Will Hanlon survived the attack from Pennywise in the Episode 7 finale of It: Welcome to Derry, but his survival came with a terrible cost. The young boy, who is destined to become the father of Mike Hanlon from the main It films, was left in a catatonic state after being hit by the creature’s Deadlights. This sets up a major rescue mission for the season finale. The same episode also featured a major and heroic death for another young character, shifting the series into its final act.
The penultimate episode of the season, titled “The Black Spot” and released on December 7, 2025, delivered major reveals about Pennywise’s origins while putting the show’s young cast in grave danger. With the season finale arriving on December 14, 2025, the fate of Will and his friends hangs in the balance.
Will Hanlon’s Fate After the Deadlights Attack
In the closing moments of Episode 7, Will Hanlon is attacked by Pennywise in his own home. The creature, freshly awakened after the military deliberately destroys one of the mystical pillars containing it, sets its sights on Will. The episode ends with Pennywise pouncing on the boy and hitting him with a blast of its Deadlights.
This orange light does not kill Will, but it leaves him in a severely altered state. His eyes turn white, and he is rendered catatonic and under Pennywise’s control. This confirms he is not dead, but he is far from safe. A preview for the season finale shows missing posters with Will’s face, indicating the entity has taken him.
Will’s survival is supported by the established lore of the It universe. In Stephen King’s novel and the subsequent films, Will Hanlon grows up to be the father of Mike Hanlon, a member of the Losers Club. This future confirms he will not die as a child in the prequel series. However, his immediate fate involves being a prisoner of Pennywise, requiring a rescue from his father, Leroy Hanlon, and the remaining members of Derry’s young friend group.
The Meaning and Power of Pennywise’s Deadlights
The attack on Will introduced a key element of Pennywise’s power to the TV series: the Deadlights. These are not just an attack but represent the true, terrifying form of the entity known as It. The Deadlights are described as an eternal, eldritch horror that devours souls, not just flesh.
In It: Welcome to Derry, Pennywise uses the Deadlights on two characters in Episode 7. First, he uses them on the adult Ingrid Kersh, leaving her in a nearly comatose state. He then uses the same power on Will. The effects can vary from insanity to a catatonic trance, often making victims into tools for Pennywise’s will.
This power has appeared in other It adaptations. In the 2017 film, young Beverly Marsh is saved from the Deadlights by a kiss from Ben Hanscom. In It: Chapter Two, the adult Richie Tozier is also caught in the Deadlights before being saved by Eddie Kaspbrak. The precedent suggests Will could be saved, but the process will be dangerous.
The Tragic Death of Rich Santos
While Will’s fate is left uncertain, Episode 7 delivered a definitive and heartbreaking conclusion for another young character, Rich Santos. Trapped with his friend Marge Truman inside the burning Black Spot nightclub, Rich made the ultimate sacrifice.
With the exits blocked and the roof collapsing, Rich found a small cooler. He forced Marge inside it to protect her from the flames and smoke, then held the lid shut from the outside. As Marge cried for him to let her out, Rich stayed on top of the cooler, telling her he loved her and that a knight’s job is to keep people safe. He died of smoke inhalation, and his body was found next to the cooler the next morning.
Rich’s death was particularly shocking to fans who had theorized he was the future father of Richie Tozier, due to his similar nickname and quick wit. His heroic act, motivated by human love and racism rather than Pennywise’s direct influence, marked one of the series’ most emotional moments.
The Military’s Shocking Plan for Pennywise
Episode 7 provided a major twist regarding the human forces in Derry. It was revealed that General Francis Shaw and the U.S. military have a secret agenda concerning Pennywise. Contrary to containing the threat, Shaw believes unleashing the entity every 27 years will keep the country united through a common fear, thereby preventing another civil war.
To this end, the military actively destroys one of the pillars that had been keeping It caged and in hibernation. This deliberate act is what re-awakens Pennywise and directly leads to the attack on Will Hanlon. This plot reveals that the human evil in Derry is just as calculated and dangerous as the supernatural threat.
Pennywise’s Twisted Origin Story Revealed
The episode also featured a flashback to 1908, detailing how the entity It came to take the form of a clown. The story shows the original Pennywise the Dancing Clown, a man named Bob Gray, performing a sad comic act for children. The cosmic entity, appearing as a creepy child, observes how kids are drawn to the clown.
It later lures Bob Gray into the woods, kills him, and decides to adopt his clown form as the perfect disguise to attract and feed on children. This origin story adds a new layer to the mythology, showing Pennywise as a stolen identity.
When to Watch the Season Finale
The first season of It: Welcome to Derry concludes with Episode 8, the season finale. The episode is scheduled to premiere on Sunday, December 14, 2025. New episodes are released on HBO and stream on Max at 9:00 PM Eastern Time.
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