Pennywise the Dancing Clown has haunted the nightmares of readers and filmgoers for decades, but few realize that this cosmic terror has an equally powerful, yet benevolent, arch-arch-rival: an ancient entity that just so happens to take the form of a giant turtle. The recent prequel series, It: Welcome to Derry, is teasing this essential piece of Stephen King's vast mythology through multiple, significant turtle easter eggs, suggesting that the powerful, wise being who exists to oppose Pennywise may finally make an on-screen appearance.

To understand the scope of Pennywise's power, one must first grasp the identity of his cosmic counterpoint.

This benevolent creature is far more than a simple animal; Maturin is an ancient deity that predates the creation of the universe. In King's lore, he is described as a cosmic being composed of pure energy, one of the twelve Guardians of the Beams that structurally support the Dark Tower, the nexus of all realities.

Maturin's most fantastical origin story states that he once emerged from his shell in the Macroverse. It was during this act of creation that the creature known as It was also released from the primordial void, suggesting a shared, though antagonistic, genesis. As a wise, gentle giant, Maturin fills a crucial mentor-like role in King's multiverse, representing the forces of order and good.

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Maturin's inherent nature and role in the cosmos naturally place him in direct opposition to the darkness embodied by Pennywise.

The creature known as It (Pennywise the Dancing Clown) is an ancient, parasitic, shapeshifting entity that feeds on the fear and life force of human children, primarily in Derry, Maine. It represents the utter chaos, malevolence, and destruction that existed in the primordial void before the universe.

Maturin, the life-giving, universe-creating deity, is positioned as its direct cosmic opposite and arch-nemesis. Maturin is kind and wise, while It is evil and chaotic. This dualism plays out directly in the It novel, where Maturin aids the young Losers' Club by giving them the metaphysical knowledge and courage needed to confront the monster. This amplification of the eternal struggle between a god-like turtle and a monstrous clown enriches the mythology, transforming a local horror story into a clash of cosmic powers.

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This essential knowledge, crucial for defeating It, is accessed through a telepathic confrontation.

The Ritual of Chüd is the ultimate method of confronting and defeating Pennywise, first introduced in the It novel as a psychic battle of wills. During the ritual, the opponents' minds project into the Macroverse, the vast void where Maturin resides. It is during this transcendental experience that the hero, Bill Denbrough, can commune with Maturin, gaining the insight and sheer belief necessary to combat It's mind-warping power.

In the novel's last act, the Losers Club defeats It permanently by performing the Ritual of Chüd one last time before physically overpowering its giant spider form, ultimately ripping out and crushing its heart. The film adaptations of It streamlined and altered this complex metaphysical confrontation, transforming it into a more simplified act of collective, unified belief to physically defeat the creature, often skipping the full cosmic journey. With all the release details confirmed, the series is already gaining popularity.

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Do you have more theories about how the God vs Evil story will take shape in It: Welcome to Derry? Let us know in the comments below.