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Pennywise's impact on the young residents of the Derry series molds them throughout their adult lives, twisting them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the town's pattern of hatred alive. It preys most easily on children from fractured homes — youngsters who often grow up to replicate the same patterns as their guardians. However, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as a rare example of a family unit that remains intact, which could clarify why Mike Hanlon, even after choosing to stay in Derry, persists as the sole member who never fully falls under Pennywise's sway.

Hanlon Household's Unique Resilience

In the fourth installment of Welcome to Derry, Leroy Hanlon at last grows more aware of the paranormal entities surrounding the neighborhood, especially when It begins tormenting his son, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon family consists of some of the few grown-ups who are cognizant that something is amiss with the town, notably the father, who was shown to be sensitive to psychic abilities when he was capable of sensing a fellow psychic's use of it in episode 3. Subsequently, he spots one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his house. The ability, alongside his failure to feel fear, combined with the base of his family, could be why he's capable of perceiving the entity's manifestations. However, consider if that psychic sensitivity is generational, and one of the reasons Mike Hanlon is one of the only individuals in Derry who didn't lose themselves to its cruelty?

The boy is a member of the collective of kids at his school being tormented by the clown. His classmates come from dysfunctional families, with caregivers 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 potential sensitivity to shine, which makes him susceptible. The Hanlons are ultimately strangers in the town during the early sixties, which contributes towards the family sensing something is off about the town from the onset. Additionally, they possess a solid base that isn't fractured, unlike the residents who originate in the town, with bonds that have deteriorated internally.

Backstory Connections

Based on the original book, we understand the juvenile Will Hanlon will end up at the Black Spot, where the psychic will rescue him from a blaze that the local KKK members of Derry will ignite. In the 2017 film, we observe that Will has a boy named Mike and that Will eventually perishes in a configration, with Leroy outliving his own son and taking his grandson in. The official story in the film is that the parents were on substances, but given our current view of him in Welcome to Derry, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the shy boy, once he became an adult, leaned into alcohol to free himself of the torments, or maybe the corrupt town affected him first, with the hate group eventually completing the task it began years ago. Whether through the terror of Pennywise or via the malice of the town, seeded by Pennywise, It eventually achieves the final victory on Will.

The Father's Evolution

This chain of events would clarify how Leroy transforms so drastically from what we witness in the first film and Welcome to Derry. In his later years, he appears resentful and much stricter with his discipline. Since he survived his own offspring, it's understandable to observe such a profound shift. However, his statements hold greater significance since we are aware he's seen the clown's activities and the effects they wrought upon his son. In the opening scene of the movie, we observe Mike hesitate to use a bolt gun on a animal at Leroy's farm. Leroy chastises him for hesitating and provides an metaphor that results in a survival-of-the-fittest situation.

“You have two options you can be in this world. You can be in the open like us, or you can be in there,” Leroy states as he points to the sheep. “You dawdle indecisive, and someone is going to make that choice. Except you won't know it until you experience that projectile in your head.”

Looking back, this could be a piece of prediction, a lesson he wishes he had told his own child. Perhaps he wishes he had acted differently in his past, but for certain factors, he was unable to avoid the sickening attraction of the town.