It: Welcome To Derry, the prequel to the It movies developed by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs, follows the fictional town of Derry and a new generation of children and adults who face the shapeshifting evil known as It.In It: Welcome To Derry Episode 3, Now You See It, the series teases Pennywise’s long-awaited return while referencing one of the most disturbing moments from King’s stories: the Black Spot tragedy.How It: Welcome To Derry references The Black Spot tragedyIn Episode 3 of It: Welcome To Derry, Now You See It, we finally see Pennywise, and we also get the reference to one of the biggest tragedies from Stephen King’s books. While the children in the show are busy trying to gather proof of It’s existence to clear the name of one of their innocent fathers, but accused of murder, the adults, led by the military, attempt to locate It’s lair, which is underground. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostA major focus of this episode of It: Welcome To Derry is Dick Hallorann, who uses his psychic ability, known as the 'shine', to help the military search for It. In a scene, Hallorann is seen talking with General Francis Shaw (played by James Remar), who offers to make his stay more comfortable. Hallorann then asks for a place where he and the other soldiers can relax safely. It seems like a simple request, but that request hints at the creation of The Black Spot, one of the most tragic incidents from King’s novel.In Stephen King’s It, The Black Spot was a nightclub built and frequented by Black soldiers stationed near Derry. Hallorann worked there in the kitchen, and for a while, it was a place known for peace, joy and unity. However, that sense of peace ended when a white supremacist group known as the Maine Legion of White Decency attacked the club and set it on fire. That incident came to be known as the Black Spot tragedy. Hallorann used his psychic ability to save several people, including Mike Hanlon’s father, but many others died in the fire.This horrifying event also had a supernatural element to it. According to the book, as the fire was taking over the club, Hallorann and Mike Hanlon’s father saw It appear in the form of a giant bird, feeding on the chaos and fear. The tragedy became another piece of evidence that the evil in Derry runs deeper than human hate or what meets the eye. It's something the town itself seems to create. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostIn It: Welcome To Derry, Hallorann used his psychic powers to get a look into It’s lair. What he saw was horrifying. He saw innumerable bodies, where the Clown hides and, also, his yellow eyes. Though he doesn’t yet comprehend what It truly is, the Black Spot incident will likely open his eyes to the monster’s real power and the danger that's coming.We're likely going to see the Black Spot tragedy taking place, and even if it doesn't, just through the reference to it, the series is doing more than just revisiting an old story. It explores how Derry’s evil thrives on both supernatural and human cruelty. This storyline will also amplify Hallorann’s role, giving viewers insight into how his experiences in Derry shaped him long before The Shining.The recreation of the tragedy, if it is shown, is expected to be both emotional and unsettling, which will serve as an important link between the past and Pennywise’s terrifying actions. For longtime fans of Stephen King’s universe, It: Welcome To Derry is proving to be more than a prequel and more of an expansion of the story that exposes the roots of Derry’s evil. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostEpisode 4 of It: Welcome To Derry, The Great Swirling Apparatus of Our Planet's Function, will be released on November 16, 2025, on HBO.For more articles like this, follow Soapcentral.