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Pennywise's impact on the children of Welcome to Derry shapes them long into adulthood, transforming them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the community's cycle of animosity alive. The creature preys most easily on kids from fractured households — children who often mature to replicate the identical behaviors as their guardians. But, the Hanlon household stands apart as one of the few family unit that never splinters, which may explain why Mike Hanlon, even after electing to remain in Derry, remains the sole member who doesn't completely succumb under Pennywise's sway.

The Hanlon Family's Distinctive Resistance

In the fourth installment of the series, Leroy finally becomes more aware of the supernatural forces enveloping the neighborhood, especially when It begins tormenting his child, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan consists of a small number of grown-ups who are aware that things are not right with the town, notably the father, who was shown to be receptive to psychic abilities when he was capable of sensing a fellow psychic's employment of it in episode 3. Subsequently, Leroy spots one of Pennywise's signature inflated orbs outside his residence. The ability, alongside his failure to feel fear, along with the base of his family, could be why he's able to see the entity's manifestations. However, consider if that shining is generational, and a key factor Mike is among the few adults in Derry who resisted succumbing to its cruelty?

The boy is a member of the group of kids at his educational institution being tormented by the clown. All his school friends come from dysfunctional families, with caregivers who don't believe they're being haunted. The reason he is being haunted is because of the viciousness of the town, combined with his potential sensitivity to shine, which makes him susceptible. The Hanlons are ultimately outsiders in Derry during 1962, which contributes towards the family sensing anomalies exist about the locality from the beginning. They also have a solid base that remains unbroken, in contrast to the residents who originate in the town, with relationships that have deteriorated within.

Backstory Connections

Based on the original book, we understand the young Will Hanlon will find himself at the infamous nightclub, where the psychic will save him from a blaze that the town bigots of the community will cause. In the 2017 film, we see that Will has a boy named Mike and that Will eventually perishes in a fire, with Leroy outliving his own son 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 the series, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the timid youth, once he became an adult, leaned into drink to free himself of the hauntings, or maybe the rotten town got to him first, with the hate group eventually completing the task it started years ago. Be it via the fear of Pennywise or via the malice of the community, instigated by Pennywise, the creature in the end achieves the last laugh on Will.

The Father's Evolution

These occurrences would explain how Leroy transforms so drastically from what we see in It: Chapter 1 and the prequel. In his older age, Leroy appears resentful and much stricter with his parenting. Because he survived his own offspring, it's understandable to see such a profound shift. However, his words hold greater significance now that we know he's witnessed Pennywise's hauntings and the effects they had on his child. In the opening scene of the movie, we observe the boy pause to use a stunning device on a animal at the family property. His grandfather chastises him for delaying and offers an analogy that leads to 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 in there,” he says as he points to the creature. “You dawdle hemming and hawing, and another is going to decide for you. Except you will be unaware it until you experience that bolt between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could be a piece of foreshadowing, 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 repellent allure of Derry.