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Pennywise's influence on the children of the Derry series molds them long into adulthood, transforming them into the exact individuals who keep the community's cycle of animosity alive. The creature preys most easily on children from fractured homes — children who often grow up to repeat the identical behaviors as their parents. But, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as one of the few households that never splinters, which could clarify why Mike Hanlon, even after electing to remain in Derry, persists as the sole member who doesn't completely succumb under the clown's influence.

The Hanlon Family's Distinctive Resistance

In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy finally becomes increasingly conscious of the paranormal entities surrounding the neighborhood, especially when It begins tormenting his son, Will, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon clan consists of a small number of grown-ups who are cognizant that things are not right with the municipality, notably the father, who was revealed to be receptive to psychic abilities when he was capable of sensing Dick Hallorann's employment of it in episode 3. Subsequently, he sees one of Pennywise's signature inflated orbs outside his house. The ability, alongside his inability to feel fear, combined with the foundation of his family, could be why he's able to see the entity's manifestations. However, consider if that shining is hereditary, and one of the reasons Mike is one of the only adults in Derry who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?

The boy is a member of the collective of kids at his educational institution being terrorized by the clown. His classmates come from broken homes, with parents who don't believe they're being targeted. The reason he is being pursued is because of the cruelty of the community, paired with his likely receptiveness to psychic abilities, which renders him vulnerable. This family are fundamentally strangers in Derry during 1962, which contributes towards the family feeling something is off about the town from the beginning. They also have a solid base that isn't fractured, in contrast to the residents who come from the area, with relationships that have deteriorated within.

Backstory Connections

Drawing from the original book, we understand the young Will Hanlon will end up at the Black Spot, where the psychic will save him from a fire that the town bigots of the community will cause. In the 2017 movie, we see that he has a son named Mike and that Will eventually perishes in a fire, with his father outliving his own son and adopting his grandchild. The official story in the motion picture is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but now that we see him in the series, that's difficult to accept. Maybe the timid youth, once he became an adult, leaned into drink to free himself of the torments, or perhaps the rotten environment got to him first, with the hate group eventually finishing the task it began years ago. Be it via the fear of Pennywise or through the malice of the town, seeded by Pennywise, the creature in the end gets the final victory on Will.

The Father's Evolution

These occurrences would explain how Leroy changes so radically from what we witness in It: Chapter 1 and the prequel. In his later years, he seems resentful and much harsher with his parenting. Because he outlived his own son, it's understandable to see such a drastic change. However, his words hold greater significance now that we know he's witnessed the clown's activities and the effects they wrought upon his child. In the initial sequence of the movie, we see Mike hesitate to use a bolt gun on a sheep at the family property. Leroy chastises him for delaying and offers an analogy that results in a kill-or-be-killed scenario.

“There are two places you can be in this world. You can be out here like we are, or you can be trapped inside,” he says as he gestures to the creature. “You waste time indecisive, and someone is going to make that choice. But you will be unaware it until you experience that projectile between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could represent a piece of foreshadowing, something he wishes he had told his own child. Maybe he wishes he had done something in his youth, but for some reason, he couldn't resist the repellent allure of the town.