Is Pennywise Really Ingrid Kersh’s Dad? That It: Welcome To Derry Twist Explained

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Warning: Spoilers ahead for It: Welcome To Derry Episode 6.

The episode It: Welcome to Derry confirms a popular fan theory: Pennywise is the father of Ingrid Kersh. However, even after this reveal, some questions remain unanswered. From the very beginning, the It prequel has shown it’s willing to explore even darker themes than the original movies and the HBO series that came before it.

The show really emphasized its dark tone by killing off most of the main characters at the end of the first episode. This made it clear that It: Welcome to Derry wasn’t a lighthearted horror comedy, but a genuinely frightening series willing to kill off characters suddenly and shockingly.

Although the fourth episode of Marge’s It: Welcome To Derry was also quite frightening, the fifth episode, “29 Neibolt Street,” offered a brief respite from the show’s intense violence. In this episode, the kids cautiously entered Pennywise’s hideout with their friend Matty, only to shockingly discover that Matty had been Pennywise all along.

It: Welcome To Derry Confirms That Pennywise Is Ingird Kersh’s Father

The encounter proved the killer clown could convincingly pretend to be human for extended periods, gradually altering its abilities. However, the dangerous trip underground wasn’t as deadly as feared. Lily, Will, Ronnie, Marge, and Richie all made it out of the sewers safely, with Captain Pauly being the only casualty.

Instead of calming viewers down, this should have prepared fans for the intensity of episode 6, “In the Name of the Father.” And it delivered! The episode not only laid the groundwork for the attack on the Black Spot – a location well-known from Stephen King’s novel, It – but it also finally revealed Ingrid’s backstory.

Up until now, the show It: Welcome to Derry hadn’t revealed who Lily’s friend was or even her last name. The episode “In the Name of the Father” finally reveals her full name is Ingrid Kersh, confirming she’s the same Mrs. Kersh seen in the movie It: Chapter 2.

After Lily discovers Ingrid’s clown outfit and pictures of Pennywise, she presses the orderly from Juniper Hill for information. Ingrid reveals that her father was a circus clown named Bob Gray, and though she loved him, he left when she was a little girl. Her desire to find him eventually led her to Periwinkle.

Ingrid Kersh’s Carnival Role As Periwinkle Explained

Ingrid created the clown persona “Periwinkle” while searching for her father, who she’d lost touch with. Lily realizes the figure the kids filmed in the cemetery wasn’t the scary Pennywise, but actually Ingrid in her Periwinkle costume. This explains why the adults could clearly see her in the picture.

Adults in Derry don’t seem to notice the strange, supernatural things happening unless Pennywise directly threatens them. However, the police were able to see the clown in a photograph because it was actually just a person named Ingrid dressed in a costume, not Pennywise himself. While the attack at Neibolt House in It: Welcome to Derry didn’t reveal much about Pennywise or his methods, Ingrid’s involvement provided some answers.

Ingrid Kersh’s Encounter With Pennywise At Juniper Hill Explained

Image courtesy of Everett Collection

The film “In the Name of the Father” begins with a disturbing scene: Ingrid lures a child to their death at Juniper Hill by having them follow a red balloon into the basement. Later, she reveals to Lily that she intentionally led many children to a mysterious figure she calls “the clown downstairs,” believing it might somehow bring her lost father back.

It’s unclear if Ingrid truly believed the children were safe, or if she simply didn’t mind sacrificing them to the monster. What is clear is that Pennywise had somehow convinced her he was her father, or that he is actually Bob Gray – her real father.

Given that Ingrid had a relationship with Hank Grogan from It: Welcome to Derry, it’s clear she hasn’t always been disconnected from reality. This suggests her fascination with Pennywise and her identity as “Periwinkle” might not consume all of her time, and she may not realize she’s feeding the monster when she’s thinking clearly.

Why Ingrid Kirsh Has Been Following Lilly & Her Friends

But there’s a more disturbing possibility. Lily might have begun her relationship with Hank intentionally to assist Pennywise. This would have left Hank with no credible defense for the theater attack, where Pennywise murdered three children. Pennywise likely anticipated being able to exploit the prejudice in Derry following the arrest of Hank Grogan, as depicted in It: Welcome to Derry.

It’s possible Pennywise intentionally led his daughter to Hank. Likewise, Ingrid seemed to be tracking Lily and her friends, hoping they’d lead her to her father, Pennywise. She appears completely devoted to him, willing to do anything for the villain from It: Welcome to Derry.

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2025-12-02 00:49