In 1986's It by Stephen King, the novel ended with the assurance that the beast was bested, finally bested. The man-children, including Mike Hanlon, begin to forget everything about Derry and the events that brought them together as children and as adults.

Yet I've seen Pennywise the clown (the beast, aka It) appear after the publication of It, the novel. I think I saw him pop up in 1987's The Tommyknockers.

Sooo, what was the point of the sacrifices made in It, if Pennywise survived? The cost of all the memories, their lost friendships, the deaths of some of the friends?

Go, then Gunslinger, there are other worlds than these...

Bingo! In Dreamcatcher there is also a sign in derry with all the kids names and the statement, "Pennywise lives" or something similar. That took place in present day (~2000). There are a billion other connections as well that I have forgotten over the years. If they interest you at all, run and pickup up all the Dark Tower books.

See that was in 19 world but in world 20 IT lives on and Roland holds a mighty horn.

Why does everyone like the novel It so much? I liked it up until you find out what It actually is, and then it just got really really stupid.

So lost his life in vain? committed suicide for nothing? I think it is a bad idea to blend all of King's worlds into one cosmic universe.

Or, you know IT's just a book.

The Official Stephen King's IT Discussion Thread

edit: Also, it's probably not a good idea to reveal the fate of a character in the title of a thread, even a book that is as old as It.