The clown's impact on the children of the Derry series molds them long into adulthood, twisting them into the very adults who perpetuate the town's cycle of animosity ongoing. The creature preys most easily on kids from broken homes — children who often mature to repeat the same patterns as their parents. But, the Hanlon family distinguishes itself as one of the few family unit that never splinters, which may explain 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 episode 4 of the series, Leroy finally becomes more aware of the supernatural forces surrounding the community, particularly when It begins tormenting his son, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan consists of a small number of adults who are cognizant that something is amiss with the town, notably Leroy, who was revealed to be sensitive to the Shining 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 residence. This gift, coupled with his inability to experience terror, along with the base of his household, could be why he's capable of perceiving the entity's manifestations. However, consider if that psychic sensitivity is hereditary, and one of the reasons Mike is one of the only adults in the town who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?
Will is a member of the collective of kids at his educational institution being terrorized by the clown. His classmates hail from broken homes, with caregivers who refuse to accept they're being haunted. The cause Will is being pursued is due to the cruelty of the community, paired with his likely receptiveness to shine, which renders him vulnerable. This family are fundamentally outsiders in Derry during the early sixties, which contributes towards the household feeling something is off about the locality from the beginning. They also have a solid base that isn't fractured, in contrast to the residents who originate in the area, with relationships that have decayed within.
Historical Context
Drawing from the original book, we understand the young Will Hanlon will end up at the infamous nightclub, where the psychic will rescue him from a fire that the town bigots of Derry will cause. In the recent movie, we see that he has a son named Mike and that the father eventually perishes in a configration, with his father surviving his own child and adopting his grandchild. The public account in the film is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but now that we see him in the series, that's hard to believe. Maybe the shy boy, once he became an adult, leaned into drink to free himself of the hauntings, or perhaps the corrupt environment affected him first, with the hate group ultimately completing the task it started long before. Be it via the fear of the entity or via the malice of the community, instigated by It, It in the end gets the final victory on him.
Leroy's Transformation
These occurrences would explain how the elder Hanlon changes so radically from what we see in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his older age, Leroy appears bitter and much harsher with his parenting. Because he outlived his own son, it's understandable to see such a drastic change. However, his words carry more weight since we are aware he's witnessed Pennywise's hauntings and the impacts they wrought upon his son. In the initial sequence of It, we see the boy pause to use a bolt gun on a animal at the family property. His grandfather chastises him for hesitating and offers an metaphor that results in a kill-or-be-killed scenario.
“You have two options you can be in this existence. You can be in the open like us, or you can be trapped inside,” Leroy says as he points to the sheep. “You dawdle hemming and hawing, and someone is going to decide for you. Except you won't know it until you feel that projectile between your eyes.”
Looking back, this could represent a piece of prediction, something he wishes he had told his own son. Perhaps he wishes he had done something in his past, but for some reason, he couldn't resist the sickening attraction of Derry.
