome to Derry stormed television in 2025. Each week, it was horror upon horror as we saw the origin story of Pennywise the Clown from IT. This opportunity allowed the producers to take the character further than the movies did and it was all out horror all the way. Pennywise didn’t turn up until episode five but the standard remains the best in ages. In a year where the world was waiting for the end of Stranger Things, Welcome to Derry gave us kids that stood up against Pennywise as others would do. However, in the case of Welcome to Derry, they were being killed left, right and centre. All of us like to see the kids win in the face of evil; The Goonies, ET and Stranger Things, to name but a few.
But in Derry, they tend to fall. Enter Rich Santos played by Arian S. Cartaya. He was a short, cheeky chappie who fell in love with Marge Truman. He was a drummer and brave and always lit up the screen. Rich had one of those auras that made you like him immediately. He’s also the one chartacter you would expect to make it to the end of this fight but, alas, our hearts were broken when he died.
But unlike other kids, he did not die at the hands of Pennywise the Clown. If ever God needed an angel, it would be Rich. The little guy along with Marge Truman, other kids and black military people were enjoying a dance night in their club. However, masked white folks including police came looking for the wrongly accused Grogan whom they are hiding there. Clear they aren’t going to get him, they seal everyone in, including the kids and set fire to the building.
Trapped with no way out, little Rich puts Marge into a fridge. There is no room for two and he saves her by lying on top of the fridge so she can’t get out. He calms her by reminding her knights protect fair maidens. He tells her of the first day he ever saw her. He wondered if she would ever look at him. She was rude to him telling him to take a picture, it’ll last longer. He tells her for a long time he never knew what to say back at that moment. He tells her he should have replied he wished he could. Marge and Rich tell each other they love each other and Rich waits to die. My heart was broken because Rich is such a good soul and as they say, only the good die young. Anyone that says they weren’t moved to tears by this scene has a heart of stone. It truly is one of the most beautifully written scenes ever and because it’s kids, you don’t want them to die. They are supposed to have their whole future ahead of them.
Not in Derry.
Rich dies from smoke inhilation protecting someone he loves without a second thought. Ironically, Pennywise is walking through and does not kill Rich as he feeds on another child.The sight of his body slumped against it as Marge is rescued is heartbreaking. Before the fire, he was playing the drums and having a good time with the others. His loss is deeply felt by the remaining kids.
This loss is also felt by the audience because this cheeky chappie with the heart of gold had endeared himself to the audiences instantly. Arian, the actor, is one of those kids that has that certain charm and magnetism like Kevin from Home Alone. You instantly like him because you know someone exactly like him.
But as we closed out the season, we would get a scene that made Max escaping Vecna pale in comparison. In the season finale, Marge, Will, Lilly and Ronnie are trying to bury the dagger that will ensure Pennywise is caged again in Derry. The chase is on and Pennywise is racing towards them to escape before they can plant the Dagger this completing the cage.The adults are helpless as the killer clown closes the gap. The dagger is playing with Will’s mind, refusing to be buried but the girls struggle with him to force it into the ground.
They are losing.
Pennywise is closing.
And this is the thing. Even though, we already know from the movies that Pennywise doesn’t escape, it takes nothing away from the terror and tension of this scene. When asked what he is seeing, Dick Halloran says “A mother fucking miracle!”
And that’s what Rich is both in life and death.
Pennywise is injured but determined to escape.
Suddenly from the fog comes a little figure, running as fast as he can towards his friends. It is Rich. And in the most beautiful moment that had viewers cheering, he gives Pennywise the middle finger. They all feel him as they get the strength to bury the dagger.
Pennywise is so evil that the very least we want to do is flip the bird at him. What makes this so brillaint is that Rich did not die at his hands so isn’t floating down there with all the other kids. He has passed to heaven because of his selfless act. He promised Marge he’s always be there and he does it in style. No matter what Pennywise does, no matter how many kids he kills, he will always be defeated by the power of children. Dead or alive, they will work against him to keep Derry safe.
Max needed Kate bush’s song Running Up That Hill, which is also a spectacular piece of television that made her a fan favourite, but Rich hasn’t got that. All he has is the love for his friends and his defint middle finger to save the day.
Absolute magic!
The Time Warriors and Beyond 