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The clown's influence on the children of Welcome to Derry shapes them throughout their adult lives, transforming them into the exact individuals who keep the town's cycle of animosity ongoing. The creature finds easy targets on children from fractured households — youngsters who often mature to repeat the same patterns as their guardians. But, the Hanlon family distinguishes itself as one of the few households that never splinters, which could clarify why Mike Hanlon, even after choosing to stay in the town, remains the only Loser who never fully falls under the clown's influence.

The Hanlon Family's Unique Resistance

In episode 4 of the series, Leroy at last grows more aware of the paranormal entities surrounding the community, particularly when It begins tormenting his son, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon family comprises some of the few grown-ups who are cognizant that something is amiss with the municipality, especially Leroy, who was shown to be receptive to psychic abilities when he was capable of sensing a fellow psychic's use of it in episode 3. Subsequently, he sees one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his residence. This gift, alongside his failure to feel fear, combined with the foundation of his household, could be why he's able to see the entity's manifestations. But what if that shining is hereditary, and a key factor Mike Hanlon is among the few adults in the town who didn't lose themselves to its cruelty?

The boy is part of the collective of kids at his school being tormented by the clown. All his school friends come from dysfunctional families, with parents who don't believe they're being targeted. The reason he is being haunted is due to the viciousness of the town, paired with his likely receptiveness to shine, which renders him vulnerable. This family are ultimately strangers in Derry during 1962, which lends itself towards the household sensing anomalies exist about the town from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that isn't fractured, unlike the folks who come from the area, with relationships that have decayed internally.

Historical Context

Based on the original book, we understand the juvenile Will Hanlon will end up at the infamous nightclub, where the psychic will rescue him from a blaze that the local KKK members of the community will ignite. In the 2017 film, we observe that he has a boy named Mike and that the father ultimately dies in a fire, 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 drugs, but now that we see him in Welcome to Derry, that's hard to believe. Perhaps the shy youth, once he grew up, leaned into drink to free himself of the torments, or perhaps the rotten town got to him initially, with the KKK eventually finishing the task it began years ago. Whether through the fear of the entity or through the malice of the community, instigated by It, the creature in the end gets the last laugh on him.

The Father's Evolution

This chain of events would clarify how the elder Hanlon changes so drastically from what we witness in the first film and the prequel. In his later years, Leroy seems bitter and much harsher with his discipline. Because he outlived his own son, it's comprehensible to see such a drastic change. Nonetheless, his statements hold greater significance now that we know he's seen the clown's activities and the effects they had on his child. In the opening scene of the movie, we observe Mike hesitate to use a stunning device on a sheep at the family property. Leroy chastises him for hesitating and provides an metaphor that leads to a survival-of-the-fittest scenario.

“There are two places you can be in this world. You can be in the open like us, or you can be trapped inside,” he says as he gestures to the sheep. “You waste time hemming and hawing, and another is going to decide for you. But you won't know it until you experience that projectile between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could represent a bit of foreshadowing, a lesson he wishes he had told his own son. Perhaps he desires he had done something in his youth, but for certain factors, he was unable to avoid the sickening allure of the town.