IT: Welcome to Derry Finally Sets Up Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise & One of Stephen King’s Darkest Stories

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As a huge Stephen King fan, I’ve always been fascinated by the creature in IT – it’s terrifying because it becomes your worst fear. Of course, Pennywise the Dancing Clown is the form everyone knows, and Bill Skarsgård nailed the role in the recent movies. I’ve been watching the IT: Welcome to Derry series, and it’s been smart to keep Pennywise hidden for most of it, building up the dread with hints and spooky stuff. But episode four? That’s when things really change. They’re definitely setting up Pennywise’s big appearance, and honestly, it’s giving me chills. What’s even more unsettling is that the episode also starts laying the groundwork for one of the most heartbreaking and awful things that happens in the original book. It’s a really grim setup, and it’s got me worried about where things are going.

Warning: Spoilers below for IT: Welcome to Derry, Episode 4

The story of Pennywise in IT: Welcome to Derry started to unfold in the third episode when the town’s kids teamed up to get proof of the creature chasing them. Their plan led to a scary showdown at the Derry cemetery, where they had to fight for their lives against frightening ghosts. Amidst the chaos, a photo taken by Will Hanlon (Blake Cameron James) captured a clear outline of a clown lurking in the background.

In the fourth episode, the kids try to use a photo to prove Ronnie’s father, Hank, didn’t commit the crime he’s in jail for, but the police don’t believe them. Meanwhile, their investigation has angered the creature, and it now seems to be specifically targeting Will.

IT: Welcome to Derry Is Teasing Pennywise’s Debut

Following Will’s unsuccessful effort to convince others about the danger, the creature starts directly targeting him with frightening experiences. While fishing with his father, Leroy, the entity waits for Will to be alone before attacking, first showing him a terrifying vision of his father on fire, then trying to drown him. Leroy manages to save Will just in time, and as they recover, they see a single, unsettling red balloon floating nearby. Later, unable to sleep, Will looks through his telescope and spots a clown with glowing eyes watching him from behind a tree. His shouts bring Leroy running, but they find nothing except another red balloon caught in the branches. These increasingly frightening incidents are clear signs that Pennywise is preparing to make a dramatic appearance.

The timing of this episode is perfect for the story. It finally reveals the origins of the creature, explaining how it became connected to the town of Derry long ago. The episode ends with a surprising twist: Matty, who everyone thought had died in the sewers, suddenly returns. This gives the kids a new clue and leads them to the logical next step – exploring the sewer system, where the monster lives. This will almost certainly lead to a showdown with Pennywise. Meanwhile, the story about the adult characters is developing into a separate, equally frightening tragedy.

We Finally Know How the Black Spot Connects to IT: Welcome to Derry

In the fourth episode, Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk) calls in a favor from General Francis Shaw (James Remar) using his position with the military’s Project Precept. This gets him access to an old, unused hangar just outside of Derry. He plans to turn it into a social club—a safe place where he and other Black Air Force members can unwind and escape the racism they face in town.

The series IT: Welcome to Derry consistently shows the deep-rooted prejudice in the town, depicting Black residents being unfairly kicked out of bars and the police wrongly accusing Hank of involvement in the disappearances of local children. It also thoughtfully incorporates the history of the Civil Rights movement through the character of Charlotte Hanlon, who fights against Hank’s unfair imprisonment. These storylines are all building towards the town’s hangar, strongly suggesting it will become the notorious ‘Black Spot’.

In Stephen King’s story, the Black Spot was a nightclub that opened in 1930 and became a vibrant hub for Black soldiers stationed at a nearby army base. It offered a rare space for community and joy in a town deeply divided by segregation, which unfortunately made it a target. The club was tragically destroyed when a white supremacist group, the Maine Legion of White Decency, deliberately set it on fire, killing everyone inside. This horrific act of racial violence remains one of the darkest moments in Derry’s history, and Pennywise was there, drawn to the intense fear and hatred it created. By showing the story of the Black Spot, the series is foreshadowing a terrible event that’s already known to happen.

New episodes of IT: Welcome to Derry premiere on HBO every Sunday.

What are your predictions for how Pennywise will first appear in IT: Welcome to Derry? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-11-18 21:41