The IT: Welcome to Derry season finale did more than just wrap up the 1962 story. It introduced a game-changing idea that reshapes the entire IT saga: Pennywise might not be bound by time. The explosive finale of the HBO series suggests the clown has a non-linear view of time, raising huge questions about his plans and the future of the show.
What Pennywise Revealed to Marge
In the final episode, titled “Winter Fire,” Pennywise corners Marge on the frozen Derry River. He tells her something shocking: she will one day have a son named Richie Tozier, who, along with his friends, will cause the clown’s death.
The clown tells Marge, “The seed of your stinking loins and his filthy friends bring me my death! Or is it birth?”
He adds, “Tomorrow? Yesterday? It’s all the same for little Pennywise.” This suggests Pennywise experiences all momentsโpast, present, and futureโat once. He isn’t just predicting the future; he claims to be living it simultaneously. For Marge, a 13-year-old girl, hearing that her future son is destined to kill this monster is a lot to process.
This twist confirms fan theories about Marge’s identity. Her thick glasses and talent for impressions were strong hints. The finale confirms she grows up to become Maggie Tozier, the mother of Richie (played by Finn Wolfhard and Bill Hader in the films). She names her son after her first love, Richie Santos, who died in the Black Spot fire.
Is It Time Travel or Something Else?
The finale leaves a big question: Can Pennywise physically travel through time, or does he just perceive it differently? Marge believes he might be able to move through time. After the battle, she worries out loud to her friend Lilly.
“What if he tries to go back and kill someone from the time before we were born, like our parents?” Marge asks.
This idea sets up the planned future of the series. The show’s creators have stated they envision a three-season story moving backward in time. While HBO has not officially announced a renewal, the creators’ plan is clear:
- Season 2 would be set in 1935.
- Season 3 would go back to 1908.
If Pennywise is aware of his future death in 2016, his attacks in these earlier eras could be a targeted campaign. He wouldn’t just be feeding randomly; he could be trying to eliminate the ancestors of the Losers’ Club to prevent his own demise. This gives a new, desperate motivation to his past cycles of violence.
How the 1962 Story Ended
The time travel reveal happened during the climax of a huge battle. After the U.S. Army foolishly destroyed one of the mystical pillars caging Pennywise, a supernatural fog enveloped Derry. The clown attempted to escape the town’s borders for good.
Marge, Lilly, Ronnie, and the ghost of Richie Santos worked with adults like Dick Hallorann and Leroy Hanlon to stop him. They used a magical dagger to reseal the clown’s prison, forcing him back into hibernation beneath Derry for another 27 years.
The ending also set up the future for key characters:
- The Hanlon Family decided to stay in Derry to watch over the town, directly leading to Mike Hanlon’s childhood on the farm.
- Dick Hallorann left for a new job, mentioning he was going to work as a chef at a friend’s hotelโa clear nod to his future at the Overlook Hotel from The Shining.
The Post-Credits Scene and Connections to the Movies
The finale included a post-credits scene that bridges directly to the IT films. It flashes forward to 1988 at the Juniper Hill asylum.
We see a young Beverly Marsh (played again by Sophia Lillis) after her mother’s death. She is watched by an elderly Ingrid Kersh (played by Joan Gregson), who whispers, “No one who dies in Derry ever really dies”. This is the same woman who, as Mrs. Kersh, terrorizes the adult Beverly (Jessica Chastain) in IT: Chapter Two. This scene ties the series directly to the movies and shows Pennywise’s influence spreading across decades.
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What This Means for the IT Story
This new twist makes Pennywise a more complex and threatening villain. If he exists across all timelines at once, the creature the kids fought in 1962 is the same entity that knows it will be defeated in 2016. This could mean his fear and anger are constant, making his attacks more personal.
It also introduces a major narrative question: If he knows the future, can he change it? Some fans argue that if his perception is truly non-linear, then his defeat is already a fixed point he cannot alter. Others believe the show is setting up a plot where Pennywise actively tries to rewrite history. The show’s creators have teased this is a central mystery for future seasons.
“The pitch to Stephen King was we’re going to tell a story backwards, and it has to do with that hint,” said co-creator Andy Muschietti.
The first season of IT: Welcome to Derry is streaming on HBO Max.
