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Pennywise's impact on the children of the Derry series shapes them throughout their adult lives, transforming them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the town's cycle of animosity alive. The creature preys most easily on kids from fractured households — youngsters who often mature to repeat the identical behaviors as their guardians. But, the Hanlon household stands apart as a rare example of a households that remains intact, which could clarify why Mike Hanlon, even after choosing to stay in the town, persists as the sole member who doesn't completely succumb under Pennywise's sway.

Hanlon Household's Unique Resistance

In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy at last grows more aware of the supernatural forces surrounding the community, especially when the entity begins tormenting his child, Will, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon family comprises a small number of grown-ups who are aware that things are not right with the municipality, especially Leroy, who was shown to be receptive to psychic abilities when he was able to detect a fellow psychic's use of it in the third episode. Later, Leroy sees one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his residence. The ability, coupled with his failure to experience terror, along with the foundation of his family, could be why he's able to see Pennywise's hauntings. But what if that shining is hereditary, and a key factor Mike Hanlon is among the few adults in the town who didn't lose themselves to its cruelty?

The boy is part of the collective of kids at his educational institution being terrorized by Pennywise. His classmates hail from broken homes, with parents who refuse to accept they're being targeted. The reason Will is being pursued is due to the viciousness of the town, combined with his likely receptiveness to shine, which makes him susceptible. This family are fundamentally outsiders in Derry during the early sixties, which lends itself towards the family sensing anomalies exist about the town from the beginning. They also have a solid base that isn't fractured, unlike the residents who come from the area, with bonds that have decayed within.

Backstory Connections

Drawing from the original book, we know the juvenile Will Hanlon will end up at the infamous nightclub, where the psychic will save him from a fire that the local KKK members of Derry will ignite. In the 2017 film, we observe that he has a boy named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a fire, with his father outliving his own child and adopting his grandchild. The public account in the film is that the parents were on drugs, but given our current view of Will in the series, that's hard to believe. Perhaps the timid youth, once he became an adult, leaned into drink to rid himself of the torments, or maybe the corrupt environment got to him initially, with the hate group ultimately finishing the task it began years ago. Whether through the fear of Pennywise or through the cruelty of the community, instigated by Pennywise, the creature in the end achieves the last laugh on him.

The Father's Evolution

These occurrences would explain how Leroy changes so radically from what we see in the first film and the prequel. In his older age, Leroy appears bitter and much stricter with his parenting. Because he outlived his own son, it's understandable to see such a profound shift. Nonetheless, his statements hold greater significance now that we know he's witnessed the clown's activities and the impacts they wrought upon his child. In the opening scene of It, we observe the boy hesitate to use a stunning device on a sheep at the family property. His grandfather chastises him for hesitating and offers an metaphor that leads to a survival-of-the-fittest situation.

“There are two places 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 waste time hemming and hawing, and someone is going to make that choice. Except you won't know it until you experience that bolt in your head.”

Looking back, this could represent a piece of foreshadowing, a lesson he regrets not imparting to his own son. Maybe he wishes he had done something in his youth, but for some reason, he couldn't resist the sickening attraction of Derry.