Why does Pennywise hibernate for 27 years?
Emily Sparks
Published Jan 17, 2026
The rule isn't as hard in King's novels — which, knowing IT's character, makes sense. IT thrives on chaos; an exact 27-year pattern is way too predictable for a being of pure evil. Rather, IT wakes up roughly every three decades, and stays away for a different period of time. Talk about messed up circadian rhythms!