Fans of Stephen King are aware that his stories are rich with interconnections and recurring figures. HBO Max’s latest prequel, IT: Welcome to Derry, follows this pattern. The trailer indicates that Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) makes a comeback, with the series drawing inspiration from historical segments of the book. After viewing the first episode, it’s evident that the series is integrated into King’s multiverse.

We have spotted Easter eggs in the inaugural episode.

Major Hanlon: The first episode introduces Major Hanlon (Jovan Adepo), a fresh face in Derry. In King’s novel, Mike Hanlon is a member of the Losers’ Club who remains in Derry to chronicle its history. Executive producer Andy Muscietti has confirmed that the series is based on Hanlon’s interludes, implying that Major Hanlon could very well be Mike’s grandfather.

The Paul Bunyan statue: In episode 1, Derry attempts to construct a Paul Bunyan statue, despite objections. This statue later animates in the book/movies to pursue Richie Tozier (Finn Wolfhard/Bill Hader).

The graffiti in the school bathroom: Margie (Matilda Lawler) and Lilly (Clara Stack) discover graffiti in the school bathroom featuring the name “Alvin Marsh” encased in a heart. Alvin Marsh (Stephen Bogaert) is Beverly Marsh’s (Sophia Lillis/Jessica Chastain) abusive father, a pivotal figure in the books and films.

The turtle: Turtles play an important role in IT and King’s multiverse (fans of the Dark Tower will recognize this). Episode 1 showcases turtles prominently, including a school sign that states, “BERT THE TURTLE SAYS: DUCK AND COVER,” along with the school’s turtle mascot. Matty (Miles Ekhardt) trades a turtle toy with Lilly, who remarks, “Turtles are lucky.”

IT: Welcome to Derry premieres on Sunday, October 26 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO, and will be available to stream on HBO Max. New episodes will be released weekly.