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The clown's influence on the young residents of Welcome to Derry shapes them throughout their adult lives, twisting them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the community's cycle of animosity alive. The creature finds easy targets on children from broken homes — youngsters who frequently grow up to repeat the same patterns as their parents. However, the Hanlon household stands apart as one of the few households that never splinters, which may explain why Mike Hanlon, even after choosing to stay in the town, remains the only Loser who never fully falls under the clown's influence.

Hanlon Household's Distinctive Resistance

In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy Hanlon at last grows more aware of the supernatural forces surrounding the neighborhood, especially when It starts haunting his son, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan consists of some of the few grown-ups who are cognizant that something is amiss with the town, notably the father, who was revealed to be sensitive to the Shining when he was able to detect a fellow psychic's use of it in episode 3. Later, he sees one of the clown's trademark balloons outside his residence. The ability, alongside his inability to experience terror, along with the base of his household, could be why he's capable of perceiving Pennywise's hauntings. However, consider if that shining is generational, and one of the reasons Mike is among the few adults in Derry who didn't lose themselves to its cruelty?

The boy is part of the group of children at his school being tormented by the clown. His classmates come from broken homes, with caregivers who refuse to accept they're being targeted. The cause Will is being haunted is because of the cruelty of the community, combined with his likely receptiveness to psychic abilities, which makes him susceptible. The Hanlons are ultimately strangers in Derry during 1962, which contributes towards the household sensing something is off about the locality from the beginning. They also have a solid base that remains unbroken, unlike the folks who originate in the town, with bonds that have decayed within.

Historical Context

Drawing from the original book, we know the young Will Hanlon will end up at the Black Spot, where the psychic will rescue him from a blaze that the town bigots of Derry will cause. In the 2017 movie, we observe that he has a son named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a fire, with Leroy surviving his own child and adopting his grandchild. The official story in the film is that the parents were on drugs, but given our current view of him in the series, that's hard to believe. Perhaps the shy boy, once he grew up, turned to alcohol to free himself of the hauntings, or maybe the rotten environment affected him initially, with the KKK ultimately completing the job it began long before. Be it via the terror of Pennywise or via the malice of the community, instigated by Pennywise, the creature eventually gets the last laugh on Will.

Leroy's Transformation

This chain of events would clarify how Leroy changes so radically from what we see in the first film and the prequel. In his older age, he appears resentful and much harsher with his discipline. Because he outlived his own son, it's comprehensible to observe such a drastic change. However, his words hold greater significance now that we know he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the effects they had on his child. In the opening scene of It, we see the boy hesitate to use a stunning device on a animal at Leroy's farm. Leroy chastises him for delaying and offers an metaphor that results in a survival-of-the-fittest situation.

“There are two places you can be in this existence. You can be in the open like us, or you can be in there,” Leroy says as he gestures to the sheep. “You dawdle hemming and hawing, and another is going to make that choice. But you will be unaware it until you feel that bolt between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could be a bit of prediction, something he regrets not imparting to his own son. Maybe he desires he had done something in his past, but for certain factors, he couldn't resist the repellent attraction of Derry.