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The clown's influence on the children of Welcome to Derry molds them long into adulthood, transforming them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the community's pattern of animosity alive. The creature finds easy targets on children from broken homes — children who often mature to replicate the same patterns as their guardians. But, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as a rare example of a family unit that remains intact, which may explain why Mike, even after electing to remain in Derry, persists as the only Loser who doesn't completely succumb under Pennywise's sway.

Hanlon Household's Unique Resistance

In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes more aware of the supernatural forces surrounding the community, especially when the entity begins tormenting his child, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon family comprises some of the few grown-ups who are aware that something is amiss with the municipality, notably the father, who was shown to be sensitive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing Dick Hallorann's employment of it in episode 3. Later, Leroy spots one of Pennywise's signature inflated orbs outside his residence. This gift, coupled with his inability to experience terror, combined with the foundation of his family, may be why he's capable of perceiving the entity's manifestations. However, consider if that shining is hereditary, and a key factor Mike Hanlon is one of the only adults in Derry who resisted succumbing to its cruelty?

Will is a member of the collective of children at his educational institution being tormented by the clown. All his school friends come from dysfunctional families, with caregivers who refuse to accept they're being targeted. The reason he is being haunted is due to the cruelty of the community, paired with his potential sensitivity to psychic abilities, which renders him vulnerable. The Hanlons are ultimately strangers in the town during the early sixties, which contributes towards the family sensing something is off about the locality from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a solid base that remains unbroken, unlike the folks who originate in the town, with bonds that have deteriorated within.

Backstory Connections

Based on the original book, we know the juvenile Will Hanlon will find himself at the infamous nightclub, where the psychic will save him from a fire that the local KKK members of Derry will ignite. In the recent 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 motion picture is that the parents were on substances, 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 alcohol to free himself of the torments, or maybe the corrupt town got to him first, with the hate group eventually completing the task it began years ago. Be it via the terror of the entity or via the cruelty of the town, instigated by Pennywise, It eventually gets the final victory on Will.

Leroy's Transformation

These occurrences would clarify how Leroy transforms so radically from what we witness in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his older age, Leroy appears bitter and much harsher with his discipline. Since he outlived his own son, it's understandable to observe such a profound shift. However, his statements carry more weight now that we know he's seen the clown's activities and the impacts they wrought upon his son. In the opening scene of It, we see Mike hesitate to use a bolt gun on a animal at the family property. His grandfather reprimands him for hesitating and offers an analogy that leads to a kill-or-be-killed situation.

“You have two options you can be in this world. You can be in the open like us, or you can be in there,” Leroy says as he gestures to the creature. “You dawdle hemming and hawing, and someone is going to decide for you. But you won't know it until you experience that bolt between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could be a piece of foreshadowing, something he wishes he had told his own son. Maybe he desires he had done something in his past, but for certain factors, he was unable to avoid the repellent attraction of Derry.