Welcome to Derry Finale Explained: HBO’s Pennywise Prequel Answers Burning Questions

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The first season of It: Welcome to Derry expands on the backstory of Pennywise, revealing that the clown was originally a man named Bob Gray. This glimpse into Gray’s past explains both why the ancient monster took on this form and why it’s trapped within the town of Derry.

The season ends with a huge battle in the finale, “Winter Fire.” Will, Ronnie, Lilly, and Marge, guided by Rich’s ghost, use a special dagger from the meteorite to repair the broken pillar, successfully trapping Pennywise again. The episode also wraps up the government’s mysterious efforts to release the creature, culminating in a terrifying fate for General Shaw at the claws of Pennywise. Beyond the action, the finale expands on the history and rules of the IT universe and resolves some unanswered questions.

Is Marge Richie Tozier’s Mom?

Fans of Stephen King have theorized that Marge Truman could be the mother of Richie Tozier. This idea stems from similarities in their personalities – Marge was known for being a bit of a class clown and wore distinctive glasses – as well as their shared name, Margaret (Marge being a nickname). Adding to the speculation, Marge had a schoolboy crush on a classmate named Rich Santos, which some fans see as a connection to Richie’s name.

In the seventh episode, titled “The Black Spot,” Rich and Marge were at a temporary nightclub when men from Derry deliberately set it ablaze, trying to kill Hank Grogan. During the chaos, Rich bravely rescued Marge by getting her into a freezer, but sadly lost his own life. Marge will undoubtedly always remember Rich, especially while she remains in Derry. Many viewers speculated whether the character of Richie was named in honor of the boy who sacrificed himself to save Marge.

In the season’s final episode, Marge has a terrifying encounter with Pennywise, who calls her by her maiden name, “Margaret Tozier.” Confused, she replies, “Tozier?” Pennywise then ominously says, “Not yet. You haven’t become Tozier yet,” and unsettlingly recites the rhyme, “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Richie in the baby carriage.” Shortly after, he reveals a missing persons poster with a familiar face on it.

Pennywise tells her that Richie and his friends will ultimately be responsible for its destruction, which is why it wants to eliminate Marge before she has her son. It explains that it can see the future, stating that all of time is the same to it.

Later on, Marge has a really unsettling conversation with Lilly where she worries that Pennywise could somehow go back in time and erase her family – or anyone important to her, really. It’s just a theory at this point, and we haven’t seen any evidence of that happening, but it definitely opens up some fascinating possibilities for where the show could go in future seasons. I’m definitely curious to see if they’ll explore that darker side of Pennywise’s powers.

Why Did the Hanlon Family Stay in Derry?

In the 2017 film IT, Mike Hanlon lives and works on the sheep farm that belonged to his grandfather, Leroy. Mike’s parents, Will and Jessica Hanlon, tragically died in a fire when he was a child. The story also introduces Mike’s grandparents, Leroy and Charlotte, who moved to Derry when Leroy was stationed at the Derry Air Force Base, bringing their son, Will, who was twelve at the time.

The Hanlon family is key to defeating Pennywise, helping to trap it by replacing a pillar with a dagger and using a rifle to slow it down. Charlotte specifically saved Hank’s life, as Pennywise had framed him for the deaths of Teddy, Phil, and Susie. It’s puzzling why the family would remain in Derry, considering the racist cover-up of the Black Spot fire and knowing Pennywise will inevitably return after 27 years.

Towards the end of the episode, Rose reveals she’s selling her house and farm following Taniel’s passing. She asks Leroy and Charlotte to stay and help the Shokopihwah tribe keep the monster under control, but they first refuse. Charlotte, however, quickly decides she wants to fight alongside them. With Will now out of the Air Force and needing a cane, it looks like the Hanlon family has discovered their new purpose.

Mike Hanlon becomes Derry’s unofficial historian, dedicating himself to researching and recording the town’s past. He continues his family’s long tradition of watching over and protecting Derry.

Why Was Mrs. Kersh at Beverly Marsh’s Apartment?

Ingrid Kersh is a compelling character in Season 1 of Welcome to Derry. Her father, Bob Gray, was the original performer who played Pennywise the Dancing Clown back in 1908 when the circus visited. The evil entity recognized Bob’s ability to attract children, so it tricked him into the woods, killed him, and then transformed into his likeness.

After the circus moved on, Ingrid remained in Derry and became the head housekeeper at Juniper Hill. While working there, she befriended a young girl named Lilly Bainbridge and eventually revealed Lilly’s true parentage. Ingrid believes Lilly’s father is trapped inside the monster, Pennywise, and that Lilly’s love is the key to freeing him. However, Pennywise’s claim of going back into hibernation leads Ingrid to realize it can’t be her father, as he would never leave Lilly again. The episode concludes with Ingrid shown as a patient at Juniper Hill, having suffered a mental breakdown.

The story then flashes forward to 1988, the setting for the events in the movie IT (2017). An elderly Mrs. Kersh is painting a picture of Pennywise when she hears shouting from down the hallway. She investigates and discovers Elfrida Marsh has hanged herself. Twelve-year-old Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis) is seen crying and clinging to her father, Alvin Marsh, who angrily pushes her away. He later unfairly blames Beverly for his wife’s death.

Ingrid watches as Beverly turns to face a woman who offers a strange comfort: “Oh, dear. Don’t be sad. They say no one truly dies in Derry.” The episode concludes with Ingrid giving a chilling grin. This echoes a line she previously delivered to Lilly in Episode 6, and would later repeat to the grown-up Beverly Marsh.

In the 2019 follow-up to the original story, grown-up Beverly Marsh returns to her childhood home, hoping to see her father. When she rings the bell for the Marsh apartment, an older woman answers, but Beverly realizes the name on the door has changed to Kersh. Thinking she has the wrong place, Beverly apologizes and explains she’s looking for her father. The woman informs her that Alvin has passed away and offers her a drink.

After being inside for a moment, Beverly notices a man and a young girl depicted on the wallpaper. She’s terrified when Mrs. Kersh reveals the man was her father, and then a frightening, distorted version of the woman bursts out of the kitchen, chasing after Beverly.

Ingrid passed away sometime between 1988, when she was in her late 80s, and 2016, after Beverly’s experience in her mother’s room. It’s logical that Beverly would remember the elderly woman who frightened her during such a sensitive time. Mrs. Kersh would be a fitting figure to reappear in Beverly’s apartment.

Returning to Derry triggered some memories for Beverly, but she likely didn’t recall the specific event at Juniper Hill. If she had recognized the person involved, she almost certainly wouldn’t have gone into the apartment.

Will Welcome to Derry Have a Season 2?

Season one of Welcome to Derry centered on Pennywise’s attacks in 1962, but future seasons will explore the events of 1935 and 1908. This season offered glimpses of all three time periods, as the character Mrs. Kersh appeared in each one.

The show’s seasons will each culminate in a significant event signaling the end of a hunting period – a tradition the Shokopiwah tribe calls the “augury.” Season one’s augury is represented by the Black Spot fire, mirroring the historical Bradley Gang Massacre of 1935. Season three will focus on the Kitchener Ironworks explosion. Both events are hinted at in the show’s opening sequence.

I’m really hoping we get more of Welcome to Derry! The people making the show have talked about it lasting three seasons, which would be amazing, but HBO hasn’t officially said if it’s been renewed yet. With everything going on at Warner Bros. Discovery, it feels like a lot of projects are up in the air, including this one. Still, I’m keeping my fingers crossed we’ll hear something positive after the finale airs!

It: Welcome to Derry Season 1 is now streaming on HBO.

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2025-12-15 06:14