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Pennywise's impact on the young residents of the Derry series molds them long into adulthood, twisting them into the exact individuals who keep the town's cycle of hatred ongoing. It preys most easily on kids from broken households — youngsters who often mature to repeat the identical behaviors as their guardians. But, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as one of the few family unit that never splinters, which may explain why Mike, even after electing to remain in Derry, persists as the only Loser who never fully falls under the clown's influence.

Hanlon Household's Unique Resilience

In the fourth installment of the series, Leroy Hanlon at last grows more aware of the supernatural forces enveloping the neighborhood, especially when It starts haunting his son, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon family comprises some of the few grown-ups who are cognizant that things are not right with the town, especially the father, who was revealed to be sensitive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing Dick Hallorann's employment of it in the third episode. Subsequently, Leroy sees one of the clown's trademark balloons outside his residence. This gift, coupled with his failure to feel fear, along with the foundation of his family, could be why he's capable of perceiving the entity's manifestations. But what if that shining is hereditary, and a key factor Mike is among the few adults in the town who resisted succumbing to its cruelty?

Will is a member of the collective of kids at his educational institution being terrorized by the clown. His classmates come from dysfunctional families, with caregivers who don't believe they're being targeted. The reason he is being pursued is due to the viciousness of the community, combined with his potential sensitivity to shine, which renders him vulnerable. This family are fundamentally outsiders in Derry during the early sixties, which lends itself towards the family feeling anomalies exist about the locality from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that isn't fractured, in contrast to the folks who originate in the town, with relationships that have deteriorated within.

Historical Context

Drawing from the original book, we understand the juvenile Will Hanlon will end up at the infamous nightclub, where Hallorann will save him from a fire that the local KKK members of the community will cause. In the 2017 film, we observe that Will has a boy named Mike and that the father eventually perishes in a fire, with his father outliving his own child and adopting his grandchild. The official story in the motion picture is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but given our current view of him in Welcome to Derry, that's difficult to accept. Maybe the timid boy, once he grew up, turned to drink to rid himself of the hauntings, or perhaps the corrupt town affected him initially, with the KKK ultimately completing the job it began years ago. Whether through the fear of Pennywise or via the malice of the community, seeded by It, It eventually achieves the last laugh on him.

Leroy's Transformation

These occurrences would explain how Leroy transforms so drastically from what we witness in the first film and Welcome to Derry. In his later years, he seems bitter and much harsher with his discipline. Because he survived his own son, it's understandable to observe such a drastic change. However, his statements hold greater significance now that we know he's witnessed the clown's activities and the impacts they wrought upon his son. In the initial sequence of It, we observe Mike pause to use a bolt gun on a animal at Leroy's farm. Leroy reprimands him for delaying and offers an metaphor that leads to a kill-or-be-killed situation.

“You have two options you can be in this world. You can be out here like us, or you can be trapped inside,” Leroy says as he gestures to the sheep. “You dawdle indecisive, and another is going to decide for you. Except you won't know it until you feel that projectile in your head.”

In hindsight, this could be a bit of foreshadowing, a lesson he regrets not imparting to his own child. Maybe he desires he had acted differently in his past, but for some reason, he was unable to avoid the repellent attraction of Derry.