The finale of the first season of ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ has just arrived on HBO Max, and it not only concludes the current battle but redefines the timeline of the franchise created by Stephen King. The conclusion, aired this Thursday, reveals that Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) operates outside of time and is already trying to manipulate the past to avoid his future fate at the hands of the Losers’ Club.
The Final Confrontation on the Frozen River
The eighth episode, directed by Andy Muschietti, places the young protagonists in a desperate race against time. Lilly (Clara Stack), Ronnie (Amanda Christine), and Marge (Matilda Lawler) need to plant a dagger made from the same cosmic rock as the containment pillars before It escapes the boundaries of Derry. The relic, however, resists being moved from the meteor crash site where Neibolt House would be built, attacking the teenagers’ minds. The situation becomes critical when General Shaw (James Remar) orders his men to shoot, causing casualties and freeing It from Dick Hallorann’s (Chris Chalk) temporary mental control.
The Temporal Revelation Linking Series and Films
The major narrative twist occurs when Pennywise, in his clown form, isolates Marge in the ice. The inter-dimensional being reveals that she will be the future mother of Richie Tozier, one of the members of the Losers’ Club who will defeat him decades later. This scene establishes the framework for the upcoming seasons, already planned to be set in 1935 and 1908. It’s line – ‘The past, present, and future are all the same’ – confirms his intention to travel through time to eradicate his future killers, altering key events even before their parents are born.
The Elements That Contained the Threat
The solution to the crisis comes from a combination of spiritual forces and sacrifice. With the help of the ghost of young Rich (Arian S. Cartaya), who inspired the name Richie Tozier, and the guidance of the spirit of an indigenous woman (Morningstar Angeline), the group manages to drive the dagger into the roots of a dead tree. This act reconnects the cosmic barrier, forcing It to return to its 27-year hibernation cycle. The intervention of Dick Hallorann and his ‘Shine’ was crucial, even if temporary, to save Marge and allow the plan to be executed.
- The Cosmic Dagger: Fragment of the meteor that brought It, essential to reinforce the prison.
- Dick Hallorann’s Vision: His psychic ability, a family ‘gift’ in King’s universe, is used against It’s mind.
- The Connection to ‘The Shining’: Hallorann’s presence solidifies Muschietti’s cinematic ‘King-verse’.
- The Victims: Taniel (Joshua Odjick) is killed by the army, and Leroy (Jovan Adepo) is injured, showing the human cost.
Post-Credits Scene Connects Decades and Characters
The episode concludes with a powerful flashforward to October 1988, months before It’s next feeding cycle. It shows an elderly Ingrid Kersh (Madeleine Stowe/Joan Gregson) at Juniper Hill Asylum witnessing the suicide of Elfrida Marsh. When Elfrida’s daughter turns around, she is revealed to be a young Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis). The scene is a direct link to ‘IT: Chapter Two’, where an adult Beverly encounters It’s form as the ‘Old Lady Kersh’. Ingrid’s final line, ‘No one who dies here ever really dies’, echoes the permanent threat of Derry.
What to Expect from the Next Seasons
Lilly’s response to Marge’s concern about It changing the past – ‘I think that will be someone else’s fight’ – is a clear indication of the series’ scope. With new timelines to explore, the premise allows the series to investigate the deeper origins of It and its influence on previous generations of Derry. The fight against the cosmic entity, therefore, is not limited to the 1960s or the original Losers, but is a war that spans centuries, connecting the stories of all who have faced the terror in the cursed town.
