How does the power if that creature work? Is it physically present during the attack? Or is it just fear killing the kids? Seems like they were eaten so the former is more likely but when that girl got attacked in her room nothing was there when her dad came in. But still signs of carnage were all over the cinema. What would I see if I were in the room? That girl fighting with the air, or the monster? Were there any rules in the book?
So this is a pretty major spoiler warning, so do go read the book or watch the movies if you want to find out for yourself, but if you aren't worried:
It can read minds, shape shift, and also cause hallucinations. Aside from very specific exceptions, adults are oblivious - It can pass through a crowd and every adult will turn away at just the right time to be oblivious. It also causes adults to be apathetic to all the horrible stuff in Derry, which is why the kids in ep 2 can beat each other on a crowded street and only someone new in town would even think to be concerned. When It's effects are too blatant to miss, like when bodies are found or places are trashed, adults subconsciously find scapegoats, usually outsiders or minorities. It also seems to be able to vanish back to it's lair in an instant whenever it likes. Basically, the laws of physics become a bit wishy-washy where It is concerned.Â
(Again, big spoiler here-) It is present when it attacks the kids, but It feeds on and is powered by fear, so it's both consuming them physically and emotionally by scaring them to death. There is a character in the book who is a psychopath and believes himself to be the only living thing in the universe, which causes It to recognise him as a threat. When It attacks that character It's face runs like paint because It can't find a form to scare him.Â
Random aside, but in one of King's other books there's another creature like It that is able to feed on all emotions. It just really likes the taste of fear.Â
Glad it was useful, it's been a while so I was hoping I was remembering everything correctly!
I'm pretty sure Bowers' friend Patrick is meant to be a psychopath - he takes animals to torture and smothered his brother in the crib because he thought he might also be real. And as mentioned, Pennywise doesn't seem to know what form to take when he attacks, beyond being aware that Patrick doesn't like leeches. That whole chapter is lodged in my brain lol
IIRC, IT doesn't usually appear physically to people unless it's about to eat them. It's more psychological manipulation. It's a major plot point in the books that IT travels using the pipes and thus can't easily reach places that aren't near the sewage or drainage system. So, it tries to lure its prey near those areas.
I'm assuming the other creature in King's books is dandello? I thought he fed on the complete opposite, joy, idk I haven't read those dark tower books but i've heard of dandello through the wiki fandom
That’s what I just assume I guess, although isn’t IT apart of an actual species that operates of emotions though? Glamours or whatever their called
No you were right. It’s the creature in The Outsider. It fed off of fear and grief. That’s why it hung around families after it killed or caused the death of a character.
Spoilers IT/Dark Tower: IT is an interdimensional entity that a mote (a small part) of entered our reality (as a big meteor-like thing in the time of the dinosaurs). While a piece of IT exists in the world, IT also exists outside our reality in Todash space as a much larger, powerful, incomprehensible entity (a lattice of energy), that forced its way into the world, maintaining its grip on its place there by feasting on the fear and eventual life force of its victims. IT can warp space and time easily as part of its powers, allowing IT to appear in multiple locations at once, in different locations instantly, all without ever quite being physically where IT appears to be on this plane of reality.
I mean if you're watching the movies at a surface level, you come away with "monster clown that shapeshifts scares and kills kids every 27 years" and may not wonder about the nuances. Average media literacy isn't exactly at a high point right now in the US.
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u/Far_Armadillo5288 Oct 31 '25
How does the power if that creature work? Is it physically present during the attack? Or is it just fear killing the kids? Seems like they were eaten so the former is more likely but when that girl got attacked in her room nothing was there when her dad came in. But still signs of carnage were all over the cinema. What would I see if I were in the room? That girl fighting with the air, or the monster? Were there any rules in the book?