Welcome to Derry Could Have Unraveled a Longstanding Pennywise Enigma
Pennywise's influence on the children of the Derry series molds them throughout their adult lives, transforming them into the very adults who perpetuate the community's cycle of hatred ongoing. The creature finds easy targets on kids from fractured households — children who often mature to replicate the identical behaviors as their guardians. But, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as a rare example of a households that never splinters, which could clarify why Mike Hanlon, even after choosing to stay in Derry, remains the sole member who doesn't completely succumb under the clown's influence.
The Hanlon Family's Distinctive Resilience
In the fourth installment of the series, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes increasingly conscious of the supernatural forces enveloping the community, particularly when the entity begins tormenting his son, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan consists of some of the few adults who are cognizant that things are not right with the town, notably the father, who was shown to be receptive to the Shining when he was able to detect a fellow psychic's employment of it in episode 3. Subsequently, he sees one of the clown's trademark balloons outside his residence. The ability, coupled with his failure to experience terror, combined with the foundation of his family, could be why he's capable of perceiving Pennywise's hauntings. But what if that shining is hereditary, and one of the reasons Mike is among the few individuals in Derry who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?
The boy is part of the group of children at his educational institution being tormented by Pennywise. All his school friends hail from broken homes, with parents who don't believe they're being targeted. The cause Will is being pursued is because of the cruelty of the town, paired with his potential sensitivity to psychic abilities, which renders him vulnerable. This family are fundamentally strangers in Derry during the early sixties, which contributes towards the family sensing something is off about the locality from the onset. They also have a good foundation that isn't fractured, unlike the folks who come from the town, with relationships that have deteriorated within.
Historical Context
Based on the It novel, we understand the young Will will find himself at the infamous nightclub, where Hallorann will rescue him from a blaze that the town bigots of the community will ignite. In the recent movie, we observe that he has a boy named Mike and that Will 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 Will in Welcome to Derry, that's hard to believe. Maybe the shy youth, once he became an adult, turned to drink to rid himself of the torments, or perhaps the corrupt environment got to him first, with the hate group ultimately completing the task it started years ago. Whether through the fear of Pennywise or via the malice of the town, instigated by It, It eventually achieves the final victory on him.
The Father's Evolution
These occurrences would explain how Leroy changes so radically from what we witness in It: Chapter 1 and the prequel. In his later years, he seems bitter and much harsher with his parenting. Since he outlived his own offspring, it's understandable to see such a drastic change. However, his words hold greater significance since we are aware he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the effects they had on his child. In the initial sequence of the movie, we observe Mike pause to use a stunning device on a sheep at Leroy's farm. Leroy chastises him for delaying and provides an metaphor that results in a survival-of-the-fittest situation.
“There are two places you can be in this existence. You can be out here like we are, or you can be trapped inside,” he states as he points to the creature. “You waste time indecisive, and another is going to decide for you. Except you won't know it until you experience that projectile between your eyes.”
Looking back, this could be a bit of prediction, a lesson he regrets not imparting to his own child. Perhaps he wishes he had acted differently in his past, but for certain factors, he was unable to avoid the sickening attraction of Derry.
