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Pennywise's impact on the young residents of the Derry series molds them throughout their adult lives, transforming them into the very adults who perpetuate the community's cycle of animosity alive. It preys most easily on children from broken homes — children who frequently grow up to repeat the identical behaviors as their parents. 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 sole member who never fully falls under Pennywise's sway.

Hanlon Household's Unique Resistance

In episode 4 of the series, Leroy Hanlon at last grows more aware of the supernatural forces enveloping the neighborhood, particularly when the entity begins tormenting his son, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon family consists of a small number of adults who are aware that something is amiss with the municipality, especially the father, who was revealed to be sensitive to psychic abilities when he was able to detect Dick Hallorann's employment of it in episode 3. Later, Leroy sees one of the clown's trademark balloons outside his residence. This gift, alongside his inability to feel fear, combined with the base of his household, could be why he's able to see Pennywise's hauntings. However, consider if that psychic sensitivity is generational, and one of the reasons Mike Hanlon is one of the only adults in Derry who resisted succumbing to its cruelty?

The boy is part of the collective of kids at his educational institution being terrorized by the clown. His classmates hail from broken homes, with caregivers who refuse to accept they're being haunted. The reason Will is being pursued is because of the viciousness of the town, paired with his potential sensitivity to shine, which makes him susceptible. This family are ultimately outsiders in the town during the early sixties, which contributes towards the household sensing anomalies exist about the town from the beginning. They also have a solid base that remains unbroken, unlike the residents who originate in the area, with relationships that have deteriorated internally.

Historical Context

Drawing from the original book, we know the young Will Hanlon will find himself at the Black Spot, where the psychic will rescue him from a blaze that the town bigots of the community will ignite. In the 2017 movie, we observe that Will has a son named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a configration, with his father outliving his own child and adopting his grandchild. The official story in the film is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but given our current view of him in the series, that's hard to believe. Perhaps the timid boy, once he grew up, leaned into drink to rid himself of the torments, or perhaps the rotten town got to him first, with the hate group ultimately finishing the task it began years ago. Whether through the terror of Pennywise or via the cruelty of the community, seeded by Pennywise, the creature eventually achieves the last laugh on Will.

Leroy's Transformation

These occurrences would explain how Leroy changes so radically from what we see in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his older age, he appears resentful and much harsher with his discipline. Because he outlived his own offspring, it's comprehensible to see such a profound shift. Nonetheless, his words carry more weight now that we know he's witnessed the clown's activities and the effects they had on his child. In the opening scene of It, we observe Mike hesitate to use a stunning device on a animal at Leroy's farm. Leroy reprimands him for delaying and offers an analogy that results in a survival-of-the-fittest situation.

“There are two places you can be in this world. You can be out here like us, or you can be trapped inside,” he says as he gestures to the sheep. “You dawdle indecisive, and another is going to make that choice. But you won't know it until you experience that bolt between your eyes.”

In hindsight, this could represent a piece of prediction, a lesson he regrets not imparting to his own son. Maybe he desires he had acted differently in his past, but for certain factors, he was unable to avoid the sickening attraction of Derry.