After a knockout episode of “IT: Welcome to Derry” last night, just one more episode remains in the 1962-set first season of the Pennywise prequel series. And the trailer has arrived.
But first, let’s talk a little bit about the penultimate episode (SPOILERS)…
Episode 7 of “IT: Welcome to Derry” was easily the standout hour of the entire season, with director Andy Muschietti bringing the horrifying Black Spot massacre from Stephen King’s novel to the screen for the very first time. We lost a major character in the process, with Rich Santos giving his own life to save the life of Marge Truman in a deeply emotional scene.
The episode also finally uncovered the origin story of Pennywise, showing us the moment that the entity known as IT decided to take on the form of a real circus performer named Bob Gray. It’s something that fans of Stephen King’s novel have been speculating for many years, and the second-to-last episode of “IT: Welcome to Derry” Season 1 has officially made that canon.
The other big shocker in Episode 7 is that while Pennywise was finished with his 1962 cycle and was preparing to slumber for another 27 years, the military’s plan to weaponize the entity has awoken the beast from his long nap. Covered up to the nose in the blood of his many victims from this cycle, Pennywise is back… and he’s more pissed off than ever before.
We also learned the true intentions behind the U.S. military freeing IT from its Derry-only prison, part of a foolish plan to unite Americans through the use of a shared fear. The idea is to allow IT/Pennywise to move beyond Derry, Maine and into the rest of the country, which we can only assume will have devastating consequences in the upcoming season finale.
Preview the upcoming eighth (and final) episode of “IT: Welcome to Derry” Season 1 below and don’t miss it this Sunday night (December 14) on HBO Max beginning at 9pm ET.
“IT: Welcome to Derry” has not yet been officially renewed for a second season, but the plan is for Season 2 to jump back in time 27 years and Season 3 to jump back 27 years before that.