Those familiar with Stephen King know the author likes a good self-reference. To a Cujo reference in Pet Sematary to Dolores Claiborne showing up in one of Jessie’s visions in Gerald’s Game, King has created his own shared universe for his fictional creations. However, one popular theory links two of his most famous villains: Pennywise and Randall Flagg.
The theory doesn’t just imply Pennywise and Flagg exist in the same universe but that they are the same entity. While it may seem far-fetched, a proven connection already exists between them—a cosmic turtle.
'The Dark Tower' Series And 'It' Are Already Connected
Cosmic turtle? Yup. You read that write. If you haven’t read King’s work, Maturin, also called “the Turtle,” is a cosmic entity credited with creating the main universe where King’s novels take place. While Maturin plays a substantial role in the novel It, Andy Muschietti’s It and It: Chapter 2 regulates him to sneaky references, and the 1990 It miniseries starring Tim Curry mentions him even less. However, the Turtle’s absence from the big screen doesn’t change the fact that Maturin exists and also plays a role in The Dark Tower book series.
There, he functions as one of the 12 Guardians of the Beams. The “Beams” in question refer to the metaphysical girders responsible for upholding the titular Dark Tower. You know, simple stuff? Jokes aside. Maturin plays a vital background role in The Dark Tower books. Although Nikolaj Arcel’s The Dark Tower movie doesn’t mention him, the books effectively link the two stories—and thus the films based on them.
Pennywise And Randall Flagg Have Similarities
Pennywise might be known as everyone’s not-so-favorite dancing clown, but, really, he is just a guise for a cosmic, inter-dimensional entity, which makes It a lot more sci-fi than it appears on the surface. Some associate Pennywise with a giant spider (remember that goofy special effect at the end of the 1990 miniseries? Or the slightly more menacing spider-clown hybrid in It: Chapter 2?). However, Pennywise’s true form is the Deadlights. You know those groovy, orange-yellow lights lurking in the depths of his throat? One look at those babies, and the viewer goes insane, allowing it to feed.
The Deadlights also exist in The Dark Tower series, appearing when the Crimson King—the story’s big bad—ascends the Dark Tower. While Pennywise never directly features in those books, Randall Flagg does, and some think he and Pennywise are one in the same.
Flagg debuted in 1978’s The Stand but also plays the Crimson King’s right hand throughout The Dark Tower saga. Comparing Pennywise and Flagg side by side reveals a lot of similarities. For starters, both are ancient beings capable of shape-shifting and creating illusions to ensnare their victims. With the Deadlights very much around in the Dark Tower, it’s possible the entity known as Pennywise assumed the form of Randall Flagg—or whatever alias Flagg is going by at the time.
Are Pennywise And Randall Flagg Actually The Same Entity?
The answer here appears to be...maybe. King himself actually commented on the theory after Screen Rant published an article pitting Pennywise and Flagg against each other. In a since deleted tweet, King wrote, “Have they not considered the possibility that THEY ARE THE SAME ENTITY?” Whether King was dropping a bombshell or just having some fun is unclear, considering he precedes the tease by saying, “Screen Rant asks the question America cares about most (not).” Still, with so much overlap between It and The Dark Tower series, it’s certainly possible.
Even if Flagg and Pennywise are separate beings, entities like Pennywise lurk within The Dark Tower books. Dandelo, known to take the form of a comedian called Joe Collins, feeds on human emotions, like laughter, which sounds a lot like Pennywise’s appetite for fear. King has said the two—though similar—are not the same entity, but the same species. Some even suspect Dandelo may be Pennywise’s offspring since the creature laid eggs in its sewer lair at the end of It.
So, even if Randall Flagg and Pennywise aren’t the same, there is enough evidence to support that Flagg must have crossed paths with entities like Pennywise—if not Pennywise itself—during his inter-dimensional travels.
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