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Pennywise's impact on the young residents of the Derry series molds them throughout their adult lives, transforming them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the town's pattern of hatred ongoing. It finds easy targets on children from fractured homes — children who often mature to replicate the identical behaviors as their parents. But, the Hanlon household stands apart as one of the few households that remains intact, which could clarify why Mike Hanlon, even after electing to remain in Derry, persists as the only Loser who never fully falls under the clown's influence.

The Hanlon Family's Distinctive Resistance

In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy finally becomes increasingly conscious of the supernatural forces surrounding the community, especially when It starts haunting his son, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan consists of a small number of grown-ups who are cognizant that things are not right with the town, notably Leroy, who was revealed to be receptive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing Dick Hallorann's use of it in the third episode. Subsequently, Leroy spots one of the clown's trademark balloons outside his house. The ability, coupled with his inability to feel fear, combined with the foundation of his household, may be why he's capable of perceiving the entity's manifestations. But what if that shining is hereditary, and a key factor Mike is one of the only individuals in Derry who didn't lose themselves to its cruelty?

Will is a member of the group of kids at his school being terrorized by Pennywise. His classmates come from dysfunctional families, with parents who refuse to accept they're being haunted. The cause he is being pursued is due to the viciousness of the town, paired with his likely receptiveness to shine, which makes him susceptible. This family are ultimately strangers in the town during 1962, which lends itself towards the family sensing anomalies exist about the town from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a solid base that remains unbroken, unlike the folks who originate in the town, with bonds that have decayed internally.

Historical Context

Drawing from the original book, we understand the juvenile Will will end up at the infamous nightclub, where Hallorann will rescue him from a blaze that the local KKK members of the community will ignite. In the 2017 film, we observe that Will has a son named Mike and that the father eventually perishes in a fire, with his father outliving his own son and taking his grandson in. The public account in the film is that the parents were on drugs, but given our current view of him in Welcome to Derry, that's difficult to accept. Maybe the timid boy, once he grew up, leaned into drink to free himself of the hauntings, or maybe the corrupt town got to him first, with the hate group eventually completing the job it started years ago. Whether through the terror of the entity or through the cruelty of the town, seeded by Pennywise, the creature in the end achieves the final victory on Will.

The Father's Evolution

These occurrences would explain how the elder Hanlon changes so drastically from what we see in the first film and the prequel. In his older age, Leroy appears resentful and much stricter with his discipline. Because he survived his own offspring, it's understandable to see such a drastic change. However, his words hold greater significance now that we know he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the impacts they had on his child. In the initial sequence of It, we see the boy pause to use a stunning device on a sheep at the family property. Leroy reprimands him for delaying and provides an metaphor that leads to a kill-or-be-killed scenario.

“You have two options you can be in this world. You can be out here like we are, or you can be in there,” Leroy says as he gestures to the sheep. “You dawdle indecisive, and another is going to make that choice. Except you will be unaware it until you experience that projectile between your eyes.”

In hindsight, this could be a piece of prediction, a lesson he regrets not imparting to his own son. Maybe he desires he had done something in his past, but for some reason, he couldn't resist the repellent attraction of Derry.