‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ Confirms 1 Main Character Is Doomed

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The third episode of HBO Max’s “IT: Welcome to Derry” hinted at a tragic future for one character, largely because of his overconfidence. The show is set in 1962 Derry, Maine, and introduces several new characters – some with connections to the Losers’ Club. Among them is General Frank Shaw (played by James Renar), who leads a secretive military operation called Operation Precept.

I was completely hooked by the latest prequel episode, “Now You See It.” It really delved into Frank Shaw’s backstory and revealed his connection to Pennywise. Turns out, he first met that ancient evil when he was just twelve years old, and it was a truly terrifying experience that completely shaped the rest of his life.

Why General Shaw’s Obsession With Pennywise Could Be His Major Downfall 

The third episode of “IT: Welcome to Derry” began with a flashback to 1908, showing a young Frank Shaw and a local woman named Rose facing the ancient evil that haunts Derry’s woods. Rose helped Shaw escape, but the encounter deeply traumatized him. Though he eventually forgot the experience after his father was reassigned, returning to Derry brought those buried memories rushing back – a result of the supernatural power IT holds over the town.

Now a general, Shaw decided to use his past experiences and transform Pennywise into a weapon, hoping to help the United States during the Cold War in 1962. However, Shaw’s pride and fixation on Pennywise might be his undoing in IT: Welcome to Derry, eventually leading to his death.

Bringing Dick Hallorann into the group – a man with psychic abilities who could help fight Pennywise – might actually be what leads to his death. In Episode 3, Pennywise briefly entered Hallorann’s mind, potentially learning about the team’s plan, ‘Operation Precept,’ and Shaw’s true identity.

This suggested that Pennywise might eventually target General Shaw in later episodes of Welcome to Derry, reinforcing the idea that no adult could defeat him—at least, not until the Losers’ Club showed up in 2016.

Shaw’s Potential Death Doesn’t Mean His Story Will End in IT: Welcome to Derry

Although IT: Welcome to Derry establishes Francis Shaw’s death as a result of Operation Precept’s ultimate failure, the character isn’t truly gone thanks to the flashback shown at the beginning of Episode 3.

Discovering a younger Francis Shaw existed in 1908 opens the possibility of the character reappearing in a later season of Welcome to Derry.

The IT prequel series is planned to span three seasons, each exploring a different time period in Pennywise’s history before the events of the original story in 1989. Season 2 will be set in 1935, and Season 3 will focus on 1908 – the year Shaw and Rose first encountered each other.

Future seasons of the IT series could delve deeper into Shaw’s history in Derry and his previous experiences with Pennywise, potentially revealing the source of his fascination with the town’s dark secrets. The story has already shown that Shaw possessed significant knowledge of Pennywise, and upcoming installments could explain how he remembered these details even after leaving Derry.

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2025-11-14 00:04