It (character)

It (or Pennywise the Dancing Clown) is a fictional character that first appeared in Stephan King's It and was portrayed by Tim Curry in the film adaption.

Fictional character biography
"It" apparently originated in a void containing and surrounding the universe, a place referred to in the novel as the "Macroverse" (a concept similar to the later established Todash Darkness of The Dark Tower series). Its most commonly-used name is Bob Gray or Pennywise (although at several points in the novel, It claims its true name to be Robert Gray) and is christened "It" by the group of children who later confront It. Likewise, It's true form is never truly comprehended. Its favorite form is that of a clown (with fangs and large claws when it stalks a child) known as Pennywise the Dancing Clown, and its final form in the physical realm is that of an enormous spider, but even this is only the closest the human mind can get to approximating It's actual physical form. Its natural form exists in a realm beyond the physical, which It calls the "deadlights." Bill comes dangerously close to seeing the deadlights, but successfully defeats It before this happens, though during their first confrontation with It, Ben believes that he nearly sees It's true form, and nearly panics as a result. As such, the deadlights are never seen and It's true form outside the physical realm is never revealed, only described as writhing, destructive orange lights. Coming face to face with the deadlights drives any living being instantly insane (a common H. P. Lovecraft device). The only known person to face the deadlights and survive is Bill's wife, Audra Phillips, whose encounter with the deadlights nevertheless renders her temporarily catatonic.

Its natural enemy is "The Turtle," another ancient Macroverse dweller resembling a God-like deity, who, eons ago, created our universe, and possibly others. The Turtle shows up again in King's series The Dark Tower. The book suggests that It, along with the Turtle, are themselves creations of a separate, omnipotent creator referred to as "The Other". The Turtle and It are eternal enemies (creation vs. consumption). It arrived in our world in a massive, cataclysmic event similar to an asteroid impact, in the place that would, in time, become Derry, Maine, where it waited for humanity to appear.

Its power is apparently quite vast; during the second Ritual of Chüd, It offers the Losers money, power, and supernatural lifespans if they spare It. Of course, It could merely have been bluffing in order to save Itself.

Through the novel, some events are described through It's point of view, through which It describes Itself as the "superior" being, with the Turtle as someone "close to his superiority" and humans as mere "toys." It describes that It prefers to kill and devour children, not by nature, but rather because the fears of children are easier to interpret in a physical form and thus children are easier to fill with terror, which It says is akin to "salt(ing) the meat". It is continuously surprised by the children's victories and near the end, It begins to wonder if It perhaps isn't as superior as It had once thought. However, It never believes that the individual children are strong enough to defeat It; though It suspects the presence of "The Other" working through them as a group, It dismisses the possibility — an error which proves fatal.

Film
It appears in the 1990 film adaption portrayed by Tim Curry.

Appearance
In the novel, It's "Pennywise the Dancing Clown" form is described as resembling a combination of Bozo, Clarabell, and Ronald McDonald. When The Losers Club enters It's lair, It appears in the form of a giant spider. It's real appearance is "the deadlights", a orange light that if someone looks at long enough, they will be killed.