The clown's influence on the young residents of Welcome to Derry molds them throughout their adult lives, twisting them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the community's pattern of hatred alive. It preys most easily on kids from broken households — children who frequently mature to repeat the identical behaviors as their parents. But, the Hanlon household stands apart as a rare example of a households that never splinters, which could clarify why Mike, even after electing to remain in the town, persists as the sole member who never fully falls under the clown's influence.
The Hanlon Family's Distinctive Resistance
In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy at last grows more aware of the supernatural forces enveloping the neighborhood, especially when the entity starts haunting his child, Will Hanlon, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon clan comprises a small number of adults who are cognizant that things are not right with the town, notably Leroy, who was shown to be receptive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing Dick Hallorann's use of it in the third episode. Later, Leroy spots one of Pennywise's signature balloons outside his residence. This gift, alongside his inability to experience terror, combined with the foundation of his household, may be why he's able to see the entity's manifestations. But what if that psychic sensitivity is generational, and a key factor Mike Hanlon is one of the only individuals in the town who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?
Will is a member of the collective of children at his educational institution being terrorized by Pennywise. His classmates hail from dysfunctional families, with parents who refuse to accept they're being targeted. The cause he is being haunted is because of the cruelty of the town, paired with his likely receptiveness to psychic abilities, which makes him susceptible. The Hanlons are ultimately outsiders in the town during the early sixties, which contributes towards the family sensing something is off about the locality from the beginning. They also have a solid base that isn't fractured, unlike the residents who originate in the town, with bonds that have deteriorated internally.
Backstory Connections
Drawing from the original book, we understand the juvenile Will Hanlon will end up at the Black Spot, where Hallorann will save him from a fire that the town bigots of the community will cause. In the 2017 movie, we observe that Will has a son named Mike and that the father ultimately dies in a configration, with his father surviving his own son and adopting his grandchild. The public account in the film is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but given our current view of Will in the series, that's hard to believe. Perhaps the timid youth, once he became an adult, leaned into drink to free himself of the torments, or perhaps the rotten town affected him first, with the hate group eventually finishing the job it started years ago. Be it via the fear of the entity or through the malice of the community, instigated by It, the creature eventually gets the last laugh on Will.
The Father's Evolution
This chain of events would clarify how Leroy changes so drastically from what we see in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his later years, Leroy seems resentful and much harsher with his discipline. Because he survived his own offspring, it's comprehensible to observe such a drastic change. Nonetheless, his statements carry more weight since we are aware he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the effects they had on his child. In the initial sequence of the movie, we see Mike hesitate to use a stunning device on a sheep at the family property. His grandfather chastises him for delaying and offers an metaphor that results in a survival-of-the-fittest 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 points to the creature. “You dawdle hemming and hawing, and someone is going to decide for you. But you will be unaware it until you feel that projectile between your eyes.”
In hindsight, this could represent a bit of prediction, a lesson he regrets not imparting to his own son. Maybe he wishes he had done something in his youth, but for some reason, he was unable to avoid the sickening attraction of the town.
