Bill Denbrough and Ben Hanscom

Bill Denbrough and Ben Hanscom meet on the last day of school in June 1958, a moment that marks the beginning of a profound friendship forged in the crucible of shared terror and childhood resilience. Ben, a lonely, overweight eleven-year-old, has just escaped a vicious attack by Henry Bowers, who carved the letter "H" into his stomach with a Buck knife. Fleeing into the Barrens, Ben stumbles upon Bill Denbrough and Eddie Kaspbrak, who are struggling to build a dam. Bill, still grieving the murder of his younger brother George and struggling with a severe stutter, immediately recognizes Ben's distress and offers help. This initial encounter, born from mutual vulnerability, quickly evolves into a partnership that will define their summer.

The Dam and the Birth of the Losers' Club

The day after their meeting, Ben returns to the Barrens with boards, a sledgehammer, and a shovel, demonstrating an innate understanding of engineering that astounds Bill and Eddie. Ben sketches a cofferdam in the dirt, explaining how to use boards and fill to redirect the stream. Bill, recognizing Ben's talent, declares, "S-See you tuh-huh-morrow." The dam becomes a symbol of their collaboration, and when Richie Tozier and Stanley Uris join them, the group solidifies into the Losers' Club. Ben's practical skills—building the dam, later constructing an underground clubhouse—complement Bill's visionary leadership. Bill, in turn, provides the courage and direction that Ben, often timid and self-conscious, lacks. Their friendship is cemented during the apocalyptic rockfight against Henry Bowers and his gang, where Ben fights alongside Bill, and Bill later defends Ben against Victor Criss's rock attack.

Shared Secrets and the Confrontation at Neibolt Street

The Losers' bond is sealed by their shared encounters with the entity that haunts Derry. Ben confides in Bill about seeing a mummy-like clown on the frozen Canal, and Bill reciprocates by telling the story of his brother's photograph that moved and bled. This mutual trust leads to the group's first direct confrontation with It at 29 Neibolt Street. Bill, armed with his father's Walther pistol, and Ben, carrying a slingshot and sneezing powder, crawl under the porch and into the cellar. When the werewolf attacks, Ben is slashed across the stomach, but Bill's gunshot wounds the creature, and Richie's sneezing powder drives it back. Ben later credits Bill with saving his life, a debt he never forgets.

The Silver Slugs and the Final Battle

As the summer progresses, Bill devises a plan to kill It using silver bullets. Ben contributes his father's silver dollars, and the two, along with Richie, research how to make silver slugs at the library. In Zack Denbrough's workshop, Ben melts down a silver dollar and pours it into bearing molds, creating two silver slugs. Bill insists that Beverly, the best shot, use them with his Bullseye slingshot. During the final confrontation in the sewers in August 1958, Ben is again wounded by the werewolf, but Bill's leadership and Beverly's marksmanship drive It back. Afterward, they stand in the Barrens, and Bill makes them swear to return if It ever awakens. Ben, along with the others, makes the blood oath, a promise that binds them for twenty-seven years.

Adulthood and the Return to Derry

In 1985, when Mike Hanlon calls to summon the Losers back to Derry, Ben immediately agrees. He flies from Nebraska, stopping at a bar to drink Wild Turkey and reminisce about his childhood. At the reunion lunch, Ben and Bill reconnect, their friendship undimmed by time. Ben shares the story of how he lost weight, inspired by the memory of their shared courage. When Bill calls the vote to stay and fight, Ben raises his hand without hesitation. Their bond is tested again in the final battle, where they fight side by side against the Spider. Ben crushes Its eggs while Bill kills It, and afterward, they emerge from the sewers together, exhausted but victorious.

Thematic Significance

The friendship between Bill and Ben embodies the Losers' Club's core strength: the fusion of imagination and practicality. Bill provides the visionary drive and moral courage, while Ben supplies the engineering know-how and quiet determination. Their relationship is also marked by a shared, unspoken love for Beverly Marsh, which creates a subtle tension but never undermines their loyalty. Ben's unrequited love for Beverly is a source of pain, but he accepts her feelings for Bill with grace, recognizing that their friendship is more important than romantic rivalry. In the end, their bond survives the forgetting that follows the final battle, a testament to the enduring power of childhood friendship.