The fifth entry in HBO's horror series It: Welcome to Derry titled "29 Neibolt Street" featured another tragic death, that of Rudy Mancuso's Captain Paul Russo, Major Leroy Hanlon's best friend and partner in the army.The latest episode of the series featured the much-anticipated debut of the shapeshifting entity's most famous iterations, ie, Bill Skarsgård's Pennywise. While the actor's return to his most iconic role (from the It movies) was exciting, it brought chaos and many tragic deaths for Derry's new and old residents.Unlike many characters in It: Welcome to Derry, who died at Pennywise's hands, Captain Paul died while saving Leroy's son Will. After Pennywise's one of many tricks, Leroy was about to shoot his own son when Paul stepped forward and sacrificed himself.In an interview with US Weekly, Rudy Mancuso breaks down his 'grounded' death and reveals that he was happy that Paul did not become one of Pennywise's floating victims:''A grounded death is better than a fantastical death.''More on Paul's death in It: Welcome to Derry Episode 5 in our story.Rudy Mancuso breaks down his heroic sacrifice in It: Welcome to Derry Episode 5 View this post on Instagram Instagram PostIt: Welcome to Derry featured another gruesome death in Episode 5 of Captain Paul Russo, but unlike Teddy, Phil and Susie, who met their gruesome deaths at the hands of the killer clown, Paul sacrificed himself for his best friend, Leroy's son Will.Rudy Mancuso's Captain Paul was introduced in the prequel series' Pilot episode, when he arrives in the cursed town of Derry with his friend, Major Leroy Hanlon. Between the new losers' club trying to prove Pennywise's existence and the military using Dick Hallorann's Shining powers to locate the supernatural entity, Paul had little contribution in the narrative. However, It: Welcome to Derry Episode 5 finally gave a much-deserved moment to Captain Paul, but it led to his death.Skarsgård’s Pennywise made his much-anticipated debut in the prequel series in Episode 5. The supernatural clown adopted Matty's persona to lure the children into the sewers. While Matty's friends were happy to see their friend alive, he quickly transformed into Pennywise's most iconic iteration, that of the killer clown from the previous two It movies. The action in the sewer turned more deadly when Major Leroy and Captain Paul followed Will and his friends into the sewer, following which Pennywise put Leroy into a trance.However, before Leroy could have committed a grave sin, Paul intervened and took the bullet meant for Will, sacrificing himself in the process. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostRudy Mancuso was grateful for not having a fantastical and bloody death in It: Welcome to Derry, as it would have crushed his mother. The actor said:''I didn’t have a dream Pennywise murder scenario because my mom would really suffer a lot when seeing that on screen. I’m thinking about my mom here, and I don’t wish that upon any of my characters for the sake of my mom’s viewing.''The It movies and It: Welcome to Derry have already featured many gruesome and gory deaths, which were difficult to watch for the faint-hearted. The three children's sudden deaths in the prequel's Pilot became the talk of the town and Mancuso was grateful that Paul had a more grounded death.While a majority of the characters would meet their tragic ends at Pennywise's hands, Paul's sacrifice was an exception. The actor added:''We see a lot of Pennywise deaths, which are a lot of gruesome and monster-esque supernatural character deaths and attacks. What we don’t get to see very often is a very grounded sacrifice made from a character. It’s happening in real life — within the context of the show. So it was nice to get a more humanized sacrificial death vs. a big supernatural one. I’m overall thankful that I got to participate in a more nuanced version of a death.''While a majority of characters found a place in Pennywise's deadlights in the It universe, Captain Paul had a 'grounded' death. His heroic move in It: Welcome to Derry Episode 5 proved that he was a true friend to Leroy Hanlon, who even sacrificed himself for him and his son.It: Welcome to Derry Episode 5 is streaming on HBO Max.For the latest scoops on your favorite TV shows and movies, follow SoapCentral.