The first episode of It: Welcome to Derry has lots of visual symbolism, and it may settle a long-running debate about Stephen King’s book. It: Welcome to Derry episode 1 is stuffed full of Stephen King Easter eggs, from references to his other books to subtle foreshadowing telegraphed by the specific pieces of pop culture showcased in the episode. The most prominent Easter egg, however, is It: Welcome to Derry‘s abundance of turtles.
Stephen King’s Constant Readers know the turtle symbolism represents Maturin the Turtle. In Stephen King’s interconnected multiverse, Maturin is the natural enemy of Pennywise, the force of love and creation vs the force of hatred and destruction. Maturin is much more integral to Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, but he still has a part to play in It. How much a part, however, is something that fans still aren’t settled on.
Readers Have Long Speculated Whether The Losers Could Have Defeated Pennywise Without Maturin’s Help
The extent to which Maturin the Turtle helped the 1958 childhood version of the Losers Club in the books has been widely debated among Stephen King readers for decades. Initially in the book, Maturin was (as many deities are) largely hands-off, choosing to passively observe what Pennywise was doing in Derry rather than directly getting involved, telling Bill Denbrough, “I take no stand in these matters.”
Eventually, though, Maturin’s contempt for Pennywise and his kind overrides his passivity, and the great turtle does wind up giving Bill timely and sage advice about how to defeat the evil clown. He also reveals to Bill pieces of context about Pennywise, explaining that the entity is afraid of human potential and of Maturin himself.
In Bill’s first battle with Pennywise alongside the other Losers, it’s Maturin who offers Bill the strength and support to defeat the clown – but also warns young Bill that he should finish off Pennywise once and for all while the entity is weakened. In the adult timeline, Pennywise gleefully reveals to Bill that Maturin is dead, having choked to death on a galaxy.
This has long raised speculation among fans about whether the Losers Club could have defeated Pennywise without Maturin’s help, considering the turtle was dead when they defeated the clown for good as adults. Instead, some fans believe, Maturin influenced nothing at all, and it was really Gan, the multiverse’s cosmic force for good and ultimate Creator, who gave the Losers the power to defeat Pennywise both times.
Welcome To Derry’s Multiple Turtle Easter Eggs Hint That Maturin Is Influencing Things All Along
As with so many things in Stephen King’s multiversal canon, which has been added to and retconned for decades, there’s no clear answer to the question. However, with all the turtle symbolism, It: Welcome to Derry certainly seems to come down on the side of Maturin the Turtle being a significant influence on the events all along.
One could even go so far as to read it as the first episode foreshadowing Pennywise’s ultimate demise. It may seem as though the kids of Derry are on their own – those who are ripped apart or lost to the deadlights forever certainly are – but the abundance of turtles in It: Welcome to Derry episode 1 suggests Maturin is there in the background serving as a guiding force, perhaps nudging things along without humans even suspecting it.
There’s no arguing that it was Gan who gave the Losers the raw power to ultimately defeat Pennywise. Yet, it was Maturin who gave them the wisdom to know how to wield it. Considering Pennywise fears the vast, untapped potential of human imagination, compassion, and love, one could argue that Maturin’s wisdom was just as vital to defeating Pennywise as Gan’s power. It will be interesting to see if It: Welcome to Derry continues to incorporate the wise turtle into its tapestry.
- Release Date
-
October 26, 2025
- Network
-
HBO
- Directors
-
Andy Muschietti