It: Welcome To Derry Secretly Put Stephen King Maturin Fan Theory To Bed

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I just finished the first episode of It: Welcome to Derry, and wow, it’s packed with symbolism! It might even finally answer a question fans have been debating about Stephen King’s original book for years. The episode is full of little nods to other Stephen King stories, and the show uses specific details from the pop culture of the time to hint at what’s coming. But the thing that really stood out to me was all the turtles! They’re everywhere, and I think it’s a really important clue.

Dedicated Stephen King fans recognize the turtle as a symbol of Maturin, a powerful, ancient being. In King’s shared universe, Maturin is the natural opponent of the evil entity Pennywise, representing creation and love against hatred and destruction. While Maturin is central to the Dark Tower series, he also appears in It, though the extent of his role continues to be debated among fans.

Readers Have Long Speculated Whether The Losers Could Have Defeated Pennywise Without Maturin’s Help

Custom Image by Simone Ashmoore

For decades, Stephen King fans have argued about how much help Maturin the Turtle actually gave the Losers Club when they were children in the novels. At first, Maturin mostly watched what Pennywise was doing in Derry, similar to how many gods behave – he didn’t interfere directly, telling Bill Denbrough, “I take no stand in these matters.”

Ultimately, Maturin’s dislike for Pennywise and creatures like him becomes stronger than his reluctance to get involved. He ends up offering Bill crucial and wise advice on how to beat the evil clown. Maturin also explains to Bill that Pennywise fears human ability and, importantly, Maturin himself.

Okay, so revisiting the first showdown with Pennywise, it’s really interesting how Bill gets the power to fight back. It’s Maturin, this ancient turtle, who basically gives him the boost he needs, but also stresses that he has to completely destroy Pennywise while he has the chance. Fast forward to the adult timeline, and Pennywise is just gleefully rubbing it in Bill’s face that Maturin is gone – choked to death on a whole galaxy, can you believe it? It’s a surprisingly dark reveal and adds a lot of weight to Bill’s final confrontation.

Fans have often wondered if the Losers Club could have beaten Pennywise without the help of Maturin, especially since the turtle was already gone when they finally defeated the clown as adults. Some believe Maturin didn’t play a role at all, and that Gan – a powerful, cosmic force for good who created the multiverse – was actually the source of the Losers’ power in both their battles against Pennywise.

Welcome To Derry’s Multiple Turtle Easter Eggs Hint That Maturin Is Influencing Things All Along

Like many elements in Stephen King’s complex and ever-expanding universe, there isn’t a simple answer. However, with the frequent use of turtle imagery, It: Welcome to Derry strongly suggests that Maturin the Turtle has been a key force behind the story’s events all along.

You could even interpret the first episode as hinting at how Pennywise will eventually be defeated. While some of the children of Derry meet tragic ends, the many turtles shown in the first episode of It: Welcome to Derry suggest that the benevolent turtle Maturin is subtly working behind the scenes, guiding events and helping those who might survive – all without anyone realizing it.

While Gan provided the Losers with the strength they needed to beat Pennywise, Maturin gave them the understanding of how to use that strength effectively. Since Pennywise is terrified of the power of human imagination, empathy, and love, Maturin’s guidance was arguably just as important as Gan’s power. It remains to be seen if the new series, It: Welcome to Derry, will continue to feature the wise turtle and its influence.

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2025-10-29 15:58