The Civic Center Explosion

Ed Deepneau's failed kamikaze attack and the panic that follows.

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The Plane Approaches

The Final Approach Ed's Last Flight Ed Deepneau, wearing his kamikaze scarf, flies a Cherokee airplane toward Derry. He has a bomb in the co-pilot's seat. His plan is to crash into the Civic Center during Susan Day's speech, killing thousands. He is singing "White Rabbit" as he approaches. Ralph's Intervention Ralph teleports into the plane and tears the detonator wires. Ed fights him desperately, but Ralph manages to turn the plane away from the building. The Cherokee crashes into the parking lot instead. The Explosion The bomb detonates, destroying the plane and causing a massive fireball. The Civic Center is shaken, but the building is spared. Panic erupts inside as the lights go out. Seventy-one people die in the stampede, but the death toll could have been much worse.

The Aftermath of the Crash

The Reckoning The Death Toll The explosion kills Ed and causes a panic that results in seventy-one deaths. The city is in shock. Susan Day is decapitated by flying glass. The pro-choice rally is over, but the debate over abortion continues. The Investigation The police investigate the crash. They find evidence of Ed's radicalization and his connection to the Friends of Life. Dan Dalton is questioned but released. The town begins to heal, but the scars remain. A Narrow Escape Ralph and Lois watch from Strawford Park as the fireball rises. They know that they have prevented a greater tragedy. The deathbag that hung over the Civic Center is gone. The Purpose has been served.

Friday evening, October 8, 1993

Friday night, October 8, 1993, and the following days