Welcome to Derry May Have Unraveled a Lingering Pennywise Mystery
Pennywise's influence on the children of Welcome to Derry shapes them throughout their adult lives, twisting them into the very adults who perpetuate the town's pattern of hatred alive. The creature finds easy targets on children from broken households — youngsters who frequently grow up to replicate the identical behaviors as their parents. But, the Hanlon family 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, persists as the only Loser who doesn't completely succumb under Pennywise's sway.
The Hanlon Family's Distinctive Resilience
In the fourth installment of Welcome to Derry, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes increasingly conscious of the supernatural forces enveloping the neighborhood, particularly when the entity starts haunting his child, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon family consists of some of the few grown-ups who are aware that things are not right with the town, especially Leroy, who was shown to be sensitive to the Shining when he was able to detect Dick Hallorann's use of it in episode 3. Later, he sees one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his house. This gift, coupled with his failure 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 individuals in the town who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?
The boy is part of the group of children at his educational institution being terrorized by Pennywise. His classmates hail from dysfunctional families, with caregivers who refuse to accept they're being haunted. The reason Will is being pursued is because of the cruelty of the town, paired with his potential sensitivity to shine, which renders him vulnerable. The Hanlons are ultimately outsiders in the town during 1962, which lends itself towards the family feeling anomalies exist about the town from the onset. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that isn't fractured, in contrast to the residents who originate in the town, with bonds that have deteriorated internally.
Historical Context
Based on the original book, we know the young Will will find himself at the Black Spot, where the psychic will save him from a fire that the local KKK members of Derry will cause. In the 2017 film, we observe that Will has a boy named Mike and that the father ultimately dies in a configration, with Leroy surviving his own child and taking his grandson in. The public account in the film is that the parents were on substances, but now that we see him in the series, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the shy youth, once he became an adult, turned to drink to rid himself of the torments, or perhaps the corrupt environment affected him first, with the KKK ultimately completing the job it started long before. Be it via the fear of the entity or through the malice of the community, instigated by It, the creature eventually achieves the final victory on Will.
Leroy's Transformation
This chain of events would explain how the elder Hanlon changes so drastically from what we witness in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his older age, he seems resentful and much harsher with his parenting. Because he survived his own son, it's understandable to observe such a drastic change. Nonetheless, his words carry more weight now that we know he's witnessed Pennywise's hauntings and the impacts they had on his son. In the opening scene of the movie, we see Mike hesitate to use a bolt gun on a animal at Leroy's farm. Leroy chastises him for hesitating and offers an metaphor that results in a survival-of-the-fittest situation.
“There are two places you can be in this world. You can be in the open like we are, or you can be in there,” he states as he points to the sheep. “You waste time indecisive, and someone is going to make that choice. But you will be unaware it until you experience that projectile in your head.”
Looking back, this could represent a piece of prediction, something he wishes he had told his own child. Maybe he desires he had acted differently in his youth, but for certain factors, he couldn't resist the sickening allure of Derry.
