The Revelation Derry (and Twitter) Couldn’t Expect
Well, that’s it. Episode 7 of “It: Welcome to Derry” exploded social media faster than a balloon in Georgie’s hands, and all because, at last, they told us the cosmic gossip that we had been waiting for for decades: where the hell Pennywise’s clown look came from. It turns out that it was not a random aesthetic choice in the vacuum of space, but full-fledged identity theft (or rather, full-blown nightmare).
Spoiler alert (although if you’re reading this, it’s because FOMO got the better of you): the penultimate episode of the season takes us on a trip back in time to 1908, to introduce us to the original, human and earthly Bob Gray, known in town as “The Dancing Clown.” Imagine: a guy with a real show, trying to make an honest living between laughs and cartwheels, not knowing that a hungry cosmic entity had him in its sights as its next skin (costume, for non-gamers).
A Macabre Encounter in the Forest
The plot shows us Bob, in his impeccable white suit, planning a number with his daughter Ingrid. His artistic dream is cut short one night when a lost and suspiciously sinister boy comes out of the forest. The dialogue is for framing: “It seems that you attract children,” the brat says with a calm that chills the blood. Bob, trying to be brusque, responds, “I don’t [find my parents] either; they’re dead.” But, in a twist of epic bad luck, his heart (or curiosity) got the better of him and he decided to help the little… fatal mistake.
What followed was, as we would colloquially say, a disaster of cosmic proportions. Ingrid finds only a bloody handkerchief and the cheap excuse of a bear attack. Spoiler: it wasn’t a bear. It was the entity known as It, observing, learning and deciding that this character, the happy clown who attracts children, was the perfect vehicle for its perpetual banquet.
So basically, Pennywise is the ultimate identity theft. Bob Gray was not only devoured, but his essence, his job and his nickname became the definitive camouflage for an interdimensional predator. A hard lesson: even in the 20th century there were problems with identity theft, only with much bloodier consequences.
And What Is ‘It’ Really? A Cosmic Review
For those who arrived late to the show, the series and the movies have made it clear that It is not a simple monster. It is an ancient creature, a force of pure and terrifying energy called Deadlights, which can distort reality and take any form it pleases, especially that of your worst fears. His modus operandi is textbook for the efficient villain: he steals a convincing identity (in this case, that of the clown), lures his victims and, after a feast of terror, takes a 27-year nap. The cycle of life, Stephen King version.
The next and final episode, which premieres this Sunday, promises to show the final awakening of chaos in Derry and the fate of our protagonists, who probably wish they had moved to another town far, far away.
**Are you left wanting more horror and cultural references?** Don’t let fear paralyze you. Share this article with your friends on your social networks and debate: did the origin of Pennywise live up to expectations or did it leave you with more questions? And then explore more content related to the shows and movies that are defining modern horror. The (scary) fun never ends.
