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The clown's influence on the young residents of the Derry series molds them long into adulthood, transforming them into the very adults who keep the town's pattern of animosity alive. It finds easy targets on kids from fractured homes — youngsters who frequently mature to replicate the identical behaviors as their parents. But, the Hanlon family stands apart as one of the few family unit that never splinters, which may explain why Mike, even after choosing to stay in Derry, persists as the only Loser 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 Hanlon finally becomes increasingly conscious of the paranormal entities surrounding the community, especially when the entity begins tormenting his child, Will Hanlon, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon family comprises some of the few grown-ups who are cognizant that things are not right with the town, notably Leroy, who was shown to be receptive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing a fellow psychic's use of it in episode 3. Subsequently, he spots one of Pennywise's signature balloons outside his residence. The ability, coupled with his failure to experience terror, combined with the foundation of his household, may be why he's capable of perceiving Pennywise's hauntings. However, consider if that shining is hereditary, and one of the reasons Mike Hanlon is one of the only adults in the town who didn't lose themselves to the town's malevolence?

The boy is a member of the collective of kids at his educational institution being tormented by the clown. His classmates hail from broken homes, with caregivers who don't believe they're being targeted. The cause he is being pursued is because of the viciousness of the town, combined with his potential sensitivity to psychic abilities, which makes him susceptible. The Hanlons are fundamentally outsiders in Derry during 1962, which contributes towards the household feeling anomalies exist about the town from the onset. They also have a good foundation that isn't fractured, unlike the residents who come from the town, with relationships that have deteriorated within.

Historical Context

Drawing from the It novel, we know the young Will will find himself at the infamous nightclub, where Hallorann will save him from a fire that the town bigots of the community will cause. In the 2017 film, we observe that he has a boy named Mike and that Will eventually perishes in a configration, with Leroy surviving his own child and adopting his grandchild. The official story in the motion picture is that the parents were on substances, but given our current view of Will in Welcome to Derry, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the shy boy, once he grew up, turned to alcohol to free himself of the hauntings, or perhaps the rotten environment got to him first, with the KKK ultimately completing the job it began long before. Be it via the fear of the entity or through the malice of the town, instigated by It, the creature in the end gets the last laugh on Will.

The Father's Evolution

These occurrences would clarify how the elder Hanlon changes so drastically from what we witness in the first film and Welcome to Derry. In his later years, he seems resentful and much harsher with his parenting. Because he outlived his own offspring, it's understandable to observe such a drastic change. However, his statements carry more weight since we are aware he's witnessed Pennywise's hauntings and the effects they had on his son. In the initial sequence of the movie, we see the boy hesitate to use a stunning device on a sheep at the family property. Leroy chastises him for delaying and offers an metaphor 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,” Leroy says as he points to the sheep. “You waste time hemming and hawing, and someone is going to decide for you. Except you will be unaware it until you experience that projectile in your head.”

In hindsight, this could represent a bit of prediction, something he wishes he had told his own child. Perhaps he desires he had done something in his youth, but for certain factors, he couldn't resist the sickening attraction of the town.