Why The It: Welcome To Derry Finale Is The Show At Its Best – And Its Worst

Grab your red balloons and get ready to float, because this article contains major spoilers for the season finale of "It: Welcome to Derry."

Who could've predicted that one of the more fascinating shows of 2025 would end up being a prequel to the "It" movies released more than six years after the fact? Despite the films seemingly putting a bow on author Stephen King's most well-known story, the HBO series has proven that there's plenty of interest to go around when it comes to the killer clown pulled out of our collective nightmares. Never mind that star Bill Skarsgård didn't even appear in the flesh until late in the season as Pennywise — his absence only made things more tense as we waited for things to ramp up as we headed towards the finale.

And what a finale it was, throwing a little bit of everything at viewers. We laughed, we cried, and we gasped in terror, but we also couldn't help but roll our eyes at certain moments, too. Sure, there's always been something inherently silly about treating a child-devouring clown from outer space with as much seriousness as the "It" franchise tends to do. And, granted, both of director Andy Muschietti's "It" movies experienced similar ups and downs (particularly that mess of a second movie). Still, this last episode of "Welcome to Derry" contained both the show's highest highs and some of its lowest lows, making it feel like a fitting encapsulation of this roller coaster of a season.

When the finale hits, it hits hard. But, as with any big swing for the fences, there's bound to be a few misses. Ultimately, this journey came to an end with a finale that was "Welcome to Derry" at its best ... and its worst.

We'll start with the good because, honestly, how dare the writing team behind "It: Welcome to Derry" make me feel as many emotions as I did during the finale. If we had to narrow it all down to one thing that this season did best, it would have to be the innocent (and one-sided) romance between the plucky Rich (Arian S. Cartaya) and the ever-nervous Marge (Matilda Lawler). After stepping up as one of the main protagonists following the premiere's brutal theater massacre, Rich quickly established himself as a strong personality capable of picking up the slack ... which he certainly did, right up until the moment of his heartbreaking, tear-jerking death in the shocking penultimate episode.

Rich's heroic moment of self-sacrifice to save his crush couldn't possibly have left a single dry eye in the room, but somehow "Welcome to Derry" improved on itself with the finale. In a clever wrinkle, the script makes his presence felt to profound effect when his ghost appears to Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk) and runs to his friends as they're struggling to contain Pennywise within the limits of Derry. Just when it seems our surviving kids don't have the strength to do it, Rich lends a helping hand from beyond the grave so they can defeat the clown together. And as if that weren't powerful enough, the following scene at his funeral is really when the waterworks start. The visual of his ghost putting a reassuring arm around his friends and family is as moving as it gets, lending a sense of closure to the harrowing arcs these poor kids have experienced.

That's what makes it all the more distracting that the finale drops the ball elsewhere.

Unfortunately, the good comes with more than its fair share of bad in the "It: Welcome to Derry" finale. It all starts with some iffy plot machinations. To escape Derry, Pennywise must travel beyond an arbitrary point across the river — which really shouldn't be this much of an issue for a supernatural entity seemingly able to appear anywhere at will. Add to that the mystical dagger plot device to prevent his escape, but it appears to have a mind of its own (which is just a very goofy visual compared to, say, the One Ring having a similar effect in "The Lord of the Rings"), and the nonsense begins to add up early.

Still, that's nothing compared to the episode's bigger problem: a recurring instance of Glup Shitto storytelling. Did we really need Pennywise waving around a flier showing Finn Wolfhard's Richie Tozier from the "It" movies during his conversation with Marge on the ice? Making matters worse, the episode then can't resist an actual cameo with Sophia Lillis reprising her role from the films as Beverly Marsh in the final moments, which is as blatant (and needless) as fan service gets. Even that would've felt justifiable, however, if it weren't for all the lampshades hung around Dick Hallorann, who all but announces to the camera that he's going to the Overlook Hotel so he can take part in "The Shining," but boy howdy does he hope nothing bad happens — a hat-on-a-hat moment that can't help but feel a bit insulting.

In the end, "Welcome to Derry" leaves a bittersweet aftertaste in the mouth. The finale was the best of times, and the worst of times. It's a shame it couldn't quite stick the landing.