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Pennywise's impact on the children of the Derry series molds them throughout their adult lives, transforming them into the very adults who perpetuate the community's pattern of hatred ongoing. The creature preys most easily on kids from fractured homes — youngsters who often grow up to replicate the identical behaviors as their parents. But, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as one of the few family unit that never splinters, which may explain why Mike, 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 Resistance

In episode 4 of the series, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes increasingly conscious of the supernatural forces surrounding the community, particularly when It begins tormenting his son, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon family comprises some of the few adults who are aware that something is amiss with the municipality, notably the father, who was revealed to be sensitive to psychic abilities when he was able to detect a fellow psychic's use of it in episode 3. Subsequently, he sees one of Pennywise's signature inflated orbs outside his residence. The ability, coupled with his inability to feel fear, along with the foundation of his family, may be why he's capable of perceiving Pennywise's hauntings. But what if that shining is generational, and a key factor Mike is among the few adults in the town who didn't lose themselves to its cruelty?

The boy is a member of the collective of children at his educational institution being tormented by Pennywise. His classmates come from broken homes, with parents who don't believe they're being haunted. The reason Will is being haunted is because of the viciousness of the town, paired with his likely receptiveness to shine, which makes him susceptible. This family are ultimately outsiders in the town during 1962, which lends itself towards the household sensing something is off about the town from the beginning. They also have a solid base that remains unbroken, unlike the residents who come from the area, with bonds that have decayed internally.

Backstory Connections

Drawing from the It novel, we know the young Will Hanlon will end up at the infamous nightclub, where the psychic will save him from a blaze that the town bigots of the community will ignite. In the recent film, we see that Will has a boy named Mike and that the father eventually perishes in a fire, with his father surviving his own child and taking his grandson in. The official story in the motion picture is that the parents were on substances, but given our current view of him in Welcome to Derry, that's hard to believe. Maybe the shy boy, once he grew up, turned to drink to rid himself of the hauntings, or maybe the corrupt town affected him initially, with the hate group eventually finishing the job it began years ago. Whether through the terror of the entity or via the malice of the town, seeded by Pennywise, the creature in the end gets the last laugh on Will.

The Father's Evolution

This chain of events would explain how Leroy changes so radically from what we witness in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his later years, Leroy appears bitter and much harsher with his parenting. Since he survived his own son, it's understandable to observe such a drastic change. However, his words hold greater significance since we are aware he's witnessed Pennywise's hauntings and the impacts they wrought upon his child. In the initial sequence of the movie, we observe Mike hesitate to use a stunning device on a animal at Leroy's farm. His grandfather chastises him for delaying and offers 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 in there,” he states as he points to the sheep. “You waste time indecisive, and another is going to decide for you. But you will be unaware it until you experience that projectile in your head.”

In hindsight, this could be 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 certain factors, he couldn't resist the repellent attraction of Derry.