Every Stephen King Easter Egg In It: Welcome To Derry Episode 1

Warning: This article contains significant spoilers for It: Welcome to Derry episode 1.

Okay, I’ve seen the first episode of HBO’s Welcome to Derry, and it delivers exactly what you’d expect from a prequel created by Andy Muschietti – a ton of nods and connections to the broader Stephen King world. As a fan, I was picking up references to both his book and the It movies and miniseries he’s already done. It really feels like Muschietti is fleshing out the history we’ve only gotten glimpses of before, and it’s a treat for anyone familiar with Derry and its dark secrets.

Naturally, the episode is full of hidden references, and it definitely delivers! It’s important to remember the show’s story follows the newer movie timeline, not the original Stephen King book. However, the director cleverly combines elements from both the book and the movies, staying consistent with the movie timeline while adding details that were only hinted at in the book.

Here’s a breakdown of all the hidden details in the first episode of ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ – including nods to Stephen King’s work, references to popular culture, and clues about what’s to come. See if you noticed them all!

17. Major Hanlon

The most noticeable Easter egg in the show is the last name of a former main character: Major Leroy Hanlon. While the show’s creators haven’t officially stated it, it’s heavily implied – and essentially confirmed – that Major Hanlon is the grandfather of Mike Hanlon.

It’s important to remember the show’s timeline is based on the movies, not the original book. This explains why Major Hanlon, a Korean War veteran, is established as the grandfather of Mike Hanlon in the recent films. But there’s further proof: in the show’s promotional material, Hanlon’s son is named Will – which is confirmed as Mike’s father’s name in the book.

16. Alvin Marsh

During a school bathroom scene, Lilly discovers the name “Alvin Marsh” – encircled by a heart – scrawled on a stall door. This is particularly unsettling because Alvin Marsh is Beverly Marsh’s abusive and alcoholic father. The moment subtly reveals that a boy some girls had crushes on would ultimately become a deeply flawed and predatory man, even toward his own daughter.

15. “Teddy Urine”

A funny bit of hidden detail appears as graffiti on Teddy’s locker: someone wrote “Teddy Urine sucks balls.” While we never learn Teddy’s last name, a later scene reveals his family is Jewish, strongly suggesting a connection to Stanley Uris from the Losers Club. Teddy is too young to be Stanley’s father, but he has an older brother, and it’s very probable that this brother is actually Stanley’s dad, making Teddy Stanley’s uncle.

Adding to the connection, Stephen King originally nicknamed Stan “Urine” in his book, and for similar reasons. If the anxious and delicate Teddy is truly Stan’s uncle, he acts as a reflection of Stan’s personality – not as a family member, but as a mirror of his inner self.

14. Matthew Clements & Veronica Grogan

The character known as “Matty” in It: Welcome to Derry is based on Matthew Clements from Stephen King’s original book. In the book, Matthew is a very young child when Pennywise abducts him. The Welcome to Derry version of Matty appears to be a combination of Matthew Clements and another, older boy named Eddie Corcoran, who also dies in the story.

The character Eddie Corcoran shares a similar difficult upbringing with Matty in the TV show. Matty’s constant use of a red ring pop likely references the original book, where Matthew Clements was a toddler, even though the show gives him Eddie Corcoran’s age and past. The name Veronica Grogan, mentioned as one of the missing children, also appears in the original book.

13. Red Balloon & Deadlights Imagery Foreshadowing

The ring pop Matty has isn’t exactly a hidden Easter egg, but it’s a smart visual clue. It takes on a disturbing significance during the frightening car ride scene. As the newly-formed, monstrous Pennywise flies around the car with decaying wings and its umbilical cord trailing, the camera focuses on Matty. He’s pressed against the window, eyes shut and hands over his ears, sucking on the ring pop just like a small child seeking comfort.

Just as Pennywise attacks Matty, the scene shifts to a window breaking and Matty’s red ring pop candy flying out over the bridge. It tumbles slowly, briefly resembling a red balloon before falling into the river. The candy then floats toward a strangely bright, white light in the sewer. This is a deliberate reference to the red balloons and the eerie, glowing ‘deadlights’ that will become important symbols later in the story.

12. The Standpipe

The Standpipe is a key location in the first episode of Welcome to Derry. It appears when Phil is watching planes from the nearby military base, during a flashback scene with Matty and Lilly, and again when Lilly, Teddy, and Phil gather to investigate the strange events happening in town.

In Stephen King’s novel, the old water tower – known as the Standpipe – plays a key role, but it’s often minimized in the movie and TV versions. It’s where Stan Uris first meets Pennywise, who appears as the ghosts of children who drowned in the tank, strengthening the connection between Stan and Teddy. Fans familiar with Stephen King’s work know the Standpipe is a place where bad things always happen, and it appears in several of his other books as well.

11. Juniper Hill

Lilly reveals she once stayed at Juniper Hill, which makes sense given her emotional struggles. Those familiar with the source material – the books, miniseries, and films – will recognize Juniper Hill as Juniper Hill Asylum, a mental institution in Augusta, Maine.

In It, Henry Bowers, a bully, is sent to Juniper Hill asylum after a terrifying encounter with Pennywise in the sewers. Witnessing his friend being eaten drives him insane, turning his hair white and leaving him deeply traumatized. He remains at Juniper Hill until the story jumps to the present day, where Pennywise, able to change shape, tricks Henry into escaping.

10. So Many Turtles

One of the most obvious references to Stephen King’s work in the episode is the frequent use of turtle imagery. We first see a sign referencing “Bert the Turtle” and his famous “duck and cover” drill, then a person dressed as Bert the Turtle is teaching students about nuclear safety. Later, Matty gives Lilly a turtle charm from a Cracker Jack box, which she adds to her bracelet.

Stephen King readers will recognize the “turtle” as Maturin, a powerful being who plays a key role in King’s larger Dark Tower story. In King’s fictional world, Maturin is the natural opposite of Pennywise – while Pennywise embodies destruction, Maturin represents creation. The turtle’s presence suggests that the residents of Derry have an unseen ally in their struggle against evil, even if they aren’t aware of it.

9. Paul Bunyan Statue

Throughout the episode, viewers repeatedly see advertisements for the new Paul Bunyan statue planned for Derry. The statue project is featured prominently – on the town’s welcome sign at the beginning, on posters around town, and in a newspaper article read by Major Hanlon.

Both the novel and film versions of It feature Paul Bunyan as a place Richie Tozier especially fears, as he has a terrifying experience with Pennywise there. The actual Paul Bunyan statue stands in Bangor, Maine – the city Stephen King used as the basis for the fictional town of Derry. According to folklore, the famous lumberjack of American tall tales was born near Bangor.

8. Bat Baby Form Of Pennywise

That terrifying bat-baby version of Pennywise might seem like a strange form for the creature to take, but it’s actually rooted in the novel. It seems to be a combination of two separate appearances from the Jade Restaurant scene in ‘It: Chapter Two’. Remember how one fortune cookie released a bat-like monster, and another revealed a bug-like creature with a crying baby’s head? That bat-baby form appears to be a blend of those two terrifying visions.

2025-10-27 22:10