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Pennywise's impact on the children of Welcome to Derry shapes them throughout their adult lives, transforming them into the exact individuals who keep the town's cycle of animosity ongoing. It preys most easily on children from broken homes — children who often mature to replicate the identical behaviors as their guardians. However, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as a rare example of a family unit that remains intact, which could clarify why Mike Hanlon, even after choosing to stay in Derry, remains the sole member who doesn't completely succumb under Pennywise's sway.

The Hanlon Family's Unique Resistance

In episode 4 of the series, Leroy finally becomes increasingly conscious of the paranormal entities enveloping the community, particularly when It starts haunting his son, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan comprises a small number of adults who are cognizant that things are not right with the municipality, especially the father, who was shown to be receptive to psychic abilities when he was able to detect a fellow psychic's use of it in the third episode. Later, he spots one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his house. This gift, coupled with his failure to feel fear, combined with the base of his household, could be why he's able to see the entity's manifestations. But what if that psychic sensitivity is hereditary, and a key factor Mike is one of the only adults in Derry who resisted succumbing to its cruelty?

Will is part of the collective of kids at his educational institution being terrorized by Pennywise. All his school friends come from dysfunctional families, with parents who refuse to accept they're being targeted. The cause he is being haunted is due to the viciousness of the community, paired with his likely receptiveness to shine, which makes him susceptible. The Hanlons are fundamentally strangers in Derry during the early sixties, which lends itself towards the family feeling anomalies exist about the town from the onset. Additionally, they possess a solid base that isn't fractured, in contrast to the folks who come from the area, with relationships that have deteriorated internally.

Historical Context

Drawing from the It novel, we know the young Will will end up at the Black Spot, where the psychic will rescue him from a blaze that the local KKK members of the community will ignite. In the 2017 movie, we observe that Will has a son named Mike and that the father eventually perishes in a fire, with his father surviving his own son and taking his grandson in. The official story in the film is that the parents were on drugs, but given our current view of him in Welcome to Derry, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the timid boy, once he became an adult, turned to drink to rid himself of the hauntings, or maybe the corrupt environment affected him first, with the KKK eventually finishing the job it started long before. Whether through the terror of Pennywise or via the cruelty of the community, instigated by Pennywise, the creature in the end achieves the last laugh on him.

The Father's Evolution

These occurrences would clarify how the elder Hanlon transforms so radically from what we witness in the first film and Welcome to Derry. In his older age, he appears resentful and much stricter with his discipline. Because he outlived his own offspring, it's understandable to observe such a profound shift. However, his words carry more weight since we are aware he's witnessed the clown's activities and the effects they had on his child. In the opening scene of It, we see Mike pause to use a stunning device on a sheep at the family property. His grandfather reprimands him for hesitating and provides an analogy that leads to a survival-of-the-fittest scenario.

“There are two places 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 creature. “You waste time indecisive, and another is going to decide for you. But you won't know it until you feel that projectile between your eyes.”

In hindsight, this could be a bit of foreshadowing, a lesson 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 repellent allure of Derry.