The sixth episode of Welcome to Derry Season 1 reveals more about Pennywise the Dancing Clown and his origins, laying the groundwork for what’s to come in the series. With Bill Skarsgård’s terrifying portrayal of Pennywise now fully realized, the show’s horror and suspense are significantly increasing, and the situation in Derry is about to get much more dangerous. As we see more of the clown, we also begin to understand his history. Please be aware that this contains spoilers for Episode 6, “In the Name of the Father.”
This episode expands on the character of Mrs. Kersh, who was first introduced in the Welcome to Derry series. As fans may remember from IT: Chapter Two, It disguised itself as Mrs. Kersh to frighten Beverly Marsh. Now, we’re discovering more about her past. Lilly Bainbridge visits Mrs. Kersh’s home and finds old photo albums showing Mrs. Kersh as a young girl with a man who bears a striking resemblance to Pennywise, but without the clown makeup.
Bob Gray Was The Original Pennywise – And Mrs. Kersh’s Father
If you recognize that man, you might remember him from a photo in IT: Chapter Two. He was pictured with his daughter near a wagon advertising “Pennywise the Dancing Clown,” and we later see him applying clown makeup, hinting at a possible connection. His name is Bob Gray, a detail revealed in Stephen King’s original book but not mentioned in the IT films or Welcome to Derry so far. In the book, Bob Gray is one of the names It uses, and Mrs. Kersh specifically identifies him as her father, telling Bev that he is her “fadder.”
He was known as Robert Gray, but most people called him Bob Gray, or even Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Though, none of those were actually his real name. He just really loved that joke, according to my father.
The book and movie versions of IT don’t clearly explain the origins of Bob Gray, though the movie mentions Kersh’s father was a circus performer. Since Mrs. Kersh seems to be another manifestation of It, it appears this detail is just another way It torments Beverly. However, many fans have long wondered if there’s some truth to the story – that Bob Gray was a real clown named Pennywise who was killed by It. It then supposedly adopted Pennywise’s form, realizing how effective it was at frightening children.
The story of IT: Welcome to Derry brings everything together, clearly revealing that Kersh’s biological father was Pennywise, a clown who worked at a carnival. While Pennywise was taken over by ‘It’, Kersh still believed he was alive even 27 years later, as shown in the 1935 scenes. She remembers him as ‘different’ and changed by his experiences, but felt that a part of him remained, capable of escaping the darkness that consumed him.
This Kersh isn’t simply It in another form—her words make that obvious, and she doesn’t seem frightened by the shard, suggesting she’s being honest. The book reveals her father’s name was Bob Gray, and it appears that when It arrived in Derry, Maine, with the carnival in the early 1900s, it began to assume the form and personality of Pennywise.
The connection between Pennywise and Bob Gray is a mystery that’s slowly revealed. Even before the release of IT: Chapter Two, director Andy Muschietti hinted at this link, telling Den of Geek that the nature of their relationship was deliberately unclear. He questioned whether Bob Gray was a real person, and if the clown was somehow a reincarnation of him, leaving the details ambiguous.
Although we’ve learned some of the history, fans will probably need to wait for future seasons to get the full story. The show is flashing back to 1935, which is where Season 2 will take place, and this means we’ll likely see Mrs. Kersh – possibly known as Miss Gray then – reappear. However, Season 3, set in 1908, is even more important. Photos reveal this is when Kersh was a child with her father, so the season will likely explain who Bob Gray was and how It first became Pennywise the Dancing Clown.
New episodes of IT: Welcome to Derry release on Sundays at 9pm on HBO and HBO Max.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Read More
- Hazbin Hotel season 3 release date speculation and latest news
- Where Winds Meet: How To Defeat Shadow Puppeteer (Boss Guide)
- Victoria Beckham Addresses David Beckham Affair Speculation
- Meet the cast of Mighty Nein: Every Critical Role character explained
- 10 Best Demon Slayer Quotes of All Time, Ranked
- HBO Max Is About To Lose One of the 1980s Defining Horror Movies
- The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu is a 4-Player Co-Op Survival Horror Game Inspired by Lovecraft’s Works
- Dogecoin Wiggles at $0.20-Is It Ready to Leap Like a Fox With a Firecracker?
- The Death of Bunny Munro soundtrack: Every song in Nick Cave drama
- Zootopia 2 Reactions Raise Eyebrows as Early Viewers Note “Timely Social Commentary”
2025-12-01 06:10