Welcome to Derry Could Have Unraveled a Lingering It Enigma
The clown's influence on the young residents of the Derry series molds them long into adulthood, twisting them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the community's cycle of animosity ongoing. It preys most easily on children from fractured homes — youngsters who often grow up to repeat the same patterns as their guardians. However, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as a rare example of a family unit that never splinters, which could clarify why Mike Hanlon, even after choosing to stay in Derry, remains the only Loser who never fully falls under Pennywise's sway.
The Hanlon Family's Unique Resilience
In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes more aware of the paranormal entities surrounding the neighborhood, particularly when the entity begins tormenting his child, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon family comprises some of the few adults who are cognizant that things are not right with the municipality, especially the father, who was revealed to be receptive to psychic abilities when he was able to detect Dick Hallorann'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 failure to experience terror, along with the base of his household, may be why he's capable of perceiving Pennywise's hauntings. But what if that shining is generational, and one of the reasons Mike Hanlon is one of the only adults in the town who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?
The boy is a member of the collective of children at his educational institution being tormented by the clown. His classmates come from dysfunctional families, with parents who don't believe they're being targeted. The cause Will is being pursued is because of the viciousness of the community, combined with his potential sensitivity to shine, which makes him susceptible. This family are fundamentally strangers in the town during the early sixties, which lends itself towards the family feeling anomalies exist about the locality from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a solid base that remains unbroken, in contrast to the residents who come from the area, with bonds that have decayed within.
Historical Context
Based on the original book, we understand the young Will will find himself at the Black Spot, where Hallorann will save him from a blaze that the town bigots of the community will ignite. In the recent movie, we see that Will has a son named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a fire, with Leroy outliving his own child and adopting his grandchild. The public account in the motion picture is that the 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 became an adult, turned to alcohol to rid himself of the torments, or perhaps the corrupt town affected him initially, with the KKK eventually finishing the job it started years ago. Whether through the terror of the entity or via the malice of the community, instigated by It, It eventually achieves the final victory on him.
The Father's Evolution
These occurrences would explain how Leroy changes so drastically from what we witness in It: Chapter 1 and the prequel. In his later years, Leroy seems bitter and much harsher with his parenting. Since he outlived his own son, it's understandable to observe such a profound shift. Nonetheless, his statements hold greater significance since we are aware he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the impacts they had on his child. In the initial sequence of the movie, we see Mike hesitate to use a bolt gun on a animal at Leroy's farm. Leroy reprimands him for hesitating and provides an metaphor that results in a kill-or-be-killed situation.
“You have two options you can be in this existence. You can be out here like us, or you can be trapped inside,” he says as he points to the creature. “You waste time indecisive, and another is going to make that choice. Except you will be unaware it until you feel that projectile in your head.”
Looking back, this could be a bit of prediction, a lesson he wishes he had told his own son. Maybe he wishes he had acted differently in his youth, but for certain factors, he couldn't resist the repellent attraction of the town.
