Warning: This article contains spoilers for IT: Welcome to Derry Episode 1!Fans of Stephen Kings novels will know that these tales of small-town terror and tortured souls arent simply standalone stories. Theyre all part of a larger storytelling multiverse, and crossovers can and do frequently happen. Thats certainly true for IT: Welcome to Derry not only is this series a prequel to the It movies, it also includes nods to other King characters and storylines. With the first episode having premiered on HBO Max, we figured now is a great time to break down the key Stephen King easter eggs in Welcome to Derry and explore how the series is taking advantage of the King multiverse. Keep checking back, as well update this piece as more episodes air. What Is Bill Skarsgrds Villain Pennywise?With Welcome to Derry taking place 27 years before the events of 2017s It, it should come as no surprise that there arent many returning actors for this prequel. In fact, the only confirmed veteran of the series is Bill Skarsgrd, who is once again playing the demonic, shapeshifting villain, It (whose favorite form is Pennywise the Dancing Clown). We dont actually see Skarsgrd in Episode 1, but the characters nefarious influence is certainly felt. If theres any takeaway from the pilot, its that Derry was a cursed place long before the Losers Club clashed with Pennywise for the first time.With Pennywise being such an important part of the series, its worth taking a step back to explore what exactly this character is and how he fits into Kings monster multiverse. The It novel establishes that It is an alien entity created in the void outside the universe. It eventually crashed on Earth via an asteroid millions of years ago, at which point it took up residence in the area that would become Derry, Maine.Ever since people began to settle in Derry, It has shown a pattern of emerging for a year or two to seek victims and feast on their fear; it is essentially a psychic vampire. After gorging itself, It then goes into hibernation for 27 years before reawakening and starting the cycle all over again. It tends to target children because their fears are more primal and easier to exploit. It/Pennywise is easily one of the most terrifying creatures in Kings massive library, but its not necessarily unique. Kings Dark Tower novels establish that the multiverse was once bathed in a mystical energy source called the Prim. When the Prim receded like an ocean tide, it left behind a great many supernatural creatures embedded in the worlds of creation; Pennywise is just one of many of those monsters. One of the Dark Tower books even introduces a cousin of sorts a similar psychic vampire who feeds on laughter rather than fear.The Hanlon FamilyWelcome to Derry may not feature many returning characters, but it does feature one family that should be very familiar to fans of the films. The first episode introduces Jovan Adepos Leroy Hanlon; Leroy is the grandfather of Mike Hanlon, who was played in the films as a child by Chosen Jacobs and as an adult by Isaiah Mustafa.Welcome to Derry shows us how the Hanlon family first came to settle in Derry in 1962. Leroy is a decorated and well-respected Air Force major who is recruited by General Shaw (James Remar) to work on a top-secret B-52 program. Even at this early stage, Leroy is becoming exposed to the darkness lurking beneath the idyllic facade of Derry and the racism still rampant in the ranks of the military.Future episodes will also introduce Taylour Paige as Leroys wife, Charlotte, and Blake Cameron James as his son, Will. However bad things get this season, its not going to drive this family out of Derry.The Shinings Dick HallorannWelcome to Derry is going to draw on more than just the It movies and novel; that much has been apparent ever since an earlier trailer included a shot of a Shawshank Prison bus. But in what is easily the most significant King easter egg so far, the series cast includes a major character from The Shining: Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk).Fans of The Shining and its sequel, Doctor Sleep, will remember that Dick is the head chef at the Overlook Hotel in Colorado. Because he has the psychic aptitude known as the shine, Dick is more sensitive than most to the many ghosts haunting the Overlooks halls. Dick becomes rightfully concerned when he senses that young Danny Torrance, the son of winter caretaker Jack Torrance, shines especially brightly, and is therefore a ripe target for those ghosts. Eventually, Dick is forced to brave the harsh Colorado winter in order to rescue Danny and his mother from the hotels wrath. Welcome to Derry takes place nearly two decades before The Shining; at this stage, Dick is serving on the same Derry air force base as Leroy Hanlon. We only catch a brief glimpse of Dick in Episode 1, but he seems intently interested in Leroy, as if he can sense something is supernaturally amiss with the major.We fully expect Dick to play a central role in battling It in this series. Just as at the Overlook, Dicks powers will make him more aware than most adults of the danger lurking underneath the town. It may even target Dick specifically, hoping to draw extra sustenance from his psychic abilities, much like the vampires in Doctor Sleep. The Importance of the TurtleWelcome to Derrys first episode includes another important, albeit more subtle, easter egg in the form of a charm on Susies (Matilda Legault) bracelet a turtle, a creature with deep significance in King lore. Getting back to Its cosmic origins, this demon was created at the same time as a benevolent turtle entity; the Turtle is Its polar opposite and a sign of strength to the members of the Losers Club. The Turtle is also one of the 12 animals featured in the Dark Tower books who guard The Beams, invisible energy forces that lead directly to the titular tower at the center of existence.Wed expect to see multiple turtle references in this series, all meant to serve as reminders that there are other forces at work in Derry beyond It/Pennywiseand not all of them are so sinister. For more on IT: Welcome to Derry, check out our review of the series premiere and see director Andy Muschietti break down the shocking ending.Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.