The Derry Chronicles May Have Solved a Longstanding It Enigma
Pennywise's influence on the young residents of Welcome to Derry shapes them long into adulthood, transforming them into the very adults who keep the town's pattern of animosity ongoing. It preys most easily on children from fractured households — youngsters who frequently grow up to repeat the identical behaviors as their guardians. However, the Hanlon family distinguishes itself as one of the few family unit that remains intact, which may explain why Mike Hanlon, even after electing to remain in the town, remains the only Loser who doesn't completely succumb under Pennywise's sway.
The Hanlon Family's Distinctive Resistance
In episode 4 of the series, Leroy Hanlon at last grows increasingly conscious of the paranormal entities enveloping the neighborhood, especially when the entity starts haunting his child, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan comprises some of the few grown-ups who are aware that things are not right with the town, notably Leroy, who was revealed to be sensitive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing a fellow psychic's use of it in the third episode. Subsequently, he sees one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his residence. The ability, coupled with his inability to feel fear, along with the base of his family, could be why he's able to see the entity's manifestations. However, consider if that psychic sensitivity is generational, and one of the reasons Mike is one of the only individuals in the town who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?
The boy is a member of the group of kids at his school being tormented by Pennywise. His classmates come from broken homes, with parents who refuse to accept they're being haunted. The cause Will is being haunted is due to the viciousness of the town, paired with his likely receptiveness to shine, which makes him susceptible. The Hanlons are ultimately outsiders in the town during the early sixties, which lends itself towards the family sensing anomalies exist about the town from the onset. They also have a good foundation that remains unbroken, in contrast to the residents who come from the town, with bonds that have deteriorated internally.
Historical Context
Drawing from the It novel, we know the young Will Hanlon will find himself at the infamous nightclub, where Hallorann will save him from a blaze that the town bigots of the community will cause. In the recent film, we see that Will has a boy named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a fire, with Leroy surviving his own son and taking his grandson in. The official story in the film is that Mike's parents were on substances, but now that we see Will in Welcome to Derry, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the shy boy, once he grew up, turned to drink to free himself of the hauntings, or maybe the corrupt environment affected him initially, with the KKK eventually finishing the job it started long before. Be it via the terror of the entity or through the cruelty of the town, seeded by It, the creature in the end achieves the last laugh on Will.
Leroy's Transformation
This chain of events would explain how Leroy transforms so radically from what we see in It: Chapter 1 and the prequel. In his older age, Leroy seems bitter and much stricter with his discipline. Since he survived his own offspring, it's understandable to see such a drastic change. However, his statements hold greater significance now that we know he's seen the clown's activities and the impacts they had on his child. In the initial sequence of It, we observe Mike pause to use a stunning device on a animal at Leroy's farm. His grandfather reprimands him for hesitating and offers an analogy that leads to a survival-of-the-fittest situation.
“There are two places you can be in this existence. You can be in the open like we are, or you can be trapped inside,” he says as he points to the creature. “You dawdle indecisive, and someone is going to decide for you. But you will be unaware it until you experience that bolt in your head.”
In hindsight, this could be a bit of prediction, something he regrets not imparting to his own son. Perhaps he desires he had done something in his youth, but for some reason, he couldn't resist the sickening attraction of Derry.