IT: Welcome to Derry Episode 3 Recap — Secrets, Scares & Shocking Twists Uncovered

The much awaited of "IT: Welcome to Derry third episode," an HBO horror series, premiered on November 9, 2025, providing a blend of mystery, fright, and important story revelations for both old and new fans of IT. This episode set in the cursed town of Derry, features a lineup of kids, and the military as both try to uncover what lies behind the legendary monster Pennywise, a monster whose frightful presences has inhabited Derry for hundreds of years.

IT Welcome to Derry Episode 3 Release Date and Viewing Details

The third episode of "IT: Welcome to Derry" aired on November 9, 2025, at 9:00 PM ET/PT on HBO and was then made available to stream on HBO Max. The series has been conceived as an eight-episode psychological horror season, with episodes running about 55–65 minutes length.

The next chapter further builds onto the IT universe, occurring multiple decades before the Stephen King novel and film features. The series explores Derry, Maine's unsettling history as a nurturing ground for fear, supernatural horror, and trauma.

A Chilling Journey Through Time and Terror

HBO’s IT: Welcome to Derry continues to expand the mythos of Pennywise in Episode 3, “Sewer & Cemetery.” The story moves through different eras, connecting the town’s buried past with its ever-growing curse.

The 1908 Flashback: Where the Nightmare Begins

The episode opens with a grim sequence set in 1908, introducing young Francis Shaw. His visit to a bizarre traveling circus becomes the first glimpse of Derry’s evil.
A fleeting encounter with Rose — and the exchange of a slingshot — becomes symbolic later in the series. When the monstrous clown attacks, Rose fights back, her defiance literally lifting blood into the air. It’s a moment that ties innocence, fear, and destiny together.

1962: Military Secrets and Psychic Power

Decades later, Francis Shaw has become an Air Force officer working under Colonel Fuller. They uncover a centuries-old buried car and begin suspecting that Derry itself is out of time.
To understand the phenomenon, Shaw contacts psychic soldier Dick Hallorann, whose terrifying visions reveal floating corpses, endless tunnels, and Pennywise’s signature lurking beneath the town. His grandmother’s ghostly warning — “He’s coming, Dicky” — marks one of the episode’s most chilling moments

Opening Scene of Episode 3 Welcome to Derry#WelcomeToDerry #ITWelcomeToDerry pic.twitter.com/nQYXDAMVeq

— Movie Scenes 🌟🎈 (@jaykaska) November 10, 2025

Indigenous Roots and Hidden Injustice

Meanwhile, Rose returns as an elder member of the Shokopiwah tribe. Her people’s sacred ground lies beneath the military’s drilling operation, suggesting that the human intrusion is awakening something ancient. The show weaves themes of colonial exploitation into its supernatural core, showing that sometimes the real monsters wear uniforms, not clown makeup.

Teenagers in Trouble: The Cemetery Ritual Gone Wrong

A new generation of Derry teens, desperate for answers, performs a midnight ritual in the local graveyard. What starts as innocent curiosity devolves into chaos — headstones crumble, spirits rise, and the faint grin of a clown flickers in the dark.
The scene balances camp and terror, serving as both homage to 1980s horror and a setup for the nightmares still to come.

Newly Introduced Cast and Characters in Episode 3

Kimberly Norris Guerrero as Rose: Rose makes her first appearance in Episode 3 as a key figure from Derry’s Native American community. She appears both as an adult, played by Guerrero, and as a young girl, portrayed by Violet Sutherland in flashbacks. Rose’s connection with Francis Shaw plays a crucial role in the episode’s backstory 

Violet Sutherland as Young Rose: She portrays the younger version of Rose in the 1908 carnival flashback, where her friendship with young Francis Shaw is explored for the first time.

Diesel La Torraca as Young Francis Shaw: The young version of General Shaw appears in Episode 3’s flashbacks, helping show why Shaw is so determined to uncover Derry’s secrets.

Andy Muschietti (series co-creator) makes a guest cameo as a carnival pianist during the 1908 town fair scenes, marking a playful connection between the creative team and the world of Derry 

Joshua Odjick as Taniel: Introduced in Episode 3 as a supporting character, further exploring the local tribe’s ties to Derry’s haunted history.

Episode 3 Plot: Secrets Below Derry

In "Now You See It," the plot thickens as General Shaw is at the forefront of the military team, who are conducting secret mission looking for supernatural relics in Derry. Dick Hallorann uses his psychic abilities to locate Pennywise, slipping into a transitory state that connects him to the monster’s lair, building tension for the entire rest of the group. 
  
Meanwhile, kids Lilly, Ronnie, Will, and Rich are attempting to record evidence of Pennywise, proceeding with a spooky ceremony in a graveyard, that almost kills all of them, as it rains tension when the ground opens up beneath them and the kids drop into an entertaining roller coaster ride of ghostly experiences.

Pennywise Returns: What’s Different in Episode 3?

If you're impatient to see Pennywise in action, Episode 3 offers a terrifying first glimpse of the monster in action when Dick Hallorann’s psychic powers begin to pick up on what Pennywise really is. Critics did observe that although the scares are present, some of the horror events do not feel quite as good as they were at the beginning. The episode mainly focuses on building up suspense and mystery as opposed to jump scares of the previous opening episodes.

New Characters and Cameos Expand the Derry Universe

In this episode, there are some new insights about Dick Hallorann, General Shaw, and the links between children, families, and the history at Derry in relation to its supernatural, and (what we believe is) unknown past.  The episode includes flash backs to carnival days, shows the connections between Shaw and Rose, and goes deeper into the ramifications of the threat “IT” to both Shaw and the children.  A cameo, and a visit to Pennywise's sewer lair are two additional layers to the story emerging.

IT: Welcome To Derry Episode 3 finally shows Pennywise, but only after first getting the Stephen King Universification Easter eggs stuffed in.

Read our recap: https://t.co/PzCTXQFLhE

— But Why Tho? (@ButWhyThoPC) November 10, 2025

Fan Reactions and Series Impact

The opinion on the online fanbase is mixed, with some enjoying the influx of drama and unexplained reveals, while others are looking for more straightforward scares from Pennywise. The healthy viewership, with over 5.7 million in the first three days, indicates the series is a horror success, and has kept everyone guessing about what is next.

Also Read:

• IT: Welcome to Derry Episode 1 Recap – Pennywise’s Terrifying Return
• IT: Welcome to Derry Episode 2 Review, Streaming, Plot & Shocking Moments