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The clown's influence on the young residents of Welcome to Derry molds them long into adulthood, transforming them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the community's pattern of animosity ongoing. The creature finds easy targets on children from fractured households — youngsters who often mature to replicate the identical behaviors as their parents. But, the Hanlon household stands apart as one of the few family unit that remains intact, which could clarify why Mike, even after electing to remain in Derry, remains the sole member who doesn't completely succumb under the clown's influence.

The Hanlon Family's Distinctive Resistance

In the fourth installment of Welcome to Derry, Leroy finally becomes increasingly conscious of the supernatural forces enveloping the community, especially when the entity starts haunting his son, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan comprises some of the few grown-ups who are cognizant that something is amiss with the town, especially Leroy, who was revealed to be sensitive to psychic abilities when he was able to detect a fellow psychic's employment of it in episode 3. Later, Leroy spots one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his house. This gift, coupled with his failure to feel fear, along with the base of his household, could be why he's capable of perceiving the entity's manifestations. However, consider if that shining is generational, and a key factor Mike Hanlon is among the few individuals in Derry who didn't lose themselves to its cruelty?

Will is a member of the group of kids at his educational institution being tormented by Pennywise. His classmates hail from broken homes, with caregivers who don't believe they're being targeted. The reason Will is being haunted is because of the viciousness of the town, combined with his potential sensitivity to shine, which makes him susceptible. This family are fundamentally outsiders in the town during 1962, which contributes towards the family feeling anomalies exist about the locality from the beginning. They also have a good foundation that isn't fractured, unlike the residents who originate in the town, with bonds that have deteriorated within.

Backstory Connections

Based on the It novel, we understand the juvenile Will will end up at the infamous nightclub, where the psychic will rescue him from a fire that the town bigots of the community will ignite. In the 2017 movie, we see that he has a son named Mike and that the father eventually perishes in a configration, with his father outliving his own son and adopting his grandchild. The public account 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. Maybe the timid youth, once he became an adult, turned to drink to free himself of the torments, or perhaps the corrupt town affected him first, with the KKK ultimately completing the task it started years ago. Be it via the fear of Pennywise or via the cruelty of the town, instigated by Pennywise, It eventually achieves the last laugh on Will.

The Father's Evolution

These occurrences would clarify how Leroy transforms so drastically from what we witness in the first film and the prequel. In his later years, he appears bitter and much stricter with his discipline. Since he survived his own offspring, it's comprehensible to observe such a drastic change. Nonetheless, his statements carry more weight since we are aware he's witnessed Pennywise's hauntings and the impacts they had on his son. In the opening scene of the movie, we see Mike pause to use a stunning device on a animal at the family property. Leroy chastises him for delaying and provides an metaphor that leads to a kill-or-be-killed situation.

“There are two places you can be in this world. You can be in the open like us, or you can be trapped inside,” Leroy states as he points to the sheep. “You waste time indecisive, and another is going to make that choice. But you won't know it until you feel that bolt in your head.”

In hindsight, this could represent a piece of foreshadowing, something he wishes he had told his own child. Maybe he desires he had acted differently in his past, but for certain factors, he was unable to avoid the repellent attraction of Derry.