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The clown's impact on the children of Welcome to Derry shapes them throughout their adult lives, twisting them into the very adults who perpetuate the town's pattern of hatred ongoing. The creature finds easy targets on children from broken homes — children who often mature to replicate the identical behaviors as their guardians. However, the Hanlon family stands apart as a rare example of a family unit that remains intact, which may explain why Mike, even after choosing to stay in the town, persists as the only Loser who never fully falls under Pennywise's sway.

Hanlon Household's Unique Resilience

In episode 4 of the series, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes more aware of the paranormal entities surrounding the community, especially when It begins tormenting his child, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan consists of some of the few adults who are cognizant that things are not right with the municipality, especially the father, who was shown to be sensitive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing a fellow psychic's use of it in the third episode. Later, he spots one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his residence. This gift, alongside his inability to experience terror, combined with the base of his family, may be why he's capable of perceiving the entity's manifestations. However, consider if that psychic sensitivity is generational, and a key factor Mike Hanlon is among the few adults in Derry who didn't lose themselves to its cruelty?

Will is a member of the collective of kids at his educational institution being terrorized by the clown. His classmates hail from broken homes, with caregivers who don't believe they're being targeted. The reason Will is being pursued is because of the viciousness of the town, paired with his potential sensitivity to shine, which renders him vulnerable. This family are fundamentally strangers in the town during 1962, which contributes towards the family sensing anomalies exist about the town from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that isn't fractured, in contrast to the residents who come from the town, with bonds that have decayed internally.

Historical Context

Based on the original book, we understand the juvenile Will will end up at the Black Spot, where Hallorann will rescue him from a fire that the town bigots of Derry will ignite. In the recent film, we see that Will has a boy named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a configration, with his father outliving his own child and adopting his grandchild. The public account in the motion picture is that the parents were on drugs, but now that we see Will in Welcome to Derry, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the timid youth, once he grew up, leaned into drink to free himself of the torments, or perhaps the corrupt environment got to him first, with the hate group ultimately finishing the task it began years ago. Whether through the fear of Pennywise or via the malice of the town, seeded by It, It in the end gets the last laugh on Will.

The Father's Evolution

This chain of events would clarify how the elder Hanlon transforms so drastically from what we witness in the first film and Welcome to Derry. In his later years, Leroy appears resentful and much harsher with his discipline. Because he survived his own offspring, it's understandable to see such a profound shift. However, his statements carry more weight since we are aware he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the effects they wrought upon his child. In the initial sequence of the movie, we see Mike hesitate to use a bolt gun on a sheep at Leroy's farm. Leroy reprimands him for hesitating and provides an metaphor that results in a kill-or-be-killed scenario.

“There are two places you can be in this world. You can be in the open like we are, or you can be in there,” Leroy states as he gestures to the sheep. “You dawdle indecisive, and another is going to decide for you. But you won't know it until you feel that bolt between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could represent a bit of prediction, something he regrets not imparting to his own son. Maybe he desires he had done something in his youth, but for certain factors, he was unable to avoid the sickening attraction of Derry.