Welcome to Derry May Have Solved a Longstanding Pennywise Enigma
The clown's impact on the children of the Derry series shapes them throughout their adult lives, twisting them into the very adults who keep the town's pattern of hatred alive. The creature finds easy targets on kids from broken homes — youngsters who often grow up to replicate the identical behaviors as their parents. However, the Hanlon family distinguishes itself as a rare example of a family unit that remains intact, which could clarify why Mike, even after choosing to stay in Derry, remains the only Loser who never fully falls under Pennywise's sway.
The Hanlon Family's Unique Resilience
In episode 4 of the series, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes increasingly conscious of the supernatural forces enveloping the neighborhood, especially when It begins tormenting his son, Will, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon family comprises some of the few adults who are cognizant that things are not right with the town, especially Leroy, who was revealed to be receptive to psychic abilities when he was able to detect Dick Hallorann's use of it in episode 3. Subsequently, Leroy spots one of Pennywise's signature inflated orbs outside his residence. The ability, alongside his inability to experience terror, along with the base of his family, may be why he's able to see the entity's manifestations. However, consider if that psychic sensitivity is hereditary, and a key factor Mike is one of the only individuals in Derry who didn't lose themselves to the town's malevolence?
The boy is a member of the group of kids at his school being tormented by the clown. All his school friends hail from dysfunctional families, with parents who refuse to accept they're being targeted. The cause he is being haunted is due to the viciousness of the town, paired with his likely receptiveness to shine, which renders him vulnerable. 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 onset. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that isn't fractured, unlike the residents who come from the town, with relationships that have decayed internally.
Historical Context
Based on the original book, we know the juvenile Will Hanlon will find himself at the infamous nightclub, where the psychic will rescue him from a blaze that the local KKK members of the community will cause. In the recent film, we see that he has a son named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a fire, with Leroy outliving his own son and adopting his grandchild. The public account in the film is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but now that we see him in Welcome to Derry, that's hard to believe. Perhaps the timid boy, once he became an adult, leaned into alcohol to free himself of the torments, or maybe the corrupt environment got to him first, with the KKK eventually completing the job it began years ago. Be it via the terror of Pennywise or via the cruelty of the community, instigated by Pennywise, the creature eventually gets the last laugh on Will.
The Father's Evolution
This chain of events would clarify how Leroy transforms so drastically from what we see in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his older age, he seems resentful and much harsher with his discipline. Since he outlived his own offspring, it's comprehensible to observe such a drastic change. Nonetheless, his words hold greater significance now that we know he's witnessed Pennywise's hauntings and the effects they wrought upon his son. In the opening scene of It, we observe the boy hesitate to use a stunning device on a animal at Leroy's farm. His grandfather chastises him for hesitating and offers an analogy that results in a survival-of-the-fittest scenario.
“You have two options you can be in this existence. You can be out here like we are, or you can be in there,” he states as he points to the creature. “You waste time hemming and hawing, and someone is going to make that choice. Except you will be unaware it until you feel that bolt between your eyes.”
In hindsight, this could represent a bit of foreshadowing, a lesson he regrets not imparting to his own child. Maybe he wishes he had acted differently in his youth, but for some reason, he couldn't resist the repellent allure of Derry.