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Pennywise's impact on the children of Welcome to Derry shapes them long into adulthood, twisting them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the town's pattern of animosity alive. It preys most easily on children from broken homes — children who often mature to replicate the same patterns as their parents. However, the Hanlon household stands apart as a rare example of a households that never splinters, which may explain why Mike, even after choosing to stay in the town, persists as the sole member who doesn't completely succumb under the clown's influence.

The Hanlon Family's Unique Resilience

In the fourth installment of Welcome to Derry, Leroy finally becomes more aware of the supernatural forces surrounding the community, particularly when It starts haunting his child, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan consists of a small number of grown-ups who are cognizant that something is amiss with the town, notably the father, who was revealed to be sensitive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing Dick Hallorann's use of it in the third episode. Subsequently, he spots one of Pennywise's signature inflated orbs outside his house. This gift, alongside his failure to feel fear, along with the base of his household, may be why he's able to see Pennywise's hauntings. However, consider if that psychic sensitivity is hereditary, and a key factor Mike is among the few individuals in Derry who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?

Will is part of the group of children at his educational institution being terrorized by the clown. His classmates come from dysfunctional families, with parents who don't believe they're being haunted. The cause Will is being pursued is due to the viciousness of the community, combined with his likely receptiveness to shine, which renders him vulnerable. The Hanlons are fundamentally outsiders in Derry during the early sixties, which lends itself towards the family sensing something is off about the locality from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a solid base that remains unbroken, unlike the residents who come from the area, with relationships that have deteriorated within.

Backstory Connections

Based on the It novel, we know the young Will will end up at the Black Spot, where Hallorann will save him from a blaze that the town bigots of the community will ignite. In the 2017 film, we see that he has a son named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a fire, with his father outliving his own son and taking his grandson in. The public account in the film is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but given our current view of him in the series, that's difficult to accept. Maybe the timid youth, once he grew up, turned to alcohol to rid himself of the torments, or maybe the corrupt environment got to him initially, with the hate group ultimately finishing the task it started long before. Whether through the fear of Pennywise or through the malice of the community, instigated by Pennywise, the creature in the end gets the final victory on him.

The Father's Evolution

This chain of events would clarify how Leroy changes so radically from what we see in the first film and the prequel. In his later years, he appears resentful and much harsher 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 Pennywise's hauntings and the effects they had on his son. In the opening scene of It, we observe Mike hesitate to use a stunning device on a animal at the family property. His grandfather chastises him for delaying and provides an analogy that results in a survival-of-the-fittest scenario.

“You have two options you can be in this world. You can be in the open like us, or you can be in there,” he states as he points to the creature. “You waste time indecisive, and another is going to decide for you. Except you won't know it until you experience that projectile in your head.”

In hindsight, this could represent a bit of prediction, a lesson he regrets not imparting to his own son. Perhaps he wishes he had done something in his past, but for some reason, he couldn't resist the sickening attraction of Derry.