Eddie Kaspbrak

Lore & Background

Eddie Kaspbrak is introduced as an asthmatic hypochondriac, a condition that defines much of his childhood. He is one of the seven outcast children who form the Losers' Club in Derry, Maine, during the late 1950s. After a rock fight in the Barrens, Eddie becomes a full member of the group. He is later hospitalized by Henry Bowers and several of his friends. During the final confrontation in the sewers, Eddie uses his asthma medication to injure It, believing it to be acid through the power of imagination. The attack wounds the creature, but It bites off Eddie's arm, killing him. As an adult, Eddie runs a limousine rental company and has married a codependent woman similar to his hypochondriac mother.

In Their Own Story

The air in the sewers was thick with the smell of rot and ancient evil. Eddie Kaspbrak, his asthma inhaler clutched in his hand, faced the monstrous form of It—a giant, mutated spider-like creature. His friends were lost in the Deadlights, and the creature loomed over them. Eddie didn't hesitate. He raised his inhaler, believing with all his might that it was filled with acid, and sprayed it directly down the creature's throat. The monster recoiled, wounded. But in its fury, It bit down, severing Eddie's arm. He fell, his sacrifice buying the others precious seconds to finish the fight.

Reader's Guide

Eddie Kaspbrak is defined by his asthma and hypochondria, which make him appear physically vulnerable. However, his courage is immense. He is hospitalized by Henry Bowers and his gang, but later joins the Losers in their final assault on It. In the sewers, Eddie uses his asthma medication as a weapon, believing it to be acid through the power of imagination—a tactic that wounds the creature. This act costs him his life, as It bites off his arm. As an adult, Eddie runs a limousine rental company and marries a woman who mirrors his mother's codependency. His death is a turning point in the final battle, allowing the remaining Losers to chase and confront It.

Did You Know?

• Eddie Kaspbrak is killed by It in the sewers when It bites off his arm after Eddie sprays asthma medication down Its throat.
• Eddie is hospitalized by Henry Bowers and several of his friends during the events of the novel.
• As an adult, Eddie runs a limousine rental company and marries a woman similar to his hypochondriac mother.
• Eddie uses the power of imagination to believe his asthma medication is acid, successfully wounding It before being killed.