Welcome to Derry May Have Solved a Lingering It Mystery

The clown's influence on the children of the Derry series shapes them throughout their adult lives, twisting them into the very adults who keep the town's cycle of hatred ongoing. The creature preys most easily on children from broken homes — children who frequently mature to replicate the same patterns as their parents. But, the Hanlon family distinguishes itself as a rare example of a family unit that remains intact, which may explain why Mike, even after electing to remain in Derry, remains the only Loser who never fully falls under the clown's influence.

The Hanlon Family's Distinctive Resilience

In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes more aware of the supernatural forces surrounding the neighborhood, especially when It starts haunting his son, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon family consists of a small number of adults who are cognizant that things are not right with the municipality, especially the father, who was revealed to be receptive to the Shining when he was able to detect a fellow psychic's use of it in the third episode. Later, he sees one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his residence. The ability, alongside his inability to feel fear, along with the foundation of his household, could be why he's capable of perceiving Pennywise's hauntings. However, consider if that psychic sensitivity is generational, and one of the reasons Mike is among the few individuals in the town who didn't lose themselves to its cruelty?

The boy is part of the group of kids at his educational institution being terrorized by the clown. His classmates come from dysfunctional families, with caregivers who don't believe they're being haunted. The cause he is being pursued is due to the cruelty of the town, combined with his likely receptiveness to psychic abilities, which makes him susceptible. This family are fundamentally strangers in the town during the early sixties, which contributes towards the household sensing something is off about the town from the onset. Additionally, they possess a solid base that isn't fractured, in contrast to the residents who come from the area, with bonds that have decayed internally.

Historical Context

Based on the It novel, we know the juvenile Will will end up at the infamous nightclub, where Hallorann will save him from a blaze that the local KKK members of the community will ignite. In the recent movie, we see that he has a son named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a configration, with Leroy surviving his own child and taking his grandson in. The public account in the motion picture is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but now that we see Will in the series, that's hard to believe. Perhaps the shy youth, once he grew up, leaned into drink to free himself of the hauntings, or maybe the rotten town got to him initially, with the KKK ultimately finishing the job it started years ago. Be it via the fear of Pennywise or via the cruelty of the town, seeded by Pennywise, It in the end achieves the final victory on him.

Leroy's Transformation

This chain of events would explain how the elder Hanlon changes so drastically from what we see in It: Chapter 1 and the prequel. In his older age, Leroy appears bitter and much harsher with his discipline. Because he survived his own offspring, it's understandable to see such a drastic change. However, his statements carry more weight now that we know he's seen the clown's activities and the impacts they wrought upon his son. In the initial sequence of It, we observe Mike hesitate to use a stunning device on a sheep at the family property. His grandfather reprimands him for delaying and offers an metaphor that leads to a kill-or-be-killed situation.

“You have two options you can be in this world. You can be out here like us, or you can be in there,” Leroy states as he gestures to the sheep. “You dawdle indecisive, and someone is going to make that choice. Except you will be unaware it until you experience that bolt in your head.”

In hindsight, this could be a bit of prediction, something he wishes he had told his own son. Perhaps he desires he had acted differently in his youth, but for certain factors, he couldn't resist the repellent allure of the town.