The premiere episode of HBO’s IT: Welcome to Derry has surely left jaws wide open in horror and shock. It’s okay, we know how you felt after watching that terrifying episode, folks! Helmed by Andy Muschietti, the pilot was nothing short of a rollercoaster ride filled with excitement, gore, blood, and sheer terror.
The episode delivered plenty of unforgettable moments and characters, but one in particular has set the internet ablaze with fan theories. Yes, we’re talking about that grotesque, two-headed, winged creature born in a blood-soaked car: the Demon Baby.
SPOILER WARNING!!!
This hellish newborn is far more than just a shocking gore-fest. It’s a spine-chilling manifestation of the town’s deepest anxieties, perfectly setting the stage for this dark prequel. And yes, fans can’t stop asking the big question: is this our first terrifying glimpse of Pennywise’s power taking a new, monstrous form?
Theories connecting the Demon Baby directly to Pennywise are already spreading across the internet, and they make sense within the IT universe’s shapeshifting mythology. The demonic entity feeds on fear, and the show’s creators have tied this creature to the psychological and social landscape of the early 1960s.
Director Andy Muschietti revealed that he created the Demon Baby specifically to explore the anxieties of 1962. In a recent interview, he explained that the creature was designed to embody the era’s collective fears surrounding nuclear war, radiation exposure, and birth defects, fears amplified by the Cold War, lingering World War II trauma, and the looming Cuban Missile Crisis.
That era in the U.S. was defined by “Duck and Cover” drills, and the image of a grotesque, malformed, violent infant stands as the ultimate physical embodiment of a generation’s dread. Instead of a clown feeding on childish terror, we see a monstrous symbol of contamination and existential despair, the kind of horror that seeps into the adult world and poisons innocence from above.
Easter Eggs: Whispers from the prequel series
Beyond the Demon Baby, the first episode is a treasure for Stephen King fans, packed with subtle Easter eggs that anchor it firmly within the broader King universe.
Meet the grandfather of Mike Hanlon
One of the biggest Easter eggs is the introduction of Major Leroy Hanlon, who appears to be the grandfather of Mike Hanlon (from the IT films). The show’s timeline, based on Muschietti’s movies, supports this connection. A teaser even shows Major Hanlon’s son introducing himself as Will, the canonical name of Mike Hanlon’s father in King’s books.
Alvin Marsh – the father of Beverly Marsh
In a subtle yet chilling touch, the name Alvin Marsh, the future abusive father of Beverly Marsh, appears as graffiti on a school bathroom stall, circled by a heart. The detail, seen when Lilly is pulled into the bathroom by her friend Margie, is dark foreshadowing that hints at the corruption already festering in Derry’s youth.
Is Teddy the uncle of Stanley Uris?
The phrase “Teddy Urine sucks balls” scrawled on Teddy’s locker is another piece of graffiti used as an Easter egg. Though his last name isn’t given, Teddy’s Jewish faith strongly suggests a family link to the Losers’ Club member, Stanley Uris. Teddy is too young to be Stanley’s father, but he has an older brother. The likely theory is that Teddy’s older brother is Stanley Uris’s father, which would make Teddy Stanley’s uncle.
So many “turtle” references
Another substantial Easter Egg in the episode is the sheer amount of turtle imagery. This includes the school sign featuring “Bert the Turtle” promoting “duck and cover,” a mascot in a turtle costume handing out nuclear safety tips, and the turtle charm Matty gives Lilly from a Cracker Jack box.
This seems like a nod to Maturin, a benevolent cosmic entity from the larger Dark Tower universe and the natural enemy of Pennywise. As a force of creation opposing Pennywise’s destruction, the recurring presence of the turtle offers a subtle yet hopeful hint that the residents of Derry may have an unseen ally in their fight.
What will happen now?
As a prequel, Welcome to Derry has significant flexibility to expand on the established story and deepen the lore of Pennywise. The show can use the setting of the 1950s and 1960s, a period marked by considerable geopolitical tension and cultural instability, to explore powerful new avenues for allegorical storytelling.
Another shocker came in the form of the tragic deaths of the kids inside the movie theatre, at the hands (or should we say wings?) of the Demon Baby in the first episode. Many viewers assumed these kids were the Losers’ Club of the prequel, well, they were so wrong! What happens now?
Will we see new kids joining Lilly and Ronnie? Or will the story shift its focus more toward the adult characters this time? Let’s wait and find out.
Indian viewers can watch the premiere episode of IT: Welcome to Derry on JioHotstar. Stay tuned for more updates.
We’re hiring!
We are hiring two full-time junior to mid-level writers with the option to work remotely. You need to work a 5-hour shift and be available to write. Interested candidates should email their sample articles to [email protected]. Applications without a sample article will not be considered.
