The creators and stars of IT: Welcome to Derry are telling fans to get ready for an emotional final episode. At a recent fan event, they used words like “heartbreaking” and “devastation” to describe the upcoming season finale. This comes after a major seventh episode that finally explained the origin of Pennywise and left several characters in terrible danger. The final episode of Season 1 arrives on December 14 on HBO and HBO Max.
What the Show’s Team Says About the Finale
At the CCXP fan convention in São Paulo, Brazil, the mood was somber when talking about the end of the season. The team was asked for one word to describe the intense seventh episode.
Chris Chalk, who plays Dick Hallorann, called it “Devastation.” Director and co-creator Andy Muschietti agreed, adding, “Devastating, like deaths.” His sister and producing partner, Barbara Muschietti, chose the word “Heartbreaking”. These comments strongly suggest that not all of the characters viewers have followed will make it out of Derry alive.
This warning follows a sixth episode that ended with a racist mob arriving at a bar called the Black Spot, setting the stage for a violent confrontation. Actor Rudy Mancuso, who plays the heroic Pauly Russo, reflected on his character’s earlier sacrifice to save his best friend, noting that Pauly felt it was his purpose.
How Episode 7 Set Up a Tragic Finale
The most recent episode, titled “The Black Spot,” made several major revelations that raise the stakes for the finale. Most importantly, it finally answered a long-standing question from Stephen King’s stories: how the cosmic evil known as It came to look like Pennywise the Dancing Clown.
The episode revealed that in 1908, there was a real, struggling circus performer named Bob Gray. He was a sad clown whose act involved missing his dead wife, Periwinkle. Bob had a young daughter, Ingrid, who adored him. The creature known as It was drawn to Bob because of his unique, if pitiful, ability to attract the attention of children. It consumed Bob and permanently took on his clown appearance, becoming the Pennywise we know.
This revelation is directly tied to the present-day character Ingrid Kersh, played by Madeleine Stowe. She is the grown-up daughter of the original Bob Gray. For years, she believed her father might still be alive within the clown. In Episode 7, she deliberately tried to lure out the monster, hoping to reach him. Instead, Pennywise showed her the horrifying truth and attacked her with the Deadlights—the blinding orange light that represents It’s true, soul-consuming form. The episode left Ingrid in a catatonic state, likely to be used as a puppet by Pennywise.
The episode ended with an even more dire cliffhanger. After It returns to hibernation, the U.S. military deliberately wakes the creature back up, believing its terrifying power can be used as a weapon. The finale begins with a fully freed Pennywise attacking young Will Hanlon, the future father of Mike Hanlon from the original It story. The last shot is of Pennywise leaping at Will and blasting him with the deadly Deadlights.
What Are the Deadlights?
The Deadlights are a crucial part of Pennywise’s power and nature. They are not just an attack but the actual, horrifying form of the creature from beyond our universe. To look at them is to see It’s endless, hungry essence, which can devour a person’s soul and leave their body in a vegetative state.
In Stephen King’s mythology, the effects of the Deadlights can vary. They can cause insanity or a deep, coma-like trance. In the stories, characters like Beverly Marsh and Richie Tozier have been hit by the Deadlights and saved by their friends. The fate of Will Hanlon and Ingrid Kersh after being exposed is one of the biggest questions going into the finale.
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The Finale’s Release and What Comes Next
The Season 1 finale of IT: Welcome to Derry premieres on Sunday, December 14, on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.
While HBO has not officially announced a second season, the show’s creators, Andy and Barbara Muschietti, have plans for a three-season story. Their vision would see the story continue in 1935 and then 1962, moving closer to the events of the first It film. Given the show’s strong premiere ratings, fans are hopeful the story of Derry will continue.
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