It: Welcome To Derry Chapter 2 Updates: Here Are All The Subtle References In Finale That Connected The Stephen King Universe

Fans of Stephen King celebrated as the story finally all came together in the season finale of It: Welcome to Derry. HBO's eight-episode horror series wrapped up on 15 December, closing the first chapter of Pennywise's return.

Set decades before IT and IT: Chapter Two, the series followed a new group of young residents as the entity resurfaced, alongside a shadowy military plot aimed at understanding or stopping it. The ending offered clarity, restraint, and a careful trail of connections that long-time readers recognised immediately. But just what do we know about a possible upcoming sequel season? Were there Easter eggs that connected this final episode to the larger Stephen King universe?

Finale Context And Renewal Status

For now, HBO has not yet confirmed a second season, despite strong viewership that placed the debut behind only The Last of Us and House of the Dragon on HBO Max. Co-creator Andy Muschietti has stated since January that the plan was always three seasons, each tied to a different 27-year cycle in Pennywise's pattern. No formal decision has been announced, but the structure laid out in the finale reflects that longer plan.

Any continuation is expected to take time, though season two would likely face a shorter schedule than season one, which filmed from May 2023 and paused during industry strikes before wrapping in August 2024. Based on current information, Bill Skårsgard is the only confirmed returning cast member, continuing as the entity known as IT. However, the finale also left room for characters such as Dick Hallorann, played by Chris Chalk, to reappear.

Muschietti has said that future seasons would explore earlier feeding cycles described in the original novel. Season two would be set in 1935, leading towards the Bradley Gang massacre, while a third season would move back to 1908 and the Kitchener Ironworks fire. These events align with the historical research carried out by Mike Hanlon in King's book.

Stephen King Universe References Explained

The finale, titled Winter Fire, delivered its most direct crossover through Dick Hallorann. As he says goodbye to the Hanlons, Dick reveals he is heading to London to work as a cook at a hotel owned by an old friend. When asked if he will be all right, he replies, 'I think I'll manage. How much trouble can a hotel be?' The line directly links to The Shining, where Dick plays a major role at the Overlook Hotel and shares psychic abilities with Danny Torrance.

The episode also reinforced Pennywise's cosmic origins. IT is shown again as a shapeshifting being from the Macroverse, banished to Earth and trapped beneath Derry. Its true form, the Deadlights, appears as moving lights that immobilise those who look directly at them, a concept consistent with earlier books and adaptations.

During the climax, Pennywise pursues the children as a flying dragon while they attempt to place the shard into the tree at the edge of town. The imagery recalls The Dark Tower and The Eyes of the Dragon, King's 1984 fantasy novel that shares themes and elements with his wider body of work. Dragons are extinct in The Dark Tower, while a dragon head features prominently in The Eyes of the Dragon, tying the moment to both works.

'Eater Of Worlds' And Cosmic Parallels

While held psychically by Dick, Pennywise refers to himself as 'an eater of worlds'. The title has appeared before in King's novels, the 1990 miniseries, and IT: Chapter Two. It is also associated with the Crimson King, the central villain of The Dark Tower series, reinforcing the idea that Pennywise is part of a larger cosmic order rather than a singular threat. Together, these details confirmed that Welcome to Derry was never just a prequel, but a carefully placed chapter within Stephen King's connected universe.