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Pennywise's impact on the children of the Derry series shapes them long into adulthood, transforming them into the exact individuals who keep the town's cycle of hatred alive. The creature preys most easily on children from fractured households — youngsters who frequently mature to replicate the same patterns as their parents. But, the Hanlon family stands apart as a rare example of a family unit that remains intact, which may explain why Mike Hanlon, even after electing to remain in Derry, remains the sole member who never fully falls under Pennywise's sway.

Hanlon Household's Distinctive Resilience

In episode 4 of the series, Leroy finally becomes more aware of the paranormal entities surrounding the neighborhood, especially when It starts haunting his son, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan comprises some of the few grown-ups who are aware that something is amiss with the municipality, notably Leroy, who was shown to be sensitive to the Shining when he was able to detect Dick Hallorann's employment of it in the third episode. Later, Leroy spots one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his house. This gift, coupled with his failure to feel fear, combined with the base of his household, could be why he's able to see the entity's manifestations. However, consider if that shining is hereditary, and a key factor Mike is one of the only individuals in the town who didn't lose themselves to the town's malevolence?

Will is part of the collective of kids at his school being tormented by Pennywise. His classmates come from dysfunctional families, with caregivers who refuse to accept they're being targeted. The cause Will is being pursued is because of the cruelty of the town, paired with his likely receptiveness to shine, which makes him susceptible. The Hanlons are fundamentally strangers in the town during 1962, which contributes towards the family sensing something is off about the town from the onset. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that isn't fractured, unlike the folks who come from the area, with relationships that have deteriorated within.

Historical Context

Drawing from the original book, we know the young Will Hanlon will end up at the infamous nightclub, where the psychic will rescue him from a blaze that the local KKK members of Derry will cause. In the recent film, we see that Will has a son named Mike and that Will eventually perishes in a configration, with Leroy surviving his own son and taking his grandson in. The official story in the motion picture is that the parents were on substances, but now that we see Will in the series, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the shy boy, once he became an adult, turned to drink to rid himself of the hauntings, or perhaps the rotten town affected him first, with the KKK eventually completing the job it started long before. Be it via the terror of Pennywise or through the malice of the community, instigated by Pennywise, It eventually achieves the last laugh on Will.

Leroy's Transformation

This chain of events would clarify how Leroy transforms so radically from what we witness in the first film and the prequel. In his later years, he appears resentful and much harsher with his discipline. Since he survived his own son, it's comprehensible to see such a drastic change. However, his words hold greater significance since we are aware he's witnessed Pennywise's hauntings and the impacts they had on his child. In the initial sequence of the movie, we see the boy hesitate to use a stunning device on a animal at Leroy's farm. Leroy chastises him for delaying and offers an analogy that leads to a survival-of-the-fittest situation.

“You have two options you can be in this existence. You can be in the open like we are, or you can be trapped inside,” Leroy states as he gestures to the sheep. “You waste time indecisive, and another is going to decide for you. Except you won't know it until you feel that bolt between your eyes.”

In hindsight, this could be a bit of foreshadowing, a lesson he regrets not imparting to his own child. Maybe he desires he had acted differently in his youth, but for certain factors, he was unable to avoid the repellent allure of Derry.