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The clown's influence on the children of the Derry series molds them throughout their adult lives, twisting them into the exact individuals who keep the town's cycle of hatred ongoing. It preys most easily on children from broken homes — children who often grow up to repeat the same patterns as their guardians. But, the Hanlon household stands apart as one of the few households that never splinters, which may explain why Mike Hanlon, even after choosing to stay in Derry, persists as the only Loser who never fully falls under Pennywise's sway.

The Hanlon Family's Distinctive Resilience

In the fourth installment of Welcome to Derry, Leroy finally becomes more aware of the paranormal entities enveloping the community, particularly when It starts haunting his child, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon family comprises some of the few grown-ups who are aware that something is amiss with the town, especially Leroy, who was shown to be receptive to psychic abilities when he was capable of sensing a fellow psychic's employment of it in the third episode. Subsequently, Leroy spots one of the clown's trademark balloons outside his house. The ability, alongside his inability to experience terror, along with the foundation of his household, could be why he's capable of perceiving the entity's manifestations. But what if that psychic sensitivity is hereditary, and one of the reasons Mike is one of the only adults in the town who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?

Will is part of the collective of children at his educational institution being tormented by Pennywise. All his school friends hail from broken homes, with parents who don't believe they're being haunted. The cause Will is being pursued is because of the viciousness of the community, paired with his likely receptiveness to shine, which makes him susceptible. The Hanlons are fundamentally strangers in Derry during 1962, which contributes towards the family sensing something is off about the locality from the onset. They also have a solid base that remains unbroken, unlike the residents who originate in the area, with relationships that have decayed within.

Backstory Connections

Based on the It novel, we know the young Will Hanlon will find himself at the infamous nightclub, where Hallorann will save him from a fire that the town bigots 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 surviving his own son and adopting his grandchild. The official story in the motion picture is that Mike's parents were on substances, but now that we see him in Welcome to Derry, that's hard to believe. Perhaps the shy youth, once he grew up, leaned into alcohol to rid himself of the hauntings, or perhaps the corrupt environment got to him initially, with the hate group eventually finishing the job it started years ago. Be it via the fear of Pennywise or through the malice of the community, instigated by It, It eventually gets the last laugh on Will.

Leroy's Transformation

This chain of events would clarify how the elder Hanlon transforms so radically from what we see in It: Chapter 1 and the prequel. In his older age, he appears resentful and much harsher with his parenting. Because he outlived his own offspring, it's comprehensible to observe such a drastic change. Nonetheless, his statements hold greater significance since we are aware he's seen the clown's activities and the impacts they had on his child. In the opening scene of It, we observe the boy pause to use a stunning device on a sheep at the family property. His grandfather reprimands him for delaying and offers an metaphor that results in a kill-or-be-killed scenario.

“There are two places you can be in this existence. You can be in the open like we are, or you can be trapped inside,” Leroy states as he gestures to the sheep. “You dawdle hemming and hawing, and another is going to make that choice. Except you will be unaware it until you experience that projectile in your head.”

Looking back, this could be a piece of foreshadowing, a lesson he wishes he had told his own son. Maybe he wishes he had done something in his past, but for some reason, he was unable to avoid the sickening attraction of Derry.