It: Welcome to Derry Reveals Why Pennywise Chose Bob Gray’s Form

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The new series, It: Welcome to Derry, finally reveals why the creature in It chose to appear as Pennywise the Dancing Clown – and the reason is unsettling. Following the popularity of the It films, this expanded universe now takes us back to 1962 with this prequel.

Welcome to Derry tells the story of a new generation of children terrorized by It, the infamous shapeshifting monster. The narrative also follows some of Derry’s adults, revealing the military’s unsettling plans to deal with It.

The show ‘Welcome to Derry’ has explored the creature’s origins and how it came to haunt the town. It’s now revealed that Pennywise isn’t just a monster, but was actually a person who once lived there.

Who Bob Gray Was Before Becoming Pennywise’s Human Form

In It: Chapter Two, the movie briefly shows the origins of Pennywise. When adult Beverly Marsh returns to her childhood home, she’s greeted by Mrs. Kersh, who is secretly the creature It in disguise, preparing to strike. While trying to get away, Bev encounters It again, this time appearing as Bob Gray.

There’s a quick scene of Bob Gray applying white makeup and bothering Bev, but it was enough to make viewers wonder about him. Welcome to Derry has already surprised us with reveals like the nurse Lily trusted actually being Ingrid Kersh – and that she’s the daughter of the original Bob Gray.

Bob Gray was a circus clown known as Pennywise, and his daughter, Ingrid, often helped him, even sharing her makeup so they could perform together. One night, a creature disguised as a child led Bob into the woods, and Ingrid never saw him again.

It Targeted Bob Gray Because Of Pennywise’s Popularity With Children

The creature deliberately chose Bob Gray’s Pennywise form and targeted him for a reason. It had observed how much children loved Pennywise, and it knew that children’s fears are simpler than those of adults, making them easier to exploit and terrify. It specifically prefers to prey on children and their uncomplicated fears.

By appearing as Pennywise the clown, It can lure children more effectively, as demonstrated with Georgie and other kids in the story. This ensures a steady source of victims. Furthermore, because many adults also fear clowns, It can prey on them just as easily.

Why It Took The Form Of A Child To Lure Bob Gray

One of the most striking things about Pennywise is its imagination, and Welcome to Derry really showcases that with some incredibly unique and frightening creature forms. But it also understands the power of simplicity, which is precisely how it managed to trap Bob Gray.

Bob Gray was taking a smoke break when a young boy asked him for help finding his parents. The audience had previously seen the boy watching Pennywise on TV, and knew it was actually the creature ‘It’ because his eyes were glowing yellow. After some hesitation, Bob Gray agreed to follow the boy into the woods.

It’s natural for adults to help children, and that’s probably why the creature pretended to be a young boy at the carnival, hoping Bob Gray would offer assistance. We already saw in ‘Welcome to Derry’ that the creature tried to hide in plain sight at the circus, likely searching for its next target.

Bob Gray originally portrayed Pennywise the Dancing Clown as a cheerful performer and a caring dad. However, the entity ‘It’ transformed him into a terrifying figure, forever cementing his place as a horror icon.

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2025-12-09 23:48