The Derry Chronicles May Have Solved a Longstanding Pennywise Enigma
Pennywise's influence on the young residents of the Derry series molds them throughout their adult lives, transforming them into the very adults who keep the town's cycle of hatred alive. The creature preys most easily on kids from fractured homes — children who often mature to replicate the identical behaviors as their guardians. However, the Hanlon family stands apart as a rare example of a households that remains intact, which could clarify why Mike Hanlon, even after electing to remain in the town, remains the only Loser who never fully falls under the clown's influence.
The Hanlon Family's Unique Resistance
In the fourth installment of Welcome to Derry, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes increasingly conscious of the supernatural forces surrounding the neighborhood, especially when the entity starts haunting his son, Will, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon family consists of some of the few adults who are aware that something is amiss with the town, especially Leroy, who was revealed to be receptive to psychic abilities 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 balloons outside his house. This gift, alongside his inability to feel fear, along with the base of his family, could be why he's capable of perceiving Pennywise's hauntings. But what if that psychic sensitivity is hereditary, and a key factor Mike is one of the only individuals in the town who didn't lose themselves 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 don't believe they're being targeted. The reason Will is being haunted is because of the viciousness of the town, combined with his likely receptiveness to psychic abilities, which makes him susceptible. The Hanlons are fundamentally strangers in Derry during the early sixties, which contributes towards the household sensing something is off about the town from the beginning. They also have a solid base that isn't fractured, in contrast to the residents who come from the town, with relationships that have decayed internally.
Backstory Connections
Based on the original book, we understand the young Will Hanlon will end up at the infamous nightclub, where Hallorann will save him from a fire that the town bigots of the community will ignite. In the recent movie, we see that he has a boy named Mike and that the father ultimately dies in a fire, with Leroy outliving his own son and adopting his grandchild. 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 youth, once he became an adult, turned to drink to rid himself of the torments, or maybe the corrupt town got to him first, with the hate group ultimately completing the task it started years ago. Be it via the terror of the entity or through the malice of the town, seeded by It, It eventually gets the final victory on him.
Leroy's Transformation
This chain of events would clarify how Leroy transforms so radically from what we see in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his later years, Leroy appears resentful and much harsher with his discipline. Since he survived his own offspring, it's comprehensible to observe such a drastic change. However, his statements carry more weight now that we know he's witnessed 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 animal at the family property. His grandfather chastises him for delaying and offers an metaphor that results in a kill-or-be-killed situation.
“There are two places you can be in this existence. You can be out here like us, or you can be in there,” he states as he gestures to the creature. “You dawdle hemming and hawing, and another is going to decide for you. But you will be unaware it until you experience that bolt in your head.”
In hindsight, this could represent a piece of foreshadowing, a lesson he wishes he had told his own son. Maybe he wishes he had acted differently in his youth, but for some reason, he was unable to avoid the sickening allure of the town.