IT: Welcome to Derry Episode 5 revealed that Hank Grogan (Stephen Rider) escaped while en route to Shawshank Prison, and it was due to a major hiccup that occurred during his bus transfer. HBO Max's prequel series has been expanding the lore behind Pennywise the Dancing Clown and Derry, Maine, but an important piece in the Welcome to Derry puzzle is Hank's fate, especially after being framed for the murder of the kids that took place inside the Capitol Theater in Episode 1. Hank is the father of Ronnie Grogan, a member of the proto Losers' Club in the series who has been searching for the truth to save her innocent father.
Ronnie had already lost her mom in Welcome to Derry, and the prospect of seeing her father go to Shawshank Prison for a crime he didn't commit pushed her to join the proto Losers' Club's efforts in trying to prove that Pennywise is real. However, their efforts came to naught when the adults of Derry didn't believe them, leading to Hank's transfer to Shawshank Prison being the final nail in the coffin for his grim fate until a twist in Episode 5 of the horror series changed everything.
Who (or What) Attacked the Bus In 'Welcome to Derry'?
IT: Welcome to Derry Episode 4 finally revealed where Hank was during the night of the murder. As it turned out, Hank was secretly having an affair with a married white woman, and he could not tell his whereabouts during the night of the murder because seeing a Black man with a white woman was a crime in Derry during that time. Hank pointed out, "If anybody finds out, I won't be headed to no Shawshank," and they would kill him instantly. This explained why he decided to give himself up as the "murderer" of the kids, even though he (and Ronnie and the kids knew) that he was an innocent man.
Welcome to Derry Episode 5 then showcased Hank Grogan's prison transfer from Derry to Shawshank State Prison, but it didn't go as planned. For starters, a crazy Derry resident tried to kill Hank in broad daylight, but thankfully, the police were able to stop him. Charlotte Hanlon, though (the future grandmother of Will Hanlon in the IT movies), noticed that Pennywise appeared to have orchestrated Hank's attack.
Unfortunately, the bus that Hank took while en route to Shawshank was mysteriously attacked by an unknown entity. According to the news report seen by Charlotte Hanlon, the "bus crashed yesterday off Route 9" and there were "multiple casualties." However, Welcome to Derry Episode 5 confirmed that Hank escaped.
The latest installment also unpacked that the woman Hank slept with is none other than Mrs. Ingrid Kersh (the housekeeper at Juniper Hill who has been helping Lilly Bainbridge cope with Pennywise's attacks). Hank and Mrs. Kersh reunited after the bus accident, and he told her that someone or something had attacked the transport and "it just happened so fast."
It is unknown which creature attacked Hank's bus, but there was a strong possibility that it could be Pennywise, as he might've wanted Hank back in Derry to further torture Ronnie and use her fear against her.
Given that Pennywise is aware of Hank and Mrs. Kersh's affair, it's possible that he would've wanted Hank to suffer more by exposing this secret, and he knew that he had no control if he was transferred to Shawshank. Eagle-eyed fans of IT: Chapter Two know that Mrs. Kersh is an essential figure in the movie because she eventually became a manifestation of IT when tormenting Beverly Marsh (read more about every IT movie character related to Welcome to Derry's cast).
Some have theorized that Hank could be the final piece in the puzzle of IT finally manipulating Mrs. Kersh, considering that the ancient evil knew that she was the only adult in Derry who had been helping the kids. It's possible that Pennywise wanted to kill Hank by itself to drive Mrs. Kersh into madness.
Will Hank Die in Welcome to Derry?
Hank Grogan's current predicament in IT: Welcome to Derry laid the groundwork for his potential death, considering that he is a wanted man after the bus accident that was supposed to take him to Shawshank State Prison.
It appears that being a wanted man is the least of his worries, knowing that a cosmic killer clown is out on the loose in Derry and has been targeting his daughter ever since.
At this stage, it is reasonable to assume that Hank will die, either in the hands of the police or Pennywise. If Pennywise was indeed the attacker of the Shawshank transport, then it was done intentionally to bring Hank back to Derry, Maine, so that IT could complete its task and kill Hank to heighten Ronnie's fears.
If anything, this could be part of an elaborate trick of Pennywise to torment the kids further.
