IT: Welcome to Derry Episode 3, titled “Now You See It,” on HBO kicks off with a heartwarming tale of youthful romance.

**Spoilers for IT: Welcome to Derry Episode 3 “Now You See It,” available now on HBO Max**

Set in 1908, the episode introduces us to a young white boy, Francis, who forms an immediate bond with an Indigenous girl named Rose. They spend their days exploring the fields and forests surrounding Derry, Maine, but Rose warns Francis about a forbidden zone—a place haunted by a sinister force known as It. Ignoring her caution, Francis ventures into the ominous woods, prompting Rose to save him using a slingshot, a tool that later guides Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk) to Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård)’s hideout.

In this episode, it’s revealed that Francis eventually becomes General Shaw (James Remar) while Rose (Kimberly Guerrero) takes charge of the local antique store. When Francis’s family relocates from Derry, the memories of It, the town, and Rose fade away until a military experiment involving hallucinogens triggers their return, inspiring Operation Precept.

In an interview with DECIDER, James Remar and Kimberly Guerrero emphasized how the opening scene of Episode 3 profoundly shapes the destinies of Francis and Rose, intertwining their lives with Pennywise and cementing their bond as destined lovers.

“That, I believe has informed the direction of General Francis Shaw’s entire life,” Remar said. “This encounter with this demon and being saved from the demon by Rose as a kid, and then being snatched away from Derry by his dad and then living a life in the military… And everybody gets sucked back to Derry.”

Guerrero shared that experience “was really instrumental in [Rose’s dedication to her role within the circle that protects the world from this creature.”

“I was born to do this. I was called to do this. I’m in a long, long line of ancestral calling that’s passed down from generation to generation and I know that I’m called to that,” Guerrero said. “I want to step into that that role as a warrior and as a leader. And in order to do that, I will have to sacrifice love for myself, romantic love. I’ll have love in other ways: familial love, communal love, love for my fellow townspeople in Derry.”

But true romantic love is not something either Francis nor Rose can enjoy. “When [Francis] left, he left such a hole in her heart that she never quite recovered from,” Guerrero said. “Francis still occupies that part of my heart that’s just a little girl in love and, you know, just wants to settle down, have a boyfriend. And she’s still there at 64 years old wanting that!”

Remar revealed that he felt that Francis was in an equal predicament. “To my knowledge, General Shaw never married or had a family,” Remar said. “I don’t have pictures of my kids on the desk. You know, there’s no picture of the wife on the wall. It’s just, I married the Air Force.”

“And I married my duty,” Guerrero said.

“So we parallel each other,” Remar said. “She married her duty and I married my duty, in absence of the romantic things that we wanted and enjoyed when we were very small.”

Rose and Francis may parallel each other, but they’re also on something of a collision course. It’s Rose’s duty to keep the secret of Pennywise while it’s Francis’s to find and weaponize It.