The third episode of It: Welcome to Derry intertwines multiple elements from Stephen King’s literary universe, blending character crossovers and cosmic mythology. Titled Now You See It, the episode premieres on November 9, 2025, on HBO Max, continuing the series’ weekly schedule and progressing toward its December 14 finale.
Episode 3 deepens the connection between the 1962 storyline and the events of 1989, featured in It: Chapter One. The narrative mirrors King’s recurring 27-year cycle — a pattern where Pennywise emerges, preys on fear, and then returns to hibernation.
“By positioning the narrative exactly 27 years before the children first encounter the entity in 1989, the prequel establishes how earlier trauma shaped Derry’s supernatural landscape.”
The episode expands upon how these cycles influence Derry’s haunted history, framing the town’s evil as an enduring curse that predates the Losers Club.
These links strengthen the sense that Derry operates within King’s broader multiverse, where events from distinct novels subtly connect across timelines.
Set in 1962, the story enriches the mythology surrounding Pennywise’s origins. Through its Cold War conspiracy thread, it portrays not only supernatural horror but also human ambition and fear of the unknown, solidifying Derry’s place as a nexus of King’s interconnected worlds.
Author’s Summary: Episode 3 of It: Welcome to Derry masterfully blends King’s mythos with Cold War paranoia, expanding the lore through nine intertextual references and a chilling sense of continuity.