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The clown's impact on the young residents of the Derry series shapes them throughout their adult lives, transforming them into the exact individuals who keep the town's cycle of animosity alive. It preys most easily on children from fractured homes — youngsters who often grow up to repeat the same patterns as their guardians. But, the Hanlon family stands apart as one of the few households that never splinters, which may explain why Mike Hanlon, even after electing to remain in Derry, persists as the only Loser who never fully falls under Pennywise's sway.

The Hanlon Family's Unique Resilience

In the fourth installment of the series, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes more aware of the paranormal entities enveloping the neighborhood, especially when It begins tormenting his child, Will Hanlon, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon clan comprises a small number of adults who are cognizant that something is amiss with the town, notably Leroy, who was revealed to be sensitive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing a fellow psychic's use of it in episode 3. Later, he spots one of Pennywise's signature inflated orbs outside his house. This gift, coupled with his inability to feel fear, along with the foundation of his family, could 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 adults in Derry who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?

Will is part of the group of children at his school being terrorized by Pennywise. All his school friends hail from broken homes, with caregivers who refuse to accept they're being targeted. The cause he is being haunted is due to the viciousness of the town, paired with his potential sensitivity to psychic abilities, which makes him susceptible. This family are ultimately strangers in the town during the early sixties, which contributes towards the family feeling anomalies exist about the locality from the onset. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that remains unbroken, in contrast to the residents who come from the town, with relationships that have decayed within.

Historical Context

Based on the It novel, we know the young Will will end up at the infamous nightclub, where Hallorann will save him from a fire that the local KKK members of the community will ignite. In the recent movie, we observe that he has a boy named Mike and that the father eventually perishes in a fire, with Leroy outliving his own child and taking his grandson in. The official story in the motion picture is that the parents were on drugs, but now that we see him in Welcome to Derry, that's hard to believe. Perhaps the shy boy, once he grew up, leaned into drink to rid himself of the torments, or perhaps the corrupt environment affected him first, with the KKK eventually completing the task it began long before. Whether through the terror of the entity or through the cruelty of the community, instigated by Pennywise, the creature eventually achieves the final victory on Will.

Leroy's Transformation

This chain of events would clarify how the elder Hanlon changes so drastically from what we witness in the first film and Welcome to Derry. In his older age, he seems bitter and much harsher with his discipline. Since he outlived his own offspring, it's comprehensible to see such a profound shift. Nonetheless, his words hold greater significance since we are aware he's witnessed the clown's activities and the effects they wrought upon his child. In the opening scene of the movie, we observe Mike hesitate to use a bolt gun on a animal at Leroy's farm. His grandfather chastises him for delaying and offers an metaphor that results in a kill-or-be-killed scenario.

“There are two places you can be in this existence. You can be in the open like us, or you can be in there,” he states as he gestures to the creature. “You waste time indecisive, and another is going to decide for you. But you won't know it until you feel that projectile in your head.”

Looking back, this could be a bit of prediction, a lesson he regrets not imparting to his own son. Perhaps he desires he had acted differently in his youth, but for certain factors, he couldn't resist the sickening attraction of Derry.