“It: Welcome To Derry” has premiered, and its inaugural episode is already manipulating timelines and skillfully integrating certain beloved characters from other Stephen King narratives. Although Pennywise has yet to make his formal debut, one character currently hinted at is Dick Hallorann from “The Shining,” who appears to be poised for a more significant role in the series than he had in the original “It” novel. The series is undoubtedly taking creative liberties with some of King’s most iconic characters, yet it may face challenges similar to those encountered by the films directed by Andy Muschietti, particularly regarding the inclusion of giant space turtles.
In the original 1986 novel, Bill Denbrough, the leader of the Losers Club, discovered a method to conquer Pennywise with the help of Maturin, a colossal space turtle and sibling to the malevolent entity, who provided guidance on how to defeat the clown. Maturin, who appears in various other King works, including the “The Dark Tower” series (which is also set to receive its own adaptation soon), is a vast being of tremendous power, which accounts for why he could not be seamlessly integrated into Muschietti’s films from 2017 and 2019, although he is alluded to throughout both. Now, in this new narrative, set years prior to “It: Chapter One,” it seems that the enormous turtle is already making subtle appearances, starting with one of the few survivors from that terrifying cinematic experience.
The brief search and rescue operation for Matty (Miles Ekhardt) features Lily (Clara Stack), who, similar to many in this group of children, is pursuing their missing classmate more out of guilt than for any other reason. Specifically, we witness a flashback that shows a quiet moment shared with Matty, during which she exchanged a rocket charm from a box of Cracker Jack for a turtle, stating, “Turtles are lucky.” For those unfamiliar with Stephen King’s extensive oeuvre, this detail may easily be missed; however, for those who have spent considerable time in Derry, or indeed, the Macroverse, Matty’s treasure would undoubtedly have captured your interest.
This selection is not random but rather a deliberate choice, akin to the first two “It” films that featured LEGO turtles, or the Losers encountering them during their summer swimming escapades, or Bill later chewing on a Maturin root to enact The Ritual of Chüd. In the context of Lily’s charm, it raises the question of whether this mini-Maturin could have significance in future episodes of “Welcome to Derry,” similar to how other artifacts played a role for the Losers in their unavoidable confrontation with Pennywise. In a realm where slingshots and bolt guns were effective against a creature that could not be vanquished by human means, might Lily’s offering be the first of several items that could impede It in the preliminary round against a genuine group of misfits? We will need to keep watching “It: Welcome to Derry” as it unfolds on HBO Max to discover the answer.
