It: Welcome to Derry Season 1 Episode 3 Overview
The third episode of It: Welcome to Derry, titled Now You See It, airs on November 9, 2025, on HBO Max. This episode deepens the connections within Stephen King's multiverse, mixing key character crossovers with cosmic mythology.
Stephen King Universe Connections
Episode 3 links the 1962 prequel events directly to the Losers Club’s experiences in 1989, which is the timeframe of the 2017 film It: Chapter One. It expands on King’s established concept of a 27-year cycle, where Pennywise awakens to feed and then returns to dormancy.
"The show operates on Stephen King’s established 27-year cycle, where Pennywise awakens, feeds, and returns to dormancy." — Radio Times
Plot and Mythology Developments
- The episode features at least nine confirmed references to Stephen King's wider literary universe.
- It reveals how early traumas in Derry influenced its supernatural events.
- Introduces General Shaw’s Operation Precept, a military attempt to weaponize Pennywise during the Cold War.
- This subplot implies the government’s prior knowledge of Pennywise decades before the Losers Club confronts the entity.
Season Schedule
The series maintains a weekly release schedule on HBO Max through its eight-episode first season, set to conclude on December 14, 2025.
Author’s Summary
This episode solidifies the link between the prequel and original films, enriching Stephen King’s multiverse by unveiling military involvement and the cyclical nature of Pennywise's terror.