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Pennywise's impact on the young residents of the Derry series molds them long into adulthood, twisting them into the very adults who keep the community's cycle of animosity ongoing. The creature finds easy targets on kids from broken households — youngsters who frequently mature to repeat the identical behaviors as their guardians. But, the Hanlon family stands apart as one of the few households that never splinters, which may explain why Mike Hanlon, even after choosing to stay in the town, persists as the only Loser who never fully falls under the clown's influence.

Hanlon Household's Unique Resistance

In the fourth installment of the series, Leroy at last grows more aware of the paranormal entities surrounding the neighborhood, particularly when It begins tormenting his son, Will, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon clan consists of a small number of adults who are aware that something is amiss with the town, especially the father, who was shown to be sensitive to the Shining when he was able to detect Dick Hallorann's use of it in episode 3. Later, Leroy sees one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his residence. This gift, coupled with his inability to experience terror, along with the base of his family, could be why he's capable of perceiving the entity's manifestations. However, consider if that shining is generational, and a key factor Mike is one of the only adults in the town who didn't lose themselves to the town's malevolence?

The boy is a member of the group of kids at his educational institution being tormented by the clown. His classmates hail from dysfunctional families, with caregivers who don't believe they're being haunted. The cause he is being haunted is because of the cruelty of the town, paired with his likely receptiveness to shine, which makes him susceptible. The Hanlons are fundamentally strangers in the town during 1962, which contributes towards the family sensing anomalies exist about the town from the beginning. They also have a solid base that remains unbroken, in contrast to the folks who come from the town, with relationships that have deteriorated internally.

Historical Context

Drawing from the It novel, we understand the juvenile Will Hanlon will find himself at the Black Spot, where the psychic will save him from a blaze that the local KKK members of Derry will ignite. In the recent film, we observe that Will has a son named Mike and that Will eventually perishes in a fire, with his father surviving his own son and taking his grandson in. The public account 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. Perhaps the shy boy, once he became an adult, turned to drink to rid himself of the hauntings, or perhaps the corrupt environment got to him first, with the KKK ultimately finishing the task it began years ago. Whether through the terror of the entity or via the malice of the town, seeded by Pennywise, It in the end gets the last laugh on Will.

The Father's Evolution

These occurrences would clarify how the elder Hanlon changes so drastically from what we witness in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his later years, Leroy seems bitter and much harsher with his discipline. Since he survived his own son, it's understandable to observe such a drastic change. Nonetheless, his statements hold greater significance since we are aware he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the effects they had on his son. In the opening scene of It, we see Mike hesitate to use a stunning device on a animal at the family property. Leroy chastises him for delaying and provides an analogy that results in a survival-of-the-fittest situation.

“You have two options you can be in this world. You can be in the open like we are, or you can be trapped inside,” Leroy says as he gestures to the creature. “You dawdle hemming and hawing, and another is going to make that choice. But you won't know it until you feel that projectile between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could represent a bit of prediction, something he wishes he had told his own son. Perhaps he wishes he had acted differently in his past, but for some reason, he was unable to avoid the sickening attraction of the town.