Stephen King’s HBO Series ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ Has a Hidden Message You Can’t Miss!

The first season of It: Welcome to Derry has reached its conclusion. The series, crafted by siblings Muschietti with Barbara as the producer and Andy as the director, delivered an epic finale on HBO Max on Monday, revealing the moral of this gory tale of child disappearances. This very contemporary message is one that horror master Stephen King, who authored the original novel, would certainly endorse.

A Tale for Adults

For the final episode of season 1, the creators decided to make a lasting impression. Just when we thought the creature was done with Derry, it targets dozens of children at once, hypnotizes them, and lures them into the darkness. This diabolical scheme is something that director Andy Muschietti enjoys illustrating, turning this procession of phantoms into a chilling yet breathtaking spectacle for viewers.

These scenes inevitably remind us of the famous “Pied Piper of Hamelin”. This popular German legend, which emerged in the early 14th century, was later glorified by Goethe’s poetry in 1803 and the Brothers Grimm’s “German Legends” in 1813. This peculiar tale of a piper who enchants children to take revenge on their parents has secured a prominent place in our collective consciousness.

The idea that children suffer the consequences of adults’ actions is central to the horror of Welcome to Derry: children are neglected by their parents, accused of lying when they seek help, and left to fend for themselves, making them easy prey for the monster. The traditional moral of fairy tales is thus reversed: it’s the parents who are being warned, not the children. The same moral is found in The Pied Piper of Hamelin!

With this final episode, both playful and terrifying, It: Welcome to Derry firmly establishes itself as the adult version of its direct competitor, Stranger Things. It’s a grim tale for grown-ups that urges us to listen to and protect our little ones, especially when they ask for help.

It: Welcome to Derry is available on HBO Max.

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