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Pennywise's influence on the young residents 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. The creature preys most easily on children from broken households — youngsters who frequently mature to repeat the identical behaviors as their parents. But, the Hanlon family stands apart as a rare example of a family unit that never splinters, which could clarify why Mike Hanlon, even after choosing to stay in the town, remains the only Loser who doesn't completely succumb under the clown's influence.

Hanlon Household's Unique Resilience

In episode 4 of the series, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes increasingly conscious of the paranormal entities enveloping the community, especially when It starts haunting his child, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan comprises a small number of adults who are aware that things are not right with the town, notably the father, who was revealed to be sensitive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing a fellow psychic's use of it in the third episode. Subsequently, he sees one of the clown's trademark balloons outside his house. This gift, alongside his failure to experience terror, combined with the foundation of his family, could be why he's capable of perceiving the entity's manifestations. But what if that psychic sensitivity is hereditary, and a key factor Mike Hanlon is one of the only adults in Derry who resisted succumbing to its cruelty?

Will is part of the group of children at his educational institution being tormented by the clown. All his school friends come from dysfunctional families, with parents who don't believe they're being targeted. The cause he is being haunted is due to the cruelty of the community, paired with his potential sensitivity to shine, which renders him vulnerable. This family are ultimately outsiders in the town during 1962, which contributes towards the household feeling something is off about the town from the onset. They also have a solid base that remains unbroken, unlike the residents who originate in the area, with bonds that have decayed internally.

Backstory Connections

Drawing from the It novel, we understand the young Will Hanlon will find himself at the Black Spot, where Hallorann will save him from a fire that the town bigots of the community will cause. In the 2017 film, we see that Will has a son named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a fire, with Leroy surviving his own child and adopting his grandchild. The public account in the motion picture is that Mike's parents were on substances, but now that we see him in Welcome to Derry, that's difficult to accept. Maybe the timid boy, once he became an adult, leaned into alcohol to rid himself of the hauntings, or perhaps the corrupt town got to him initially, with the hate group eventually completing the job it began long before. Whether through the fear of Pennywise or via the cruelty of the town, instigated by Pennywise, It eventually achieves the final victory on him.

The Father's Evolution

This chain of events would clarify how the elder Hanlon transforms so drastically from what we see in the first film and Welcome to Derry. In his later years, he seems resentful and much stricter with his parenting. Since he outlived his own son, it's comprehensible to observe such a profound shift. However, his words hold greater significance since we are aware he's seen the clown's activities and the effects they had on his child. In the initial sequence of the movie, we see Mike pause to use a stunning device on a animal at the family property. His grandfather reprimands him for delaying and provides an metaphor that leads to a kill-or-be-killed scenario.

“There are two places you can be in this existence. You can be out here like we are, or you can be in there,” Leroy states as he gestures to the creature. “You dawdle hemming and hawing, and someone is going to make that choice. Except you will be unaware it until you experience that bolt between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could represent a bit of foreshadowing, something he regrets not imparting to his own child. Perhaps he desires he had done something in his youth, but for some reason, he couldn't resist the sickening allure of Derry.