History Characters / It2017

[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

The human form of Pennywise, who gruesomely turns into the clown.

* ChekovsGun: IT uses the hands near the end of the first movie to fend off Mike's attacks.

[[folder:Final Form]]
!!Spiderwise
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/it2.PNG]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I can smell the stink of your fear!"'']]
->''[[AGodAmI "I AM THE EATER OF WORLDS!"]]''
The last incarnation of IT, a half-Pennywise, half-spider hybrid.

[[folder:Pennywise]]
!!IT
!!!Pennywise the Dancing Clown
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2e8de784a18c8d041a1f4e687e6b928d.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350: ''"Time to float!"'']]
->'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/BillSkarsgard
->''"I'll feast on your flesh as I feed on your fear..."''

A mysterious evil entity which has been preying on the town of Derry for centuries. Every 27 years, it comes out of hibernation to cause a series of catastrophic disasters, the latest being a string of child murders. IT's favorite (and most iconic) form is Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Modelled on the pierrot clowns of old, he employs the clownish persona as bait for young children, luring them with jokes and offers to visit his circus, but also doubles as an effective form to scare people with coulrophobia (a fear of, well, clowns) shitless.

[[folder:The Deadlights]]
!!The Deadlights
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/deadlights.png]]

IT's true form. Three white/orange lights.

* BrownNote: Staring into the Deadlights will cause the person to go catatonic.
* EldritchAbomination: This is revealed to be IT's true nature. [[spoiler: IT is in reality, a trio of orange glowing lights from outer space called the Deadlights. The Deadlights arrived to Earth millions of years ago at the location that would eventually become Derry, Maine. Anyone who looks upon the Deadlights [[GoMadFromTheRevelation will go into a catatonic state]]. The Deadlights also have the ability to [[FightingAShadow create a physical avatar to feed on its prey]]. Through its avatar, the Deadlights can [[MasterOfIllusion induce hallucinations]], [[RealityWarper bend reality to its will]], read the minds of its victims, and shapeshift into whatever they fear the most.]]
* FightingAShadow: It implied that the various shapes IT takes are physical avatars created by the Deadlights so as to feed. IT showing the deadlights to Richie is presented like its head is a fanged, fleshy lens channeling their light. [[spoiler: Though its played down in that killing the physical form will kill the Deadlights too.]]
* GreaterScopeVillain: They are this to the IT franchise based on how each of IT's forms (including his iconic clown form) are avatars of them.
* GoMadFromTheRevelation: It has this effect on anyone unlucky enough to see them.
* GodzillaThreshold: Pennywise is shown to let them out only a little at a time -- such as when his eyes glow when meeting Mike Hanlon -- presumably because they're so powerful that they tend to break people's minds, and that could sour the meat. When forcing them on Beverly, it's in a desperate attempt to force her to be afraid of him again.
* HypnoticEyes: Look into them and you'll be in a catatonic state for who knows how long.
* LightEmUp: It is a magical light, after all, though its power seems to be more psychic than physical.
* LightIsNotGood: It is a pure, white/orange light... that also happens to be an extremely evil EldritchAbomination. They even get an upgrade in the second movie, where they go from [[GoldAndWhiteAreDivine gold]] to [[HeavenlyBlue blue]].

[[folder:Mrs. Kersh]]
--------
!! Mrs. Kersh
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mrs_kersh.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"No one who dies here ever'' really ''dies!"'']]
->'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/JoanGregson

The form IT takes when confronting a now-adult Beverly upon her return to Derry.

* BodyHorror: There are signs of decaying flesh on her chest when she talks to Beverly. [[spoiler:And then she transforms into a giant, [[Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit Judge Doom]]-esque monster with sharp teeth and bulging eyes]].
* EvilOldFolks: She may act kind and sweet to visitors, but she is in fact another form of IT.
* FanDisservice: She is wearing no clothes when she attacks Beverly. As an old monstrous lady, mind you.
* FullFrontalAssault: Attacks Beverly while stark naked.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Final Form]]
!!Spiderwise
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/it2.PNG]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I can smell the stink of your fear!"'']]
->''[[AGodAmI "I AM THE EATER OF WORLDS!"]]''
The last incarnation of IT, a half-Pennywise, half-spider hybrid.
----

* FamousLastWords: [[spoiler:"Look at you...you're all...''grown up!''"]]

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: In the book he tried to rape Beverly, killed Mike's dog and tried to murder Mike with firecrackers, whitewashed Stan's face until he bleed and nearly drowned Bill in a dunk tank and was anti-semtic and sexist. These are before IT started manipulating him. Here, [[spoiler: all of those actions are toned down (he merely tries to hit Mike with a rock which as opposed to firecrackers, mocks Beverly about her rumors and is never seen trying to rape her and he tries but fails to kill a cat as opposed to killing Mike's dog) or removed entirely. We don't see him established as an anti-semitic or sexist like he was in the book. He also gives Bill a free pass form his bullying due to Georgie dying whereas in the book he never shows of form of kindness the Losers and in this adaptation he even has a cousin who he seems to care for and protect from Richie's advances.]]

* HateSink: Downplayed, but she doesn't have a FreudianExcuse like in the book, so it kinda makes her come off as paranoid schizophrenic.

->'''Portrayed by:''' Tatum Lee

->'''Portrayed by:''' Carter Musselman

->'''Portrayed by:''' Jackson Robert Scott

->'''Portrayed by:''' Joan Gregson

->'''Portrayed by:''' Jeremy Ray Taylor (child), Creator/JayRyan (adult)

->'''Portrayed by:''' Chosen Jacobs (child), Isaiah Mustafa (adult)

->'''Portrayed by:''' Wyatt Oleff (child), Andy Bean (adult)

* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Very much so. This is his entire motive throughout the first film, and again in ''Chapter Two'' with his attempts [[spoiler: to save Dean]].

* NotSoStoic: He definitely loses his composure when he is attacked by Judit].

* AdaptationalAttractiveness: [[spoiler: Downplayed, in the novel, Henry was said to be so traumatised by the events of 1958 that his hair turned white prematurely. Since he never sees Pennywise in his Deadlight form in the movie, his hair remains the same colour. Even as teen compared to the novel to how he is described in the novel he comes across as this.]]

** Does it again in Chapter Two, as a last resort when [[spoiler:Eddie nearly succeeds in killing him]]. To the tune of "Angel of the Morning", no less.

* VictoryGuidedAmnesia: With the exception of [[spoiler:Mike]], they all forget both IT and each other once they move away from Derry. Averted at the end of Chapter Two; unlike the book, they retain their memories after defeating IT for good and it's implied that the surviving members remain friends.

** Chapter Two reveals that [[spoiler:Bill faked being sick because he didn't want to play outside that day, adding an extra layer of guilt.]]

* BuriedAlive: Almost becomes his fate in the climax of Chapter Two, as Pennywise traps him in the clubhouse he built for the Losers as it rapidly fills with dirt.

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: When we're re-introduced to him as an adult in Chapter Two, he's shown confidently presenting a building to a group of investors via video link, talking about knocking down walls to make the space more welcoming before the camera cuts to a wide shot of him alone in a big empty house. Thus we know that Ben is a down-to-earth NiceGuy who is still desperately lonely for all his wealth and success.

* AttemptedRape: Her father tries to violently rape her, but she fights him off, and hits him over the head with the toilet lid which knocks him out. [[spoiler: In Chapter Two her husband attempts to rape her after finding out she’s going back to Derry to meet up with old friends, believing she’s cheating. Much like her father before him, this does not end well for him as Bev is able to kick him off and bash him over the head with a mirror, buying her enough time to get out]].

* DrivesLikeCrazy: He crashes his car when Mike calls him at the start of Chapter Two, after yelling at other drivers and popping pills while arguing with his wife on the phone. Possibly an intentional MythologyGag, considering his career in the book was a limo driver.
* DyingMomentOfAwesome: [[spoiler: In the climax of Chapter Two, he attacks It and frees Richie from the deadlights. It gets him killed.]]

* TheMedic: He's able to put his extensive medical knowledge to good use by patching up Ben after his run-in with Bowers. Lampshaded in Chapter Two when he exictedly recalls this incident and Bev asks if he became a doctor.

** Happens again in Chapter Two when he almost succeeds in [[spoiler:''throttling IT to death'']] through sheer rage. Generally, it's shown that Eddie has extreme anger issues beneath his surface frailty, which allows him to dole out some of the most serious damage to IT when pushed.

* AdaptationalSexuality: [[spoiler: Chapter Two all but explicitly states he's gay.]]

** [[spoiler:Strongly implied in Chapter Two to be compensating for his homosexuality.]]
* DroppedGlasses: He loses his glasses in the quarry while trying to clean them at the end of Chapter Two, and subsequently makes a joke about [[BlindWithoutEm having no idea who the others are.]]

* FreudianExcuse: It's implied that he's neglected by his parents, and uses his voices and jokes to gain the attention he doesn't get at home. [[spoiler:Chapter Two also heavily implies that his frequent crude sexual jokes were a means to hide his homosexuality.]]

* HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday: [[spoiler: Chapter Two implies that his constant bragging about his success with the ladies is this. He also does a bit in one of his stand-up routines about his nonexistent girlfriend, and later admits that he doesn't write his own material]].
* HaveIMentionedIAmSexuallyActiveToday: Brags constantly about his non-existent sexual prowess. [[spoiler:Chapter Two implies this is to cover up being gay.]]

* SadClown: While he loves joking around, it's clear that his sense of humor is also a defense mechanism and his own way of deflecting things. [[spoiler:And in Chapter Two, it's strongly implied to be part of him hiding his sexuality.]]

* VomitIndiscretionShot: Twice in Chapter Two: first after he receives Mike's call and then after [[spoiler:killing Henry]].

* DemotedToExtra: In the first movie, where he has few lines and the least amount of screentime among the Losers. Zigzagged in Chapter Two: he's given more to do than the first installment [[spoiler:and actually takes part in the final battle, which never happened in the book]], but he doesn't get as much of a personal arc as the others and notably lacks a solo scene with Pennywise.

* SacrificialLion: [[spoiler:He dies early in Chapter Two to establish that the Losers are no longer safe.]]

* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Played with. He's not so much wiser, but more melancholy and sad beyond his years. Lampshaded in Chapter Two, when the other Losers reminisce about him [[spoiler:after his death]] and describe him as "old before his time."

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: Patrick and Henry. In the book Patrick [[spoiler: murdered his baby brother and killed baby animals for fun and Henry killed Mike's dog, tried to rape Beverly, whitewashed Stan's face until he bled and almost drowned Bill in a dunk tank. He was very clearly insane before It manipulated him. Here, none of Patrick's actions are seen and Henry goes murderous when It starts manipulating him and his heinous actions are either toned down or removed entirely and he even [[PetTheDog gives Bill a pass from his bullying due to Georgie going missing]]. [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes He also shows care for his cousin and tries to “protect” him from Richie’s advances.]]

* SparedByTheAdaptation: [[spoiler: Vic and Belch were killed in the book and both Vic and Belch were only shown dead in a deleted scene. Since the deleted was never integrated into the movies, their fates are never mentioned or confirmed in Chapter One or Chapter Two.]]

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: While he cowers in the face of his father, he at least seemed to care for his cousin in Chapter Two and tries to "protect" him from [[spoiler:Richie's]] advances towards him.

** [[spoiler: It returns the knife to Bowers in Chapter Two by way of a badly decomposed and mutilated Hockstetter. He kills a guard and orderly at the mental institution and wounds Eddie with it.]]

* MirrorScare: [[spoiler: Does this to Eddie in Chapter Two.]]

* PlotIrrelevantVillain: Despite being the biggest bully in Derry, Henry pales in comparison to It, and isn't directly involved in the plot until Pennywise drives him over the edge. He only manages to slow the Losers down for a few minutes before being taken out. [[spoiler:Henry doesn't fare much better in Chapter Two, either. Not only does he not impact or change the plot in any significant way in the sequel, he doesn't injure either Mike or Eddie to the extent he did in the novel. Once Henry is killed for good, he's quickly forgotten and never mentioned again.]]
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: It isn't as explicit as in the book or miniseries (he doesn't drop any n-bombs in this version) but it's heavily implied he targets Mike exclusively for being black, yells racist comments [[spoiler: while attacking Mike in the library in Chapter Two]], and refers to several of the Losers as "faggots".
* SanityHasAdvantages: [[spoiler:Due to his insanity, he's initially confused in Chapter Two when Eddie hides behind a shower curtain, allowing Eddie to stab him in the chest with his own knife]].

* AdaptationalPersonalityChange: While in the book Victor Criss is rebellious and prone to outbursts in class, its implied that he will grow out of that behavior and he has some friendly interactions with the Losers Club. In the film Victor Criss is quiet and cruel and does a lot more glaring than shouting.

* FutureLoser: [[spoiler:In Chapter Two, she's still working at her father's pharmacy and even wearing the same hairstyle and clothes, with an even more disinterested attitude about everything around her.]]

* KarmaHoudini: She is the only major Jerkass character in the entire film who doesn't suffer any dose of LaserGuidedKarma from the Loser's Club or IT. Downplayed as never making it out of the small town she grew up in or having a real career whilst all of her favorite victims grow up to become wealthy and successful means she didn't exactly win in the end.

** [[spoiler:The bottom half appears during the Neibolt House battle in Chapter Two.]]

* SuddenlyShouting: Chapter Two finally shows him in a flashback raising his voice two times towards Beverly akin to that of Alvin in the miniseries in contrast to usually being a SoftSpokenSadist with a CreepyMonotone.

* NoSympathy: Their strategy for dealing with Bill obsessing over his disappeared brother is to chew him out for his delusion that Georgie is still alive. Zack's anger towards Bill likely stemmed from he and Sharon blaming him for Georgie's death and wanting him not only accept he's dead, but to accept responsibility as they see him thinking he's alive as a way to escape guilt. [[spoiler:When's it's revealed in Chapter Two that Bill faked his illness at the time of Georgie's death, you cannot blame their parents being angry at Bill and emotionally distancing themselves from him afterwards.]]

* ShutUpHannibal: He fights against Pennywise's mental torture and says yes, he was a wonderful big brother. [[spoiler:One day of not wanting to play outside with the kid does ''not'' mean he wasn't, and it doesn't mean he got Georgie killed.]]

* ParentalNeglect: After Georgie goes missing. His mother is ''nowhere'' to be seen and the only scene Bill has with his father is his father telling him Georgie's dead.

* ReplacementGoldfish: A subplot in ''Chapter Two'' involves Bill trying to convince a young boy to get out of Derry after the boy implies that he's been encountering signs of Pennywise, with Bill clearly seeing [[MyGreatestFailure shades of Georgie]] in the kid. [[spoiler: it doesn't go much better for the new kid than it did for Georgie.]]

* AscendedExtra: "Skateboard kid" in the book isn't given a name and is just a random kid who Bill encounters. Here, he's given a minor storyline and interacts with the Losers on multiple occasions.
* BrokenPedestal: He's a fan of Richie's stand-up until Richie mistakes him for one of IT's disguise and subjects him to foul-mouthed threats.

* SacrificialLamb: A sweet, innocent kid who the audience grows to like, he's ultimately [[spoiler:killed off in order to motivate Bill into taking the fight to IT.]]

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: In the novel, Butch was a racist, anti-Semitic, sexist douchebag who had a feud with the Hanlons. He also shows signs of being [[AxCrazy legitimately and dangerously insane]] and prone to outbursts of violent rage; beating his wife to near-death, attacking his son's friends and killing the Hanlon's farm animals. Furthermore, he seems to encourage Henry's own psychotic behavior to the point of rewarding him for killing Mike's dog. In the film, Butch is still a violent abuser and the cause of his son's actions but he doesn't express any bigoted attitudes nor does he seem mentally unstable, and for all his faults he seems to disapprove of his son's behavior.

* IneffectualLoner: Rebuffs the Losers friendship offer, stating that it will make them a target for bullies. They promptly inform him that they saved his ass, and the bullies are already targeting them.

A black, home-schooled kid who joins the Losers late in the game, after they help him escape from Henry Bowers. His parents died in a fire (implied to have been intentionally set), and he lives with his grandfather in an abattoir. As an adult, Mike is the only Loser who stayed in Derry and works as a librarian. When IT resurfaces and starts killing again, he summons the other Losers back to Derry to fulfill the oath they swore as children.

* SirSwearsALot: Is the most profane of the kids. As an adult, his stage name is "Trash Mouth".

* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: See Eddie's entry. Additionally, Richie appears to have a shade of BigBrotherInstinct over him, grabbing hold of him when Pennywise hijacks the projector, and making Eddie look at him rather than Pennywise when the Losers are cornered at the Neibolt house. This goes with Stan. When the Losers have a falling out, he's the only one who attends Stan's Bar Mitzvah. Also, when Stan is separated from the group and attacked by Pennywise in Neibolt, he claims that the group deserted him. Richie is the first one to say "We would never do that to you."

** Another in-universe example is the recurring childrens' TV show, which talks about how fun clowns are and advocates playing in the sewers as an acceptable pastime for children -- after all, they'll float. When convincing Henry Bowers to murder his father and go after the Losers, Pennywise himself appears in the TV show alongside his numerous victims, chanting "Kill them all!".

* FacialHorror: A lot of his transformations have this. Also, when showing someone the Deadlights, Pennywise's face ''opens up completely'' to reveal [[ThroatLight the lights inside his mouth]] to render Beverly in a catatonic stat].

** Convincing Henry Bowers to murder his father and go after the Losers was a ''real'' jerk move, but shows that Pennywise actually is starting to show fear, and takes the Losers seriously as an opposing force, as opposed to just more prey.

* BrainwashedAndCrazy: While normally he is a violently unstable bully, he never tried to kill or severely harm any human and it's only under IT's influence that he truly turns [[AxCrazy deranged]] (although attempting to murder a cat is pretty deranged). First, when he attempts to carve his name in Ben, a car passes with a red balloon in the back seat. Then when he and his gang attempt to force Mike to eat raw meat and then smack him in the face with a rock, IT is right there in the bushes. Later IT gives him his knife back and pushes him to murder his father, before sending him to attack the Losers.

* AdaptationalVillainy: Alvin was no saint in the book nor the miniseries, and was actually much angrier and more prone to physical violence. However, he did seem to struggle with his desires (in the worst way possible) whereas here, he seems rather at ease with his incestuous longings. It could have something to do with his wife being AdaptedOut.

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: Patrick and Henry. In the book Patrick [[spoiler: murdered his baby brother and killed baby animals for fun and Henry killed Mike's dog, tried to rape Beverly, whitewashed Stan's face until he bled and almost drowned Bill in a dunk tank. He was very clearly insane before It manipulated him. Here, none of Patrick's actions are seen and Henry goes murderous when It starts manipulating him and his hideous actions are toned down or removed and he even gives Bill a pass from his bullying due to Georgie going missing. He also shows care for his cousin.]]

* AbusiveParents: Henry goes into terrified hysterics when he thinks he might incur the wrath of his father, Butch. At one point, a silently furious Butch fires his gun at Henry's feet, reducing him to tears and humiliating him in front of his friends.Shown by a deleted scene he also beats Henry at home.

* TheBabyOfTheBunch: {{Downplayed}}: he's physically the smallest of the Losers, and tie-in materials confirm that he's the youngest by a few months, so naturally he gets a bit of this treatment. However, the usually associated trope of EveryonesBabySister actually goes to Stan.

* EveryonesBabySister: He tends to be the most easily frightened of the Losers, to the point where everyone else seems slightly more attuned to his well-being; even Eddie seems to regard him as someone who needs looking after. When he is briefly separated from the others at the climax of the first movie, his subsequent freak-out causes everyone else to take a minute in order to comfort him before carrying on.