The first chapter of ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ has officially closed, leaving horror aficionados across Kenya with more questions than answers. The prequel series, which expands on the universe created by author Stephen King, concluded its terrifying run, but the story of the demonic entity Pennywise is far from over.

For Kenyan viewers streaming on platforms that carry HBO content, the series has become a major talking point. It taps into the global appetite for high-quality horror, a genre that continues to find a dedicated audience locally. The show’s success demonstrates how international streaming hits are shaping entertainment conversations right here in Nairobi.

Developed by Andy and Barbara Muschietti alongside Jason Fuchs, the team behind the recent blockbuster ‘It’ films, the series delves into the cursed town’s history decades before the Losers' Club existed. The finale, titled “Winter Fire,” wrapped up the 1962 cycle of death and fear but deliberately left several narrative threads dangling.

Unmasking the Monster

One of the biggest mysteries revolves around the origins of Pennywise, played once again by a terrifying Bill Skarsgård. While the show confirms the creature is an ancient, cosmic entity that crash-landed on Earth, its deeper history remains shrouded. The finale revealed Pennywise is not just a simple monster but a godlike force terrified of its own eventual defeat. This has left fans wondering:

• Who or what cast the entity out from the “darkest part of the night sky” millions of years ago?
• Will the show ever explore its home dimension or introduce other cosmic beings from King’s wider universe, like the mythical turtle god Maturin?
• How did the entity first adopt the form of Bob Gray, the man who performed as Pennywise the Dancing Clown?

Derry's Lingering Shadows

The finale also made strong connections to Stephen King’s broader literary world, delighting longtime fans. Dick Hallorann, a character from ‘The Shining,’ plays a key role and his decision to leave Derry for a chef's job at the Overlook Hotel is a chilling piece of foreshadowing. Furthermore, the episode confirmed that the town itself acts as a cage for Pennywise, with mystical pillars preventing its escape.

The decision by the Hanlon family to remain in Derry sets up their descendants, including future Losers' Club member Mike Hanlon, to be the town's guardians. This cyclical nature of trauma and responsibility is a core theme, suggesting that the fight against evil in Derry is a generational burden.

While HBO has not officially renewed the series, the creators have a three-season plan to explore Pennywise's earlier cycles of terror in 1935 and 1908. Given the show's massive global viewership, a return to the haunted town seems not just likely, but inevitable.