IT: Welcome to Derry has been meticulously exploring the origins and limitations of the cosmic entity most commonly known as Pennywise. Previous episodes of the prequel series heavily implied that IT is trapped within the geographical confines of the town, unable to move beyond its established domain despite the promise of more abundant prey elsewhere. The narrative also alluded to the fact that Derry’s local Native American community has safeguarded secrets about Pennywise’s true nature for centuries. The fourth episode finally delivered on this promise, revealing a detailed origin story that reshapes the established lore while also confirming that the ancient being is effectively imprisoned.
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Warning: Spoilers below for IT: Welcome to Derry, Episode 4
The fourth episode of IT: Welcome to Derry dives deep into the past, retelling a legend passed down through generations of the fictional Shokopiwah tribe. According to their history, the entity arrived on Earth trapped inside a meteor that crashed in the region millions of years ago. The impact partially destroyed this cosmic cage, releasing the creature into the world. However, due to its prolonged confinement, Pennywise was too weakened to stray too far. As the first people to face IT, the Shokopiwah quickly learned to avoid the woods where the creature, which they named the “Galloo,” had made its den. This strategy kept their people safe and left the monster hungry, unable to expand its territory. Crucially, the Shokopiwah also discovered that fragments of the meteorite could be fashioned into weapons, forging a special knife to ward the entity away from their tribe.
This delicate balance was shattered when colonizers arrived in the area that would eventually become Derry. Ignoring the tribe’s warnings, they ventured into the woods and provided the creature with its first substantial meal in centuries. This banquet of fear and flesh renewed its strength, giving it the power to potentially break free and wander the world. To prevent this catastrophe, a group of young Shokopiwah warriors devised a plan. Armed with the meteorite knife, they entered the Galloo’s lair and retrieved 13 more fragments of its prison. They used these fragments as totems to create a magical field around the woods, raising the creature’s cage.
The Shokopiwah have guarded these totems ever since, ensuring the entity can never leave. Of course, the eventual establishment of Derry provided the creature with the steady supply of victims it needed to thrive. While this origin story is rich in detail, it leaves key aspects of the monster’s mythology unexplained.
IT: Welcome to Derry Still Hasn’t Explained Two of the Biggest Pennywise’s Rules
The origin story presented in IT: Welcome to Derry directly raises questions about two of the most fundamental aspects of the creature’s lore. The Shokopiwah legend shows that the entity was once a constantly active predator that successfully fed on adults, which is how it regained its strength. This account of its ancient past means that its 27-year hibernation cycle and its specific preference for hunting children were not original characteristics. Events that took place after its initial arrival must have forced the creature to adopt both a long-term hibernation pattern and a new primary food source, and these reasons have not yet been revealed by the series.
In Stephen King’s novel, Pennywise’s 27-year cycle is treated as a natural form of hibernation, akin to an insect’s life cycle, that is simply part of its being. The book also explains that Pennywise prefers to hunt children because their fears are less complex than adult fears, making them easier to manifest and more satisfying for the creature to consume. The origin story in IT: Welcome to Derry deviates significantly from this source material by establishing that neither of these traits was originally present. This raises the question of whether the show will continue to introduce new lore to provide an entirely different explanation for how and why these iconic rules of Pennywise came to be.
New episodes of IT: Welcome to Derry premiere on HBO every Sunday.
What theories do you have for Pennywise’s 27-year cycle and its preference for children? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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