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- Welcome to Derry dives deep into the history of the town cursed by Pennywise, expanding on the lore from the It films and King’s universe.
- Episode 1 is packed with callbacks to The Shining, The Dark Tower, The Music Man, and even The Flash comic multiverse.
- A shocking ending wipes out most of the main kids, proving no one is safe in this horrifying prequel.
Mutant Babies and Shining Secrets: Welcome to Derry Season 1 - Episode 1 Explained
Welcome to Derry isn’t here to play nice.
HBO’s highly anticipated prequel to the IT films just dropped its pilot episode — and it doesn’t just set the tone, it cranks the fear dial to 11 and then rips it off. From mutant babies and literal nightmare fuel to deep Stephen King lore and even DC Universe winks, this first episode is a masterclass in how to launch a horror series.
Let’s dive into the madness that is Welcome to Derry Episode 1: The Pilot.
It Begins With a Song — But Not the One You Expect
The episode kicks off with an eerie use of the Music Man’s “Trouble” — a musical number that once got laughs now feels sinister when piped over a dark theater in 1962 Derry, Maine.
Why The Music Man? Because like its con-man protagonist Harold Hill, Pennywise comes to town under the guise of something innocent and fun — and leaves destruction in his wake. It’s a clever parallel and an unsettling tone-setter. That musical number also becomes a recurring motif throughout the episode, subtly echoing how fear spreads in Derry.
The Kids Aren't Alright
Let’s meet our tragic protagonist Maddie — a bruised, abused little boy who ends up hitching a ride with a “perfectly normal” family that turns out to be anything but.
This is where the episode swan-dives into true horror. The family starts chanting creepy words, pulling out raw liver, and eventually birthing — yes, birthing — a mutant baby with a dead twin attached to its chest and one flapping wing.
Think X-Files meets Rosemary’s Baby, but add a splash of The Mist and Pennywise’s cruel sense of humor. The grotesque birth is a twisted manifestation of everything Pennywise feeds on: fear, trauma, and unresolved pain.
The Lore Runs Deep
If you thought this show was just going to be jump scares and red balloons, think again. Welcome to Derry is soaked in lore.
- The 27-Year Cycle is back, and the show is taking us through different historical horrors: the Black Spot fire (1962), the Bradley Gang shootout (1935), and the Iron Works explosion (1908) — all planned for future seasons.
- Dick Hallorann from The Shining makes an appearance (played by Chris Chalk!), tying in another major King storyline. He even "shines" in this episode.
- The Derry Standpipe, the Black Spot nightclub, and even Jade of the Orient (where the adult Losers reunite in IT Chapter Two) are all back and loaded with easter eggs.
And yes, we even get references to Maturin the Turtle, the cosmic guardian from The Dark Tower series — King’s ultimate counterbalance to Pennywise.
DC Comics… Wait, What?
Blink and you might miss it, but there’s a ton of DC DNA scattered through the episode.
- Teddy, one of the main kids, is seen reading The Flash #123, the iconic comic that introduced the DC multiverse.
- Later, he reads Detective Comics #298, which marks the first appearance of Clayface — who’s set to headline the upcoming Brave and the Bold movie that IT director Andy Muschietti is helming.
Yup, these references aren’t just filler — they’re very intentional.
Then the Episode Goes Full Stephen King Mode
The final act is where the show drops all pretenses of this being just a spooky coming-of-age drama.
Maddie reappears on the theater screen holding that same mutant baby. But surprise: it’s not really Maddie. It’s Pennywise in disguise, guilt-tripping the remaining kids for not being there for their friend.
Then — in true IT fashion — the mutant baby launches itself off the screen, now seven feet tall thanks to movie logic, and begins a massacre. Teddy is brutally killed, Phil is ripped to shreds midair, and Susie is eaten… leaving only her tiny hand still in Lily’s grasp.
The horror. The heartbreak. The callback to Georgie in the sewers. It’s all here.
The Bigger Picture: Is Project Arrowhead Involved?
There’s a quiet subplot brewing that might tie Welcome to Derry to The Mist — another King classic involving transdimensional horror.
The presence of a “Special Projects” military facility near Derry suggests possible ties to Project Arrowhead, the experiment that accidentally opened a gateway to another dimension in The Mist.
Could this be where Pennywise comes from? The possibilities are terrifying — and geekily exciting.
This Ain't Your Typical IT Adaptation
From its historical setting to the sprawling Kingverse connections, Welcome to Derry is shaping up to be more than just a prequel. It’s a horror epic.
And in true HBO fashion, nobody is safe. The showrunners aren’t afraid to wipe out your favorite characters in the pilot (RIP Susie, Teddy, and Phil), and that makes the stakes feel real.
Plus, the blend of period authenticity, Cold War tension, cosmic horror, and childhood trauma makes this series not just scary — but smart.
Whether you’re here for the King easter eggs, the disturbing creature design, or the creeping dread of Derry’s cursed history, one thing is clear:
👹 Pennywise is back… and he’s never been more terrifying.
Stay trapped in the sewers of geek horror with more deep dives on Welcome to Derry and the Stephen King universe at Land of Geek Magazine!
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