As the terrifying prequel Welcome to Derry looms, a chilling new fan theory suggests one character might meet a particularly gruesome, book-accurate demise, focusing on the character of Richie Tozier.

With the series diving deeper into the unsettling lore of Stephen King’s Derry, fan predictions are turning dark. One prominent theory suggests that Richie Tozier’s fate in the upcoming season may be sealed, rooted in a terrifying form Pennywise assumes in the original novel.

The theory posits that a scene—perhaps a moment of desperate hiding—will see Richie attempt to conceal a companion (or himself) from the monstrous entity. Why the need for such desperate measures? According to this analysis, Pennywise may be utilizing a form only briefly mentioned but deeply feared in the source material: The Giant Black Bird.

“I think he puts her in here to hide from Pennywise because he’s able to pick off people as a giant black bird in the books,” one fan speculates.

In King’s narrative, Pennywise’s ability to shapeshift into the unknowable is key, and the Black Bird form (often linked to the sinister nature of Derry itself) allows it to prey from above, catching victims mid-air or snatching them from vulnerable positions.

If Welcome to Derry chooses to fully embrace the terrifying, non-clown forms of IT as depicted in the books—as opposed to just relying on the classic Pennywise—then this aerial predator could spell a very brutal end for Richie. It suggests that his usual sarcastic defenses and comedic timing won’t be enough to escape a creature that attacks from the sky.

Is Richie Tozier truly “toast” this episode? If the showrunners are leaning into the deep cuts of King’s mythology, fans should prepare for a particularly bleak and bloody outcome.