It: Welcome to Derry‘s episode 7 features one of the most tragic developments of the show before highlighting the truth about General Shaw’s plan.

In the final moments of It: Welcome to Derry‘s episode 6, many people from Derry showed up at the Black Spot after learning that Ronnie’s father was hiding there after escaping from Shawshank Prison. Episode 7 reveals that they wish to cause no trouble and only hope to capture the escaped convict and leave. However, when Hallorann resists, they decide to burn down the Black Spot.

Many characters end up dead in the fire, and, unfortunately, Rich, too, dies when he puts his life on the line to save Marge. Before the episode’s final credits start rolling, Shaw and his men also find one of the shards that keeps Pennywise trapped in the woods before the General reveals the truth about his plan to Leroy Hanlon.

What Pennywise Does To Will & Mrs. Kersh In It: Welcome To Derry Episode 7

Pennywise exposes both Mrs. Kerch and Will to its true Deadlights form. According to the lore in the original Stephen King book, even a glimpse of the Deadlights is enough to make one’s mind collapse. As seen in the Mrs. Kersh scene, it freezes the victim’s body and makes them completely lose themselves to Pennywise’s control.

In episode 7’s ending moments, Will, too, is exposed to the Deadlights by Pennywise, suggesting that he, too, will meet the same fate as Mrs. Kersh. For now, though, both characters are still seemingly alive. Given how Will Hanlon’s future in the franchise is known, he will somehow end up saving himself from fully slipping into Pennywise’s grasp, either by breaking the Deadlights’ trance himself or by being pulled out by someone else (likely his mother).

General Shaw’s Real Plan Explained: Why He Wants To Free Pennywise

After learning about the location of one of the shards that keeps Pennywise contained in the forests, General Shaw’s men take it to their military base and try to destroy it. This makes Hanlon wonder what they are actually trying to do. When he confronts Shaw, the General reveals that the nuclear threat from other nations was never his biggest concern.

His biggest concern has always been the internal state of his own nation, where crime has been significantly rising. By setting Pennywise loose and allowing it to freely feed during his cycles, Shaw hopes to instill fear in the minds of the people of the country. He hopes that the threat of a cosmic force like Pennywise would discipline people and force them to become more compliant. Put simply, Shaw wants to use Pennywise as a weapon to enforce authoritarian rule in America.

Whose Spirit Leads Dick Hallorann To The First Shard From The Star

Dick Hallorann seems to see the spirit of one of Rose’s ancestors, who is likely Necani or her mother. As the show’s past timeline revealed. Necani’s mother, the Sesqui, was murdered by Pennywise before Necani found the fallen star that got Pennywise to Earth. She and her people use shards from the star to ensure Pennywise remained trapped in the woods.

However, since Necani and her mother’s primary motive was to ensure Pennywise did not harm humans, it is hard not to wonder why the woman helps Hallorann find the shard. It seems possible that the woman is another projection created by Pennywise in his Hallorann’s head. Or, Necani’s mother must be out for revenge against invaders, like General Shaw, who were also responsible for setting Pennywise free when she was alive.

How Rich’s Death Affects The Other Children In It: Welcome To Derry

All the young characters grieve Rich’s death, and Marge, for obvious reasons, is the most affected by it. Even though Rich’s demise is heartbreaking, It: Welcome to Derry was seemingly foreshadowing it for quite some time. His passing will likely serve as a catalyst for the other young characters to fight harder against Pennywise.

It will give them the courage to stand tall against the cosmic threat and show no fear when they confront it. At the same time, though, Rich’s death is also a reminder of how It: Welcome to Derry is no Stranger Things replacement. It highlights how the show is a brutal Stephen King adaptation where no character is safe against the evil Pennywise.

Is Derry Actually Safe When Pennywise Is Asleep?

General Shaw and his military men assume that since Pennywise has completed another feeding cycle and has gone back to sleep, Derry is safe from it until its next cycle begins. Owing to this, they do not think twice before burning down one of the shards that keep it contained. However, as the episode later reveals, Pennywise awakens after sensing the opening in the woods and attacks Will.

This development suggests that after seeing the opportunity to escape its containment, Pennywise has seemingly reawakened and will spread even more chaos in Derry. It will now come down to Hanlon, Hallorann, and the younger characters in It: Welcome to Derry‘s finale to find a way to trap it again before it is too late.