Prepare to be horrified, because IT: Welcome to Derry Episode 4 takes the terror to a whole new level with a scene so grotesque, it’ll haunt your dreams. Spoiler alert: If you haven’t watched it yet, proceed with caution! This week’s installment dives headfirst into the unsettling subgenre of eye horror, delivering a sequence so visceral, it’s already sparking conversations among fans. But here’s where it gets controversial—is this the most disturbing Pennywise moment yet, or does it cross the line into gratuitous territory? Let’s break it down.
Midway through the episode, Marge Truman (played by the incredibly talented Matilda Lawler) finds herself at the center of a nightmare. Her eyes, already a source of insecurity due to her new glasses, begin to bulge grotesquely, resembling disembodied slugs. This triggers a chain of events so gory, it’s impossible to look away—or forget. And this is the part most people miss: it’s not just about the horror; it’s about the emotional weight of Marge’s struggle, both physical and psychological.
One of the bright spots in Welcome to Derry has been the formation of a new “Loser’s Club,” a group of misfits banding together to fight Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård). Lilly Bainbridge (Clara Stack), once isolated, now counts Ronnie Grogan (Amanda Christine), Will Hanlon (Blake Cameron James), and Rich Santos (Arian S. Cartaya) as her allies. They’ve seen the horrors she’s endured and believe her—a rare moment of solidarity in the darkness of Derry. But here’s the twist: Marge, Lilly’s former best friend, isn’t thrilled about this newfound camaraderie. Feeling threatened, she aligns with the school’s mean girls, the Pattie Cakes, to humiliate Lilly in a cruel prank reminiscent of another Stephen King classic, Carrie. Marge convinces Lilly that a popular boy likes her, setting her up for public embarrassment in the cafeteria.
However, just as the plan is about to unfold, Marge has a change of heart. She tries to warn Lilly—but Pennywise intervenes, turning Marge’s guilt into a living nightmare. Remember her earlier worry about her glasses making her eyes look big? Now, her eyes are literally threatening to consume her face. In a desperate attempt to escape the pain, Marge flees to the shop classroom, where she tries to cut her own eyes out. Yes, you read that right.
In an interview with DECIDER, Matilda Lawler shared her reaction to the scene: “I was like, ‘Girl, please, please, please, no!’ But it was honestly a blast to film that.” Lawler, known for her captivating performances in Station Eleven and The Gilded Age, admitted that filming the sequence was both intense and absurd. “I was wearing a half head of prosthetics with wires sticking out of my eyes,” she explained. “Running down hallways, screaming and crying with wires protruding from my face? Yeah, I’d question my sanity too if I saw that.”
Despite the challenges, Lawler believes the scene was worth it. “The CGI looks incredible, and the physicality of the scene—like Clara trying to rip the eyes out of my hand—was so intense but fun,” she said. Her commitment didn’t go unnoticed. Co-star Blake Cameron James praised her dedication: “Tilly commits to her character more than any actor I’ve ever worked with, child or adult. It’s a skill.”
So, here’s the question: Did the scene leave you squirming in horror, or did it feel like it went too far? Is this a masterful exploration of fear, or does it rely too heavily on shock value? Let us know in the comments—we’re eager to hear your take on this divisive moment in IT: Welcome to Derry.
