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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 perpetuate the community's pattern of animosity alive. The creature preys most easily on kids from fractured households — children who often mature to repeat the same patterns as their guardians. However, the Hanlon household stands apart as a rare example of a family unit that remains intact, which may explain why Mike Hanlon, even after electing to remain in Derry, persists as the sole member who doesn't completely succumb under Pennywise's sway.

Hanlon Household's Unique Resilience

In the fourth installment of Welcome to Derry, Leroy Hanlon at last grows more aware of the supernatural forces surrounding the community, especially when the entity begins tormenting his child, Will, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon clan consists of a small number of adults who are cognizant that things are not right with the town, especially the father, who was shown to be receptive to the Shining when he was able to detect a fellow psychic's use of it in the third episode. Subsequently, he sees one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his residence. The ability, coupled with his inability to experience terror, along with the foundation of his household, could be why he's able to see the entity's manifestations. However, consider if that shining is hereditary, and a key factor Mike is one of the only individuals in Derry who didn't lose themselves to its cruelty?

The boy is part of the group of children at his school being terrorized by Pennywise. His classmates come from dysfunctional families, with caregivers who don't believe they're being haunted. The reason he is being pursued is due to the cruelty of the town, combined with his potential sensitivity to psychic abilities, which renders him vulnerable. This family are fundamentally outsiders in Derry during 1962, which contributes towards the family sensing something is off about the town from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that isn't fractured, in contrast to the residents who originate in the area, with relationships that have decayed internally.

Historical Context

Drawing from the It novel, we know the juvenile Will Hanlon will find himself at the Black Spot, where Hallorann will rescue him from a fire that the town bigots of the community will cause. In the 2017 movie, we observe that Will has a boy named Mike and that the father eventually perishes in a configration, with his father outliving his own son and taking his grandson in. The official story in the motion picture is that Mike's parents were on substances, but now that we see Will in Welcome to Derry, that's hard to believe. Maybe the shy boy, once he became an adult, leaned into alcohol to free himself of the torments, or maybe the corrupt environment affected him initially, with the KKK eventually finishing the job it began years ago. Whether through the terror of the entity or via the cruelty of the town, instigated by Pennywise, It eventually achieves the last laugh on Will.

The Father's Evolution

This chain of events would clarify how Leroy transforms so radically from what we see in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his older age, Leroy appears resentful and much stricter with his discipline. Because he outlived his own offspring, it's understandable to observe such a profound shift. Nonetheless, his words carry more weight now that we know he's seen the clown's activities and the effects they wrought upon his child. In the initial sequence of It, we see the boy hesitate to use a stunning device on a sheep at the family property. Leroy reprimands him for hesitating and provides an analogy that results in a survival-of-the-fittest situation.

“There are two places you can be in this existence. You can be in the open like we are, or you can be trapped inside,” he says as he points to the sheep. “You waste time indecisive, and another is going to decide for you. Except you won't know it until you feel that projectile between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could be a piece of prediction, something he regrets not imparting to his own son. Maybe he wishes he had done something in his past, but for some reason, he couldn't resist the sickening allure of Derry.