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The clown's influence on the children of the Derry series shapes them throughout their adult lives, transforming them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the town's pattern of hatred ongoing. The creature preys most easily on kids from fractured households — children who often grow up to replicate the identical behaviors as their guardians. However, the Hanlon family distinguishes itself as a rare example of a family unit that remains intact, which could clarify why Mike Hanlon, even after electing to remain in the town, persists as the sole member who doesn't completely succumb under the clown's influence.

Hanlon Household's Unique Resistance

In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes increasingly conscious of the paranormal entities enveloping the community, especially when It begins tormenting his child, Will, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon clan consists of some of the few grown-ups who are cognizant that something is amiss with the municipality, especially the father, who was revealed to be sensitive to the Shining when he was able to detect a fellow psychic's use of it in episode 3. Later, he spots one of Pennywise's signature balloons outside his house. The ability, coupled with his failure to experience terror, along with the foundation of his family, could be why he's able to see Pennywise's hauntings. But what if that psychic sensitivity is hereditary, and a key factor Mike is one of the only individuals in Derry who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?

The boy is a member of the group of kids at his educational institution being tormented by Pennywise. His classmates come from dysfunctional families, with parents who don't believe they're being haunted. The reason Will is being pursued is due to the cruelty of the town, paired with his potential sensitivity to psychic abilities, which renders him vulnerable. This family are ultimately strangers in Derry during 1962, which lends itself towards the household feeling something is off about the locality from the beginning. They also have a good foundation that isn't fractured, in contrast to the folks who come from the area, with bonds that have deteriorated internally.

Historical Context

Based on the It novel, we know the juvenile Will will find himself at the Black Spot, where the psychic will rescue him from a blaze that the local KKK members of the community will cause. In the recent film, we see that Will has a boy named Mike and that Will eventually perishes in a configration, with Leroy surviving his own son and taking his grandson in. The public account in the motion picture is that Mike's parents were on substances, but given our current view of Will in Welcome to Derry, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the timid youth, once he grew up, turned to drink to rid himself of the torments, or maybe the corrupt town got to him initially, with the KKK eventually completing the job it began years ago. Whether through the terror of the entity or via the cruelty of the community, instigated by Pennywise, the creature eventually gets the final victory on Will.

The Father's Evolution

This chain of events would clarify how the elder Hanlon changes so radically from what we witness in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his older age, Leroy appears bitter and much stricter with his parenting. Because he outlived his own son, it's comprehensible to observe such a drastic change. However, his words hold greater significance since we are aware he's witnessed the clown's activities and the impacts they wrought upon his child. In the opening scene of It, we see Mike pause to use a stunning device on a animal at Leroy's farm. Leroy chastises him for delaying and provides an metaphor that leads to a kill-or-be-killed situation.

“There are two places you can be in this existence. You can be out here like we are, or you can be trapped inside,” Leroy states as he points to the creature. “You waste time hemming and hawing, and someone is going to make that choice. Except you won't know it until you feel that bolt between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could be a bit of foreshadowing, a lesson he wishes he had told his own child. Perhaps he desires he had done something in his past, but for some reason, he couldn't resist the sickening allure of the town.