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Pennywise's influence on the young residents of Welcome to Derry molds them throughout their adult lives, twisting them into the very adults who keep the town's cycle of animosity ongoing. It preys most easily on children from broken homes — children who frequently mature to replicate the same patterns as their guardians. But, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as one of the few households that never splinters, which may explain why Mike Hanlon, even after electing to remain in Derry, remains the only Loser who doesn't completely succumb under Pennywise's sway.

Hanlon Household's Distinctive Resistance

In the fourth installment of Welcome to Derry, Leroy Hanlon at last grows increasingly conscious of the paranormal entities surrounding the community, especially when the entity starts haunting his child, Will Hanlon, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon clan comprises some of the few adults who are aware that something is amiss with the town, notably Leroy, who was revealed to be receptive to psychic abilities when he was capable of sensing Dick Hallorann's employment of it in the third episode. Later, he sees one of the clown's trademark balloons outside his house. This gift, alongside his inability to experience terror, combined with the base of his family, could be why he's capable of perceiving Pennywise's hauntings. But what if that psychic sensitivity is hereditary, and a key factor Mike is one of the only individuals in Derry who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?

The boy is a member of the collective of children at his school being tormented by Pennywise. His classmates hail from broken homes, with parents who don't believe they're being haunted. The cause he is being haunted is because of the viciousness of the town, paired with his potential sensitivity to shine, which makes him susceptible. This family are ultimately outsiders in the town during 1962, which contributes towards the family feeling something is off about the locality from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that isn't fractured, in contrast to the residents who come from the town, with relationships that have deteriorated within.

Historical Context

Drawing from the original book, we understand the young Will will find himself at the Black Spot, where Hallorann will rescue him from a fire that the town bigots of the community will ignite. In the 2017 movie, we observe that Will has a son named Mike and that the father ultimately dies in a fire, with Leroy outliving his own child and taking his grandson in. The official story in the film is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but now that we see Will in Welcome to Derry, that's difficult to accept. Maybe the shy youth, once he grew up, leaned into alcohol to rid himself of the hauntings, or maybe the corrupt environment affected him first, with the hate group eventually finishing the task it started years ago. Whether through the terror of Pennywise or through the malice of the community, instigated by Pennywise, the creature in the end gets the final victory on him.

The Father's Evolution

These occurrences would explain how the elder Hanlon transforms so drastically from what we witness in It: Chapter 1 and the prequel. In his later years, he appears resentful and much harsher with his discipline. Because he outlived his own son, it's understandable to observe such a profound shift. Nonetheless, his words carry more weight since we are aware he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the impacts they had on his child. In the opening scene of It, we observe Mike pause to use a bolt gun on a animal at Leroy's farm. His grandfather chastises him for delaying and offers an analogy that leads to a survival-of-the-fittest situation.

“There are two places you can be in this world. You can be out here like us, or you can be trapped inside,” he says as he gestures to the sheep. “You dawdle indecisive, and another is going to make that choice. Except you will be unaware it until you feel that projectile between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could represent a piece of foreshadowing, a lesson he wishes he had told his own son. Maybe he wishes he had acted differently in his youth, but for some reason, he couldn't resist the repellent allure of the town.