Welcome to Derry Could Have Unraveled a Lingering It Mystery

The clown's impact on the young residents of Welcome to Derry molds them long into adulthood, transforming them into the very adults who keep the town's cycle of animosity ongoing. The creature finds easy targets on kids from fractured households — children who often grow up to repeat the same patterns as their guardians. But, the Hanlon family distinguishes itself as one of the few 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.

Hanlon Household's Distinctive Resilience

In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy finally becomes increasingly conscious of the paranormal entities surrounding the neighborhood, especially when the entity begins tormenting his son, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan consists of some of the few adults who are cognizant that something is amiss with the town, notably the father, who was shown to be receptive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing Dick Hallorann's use of it in episode 3. Subsequently, Leroy spots one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his residence. The ability, coupled with his inability to experience terror, combined with the foundation of his household, may be why he's capable of perceiving Pennywise's hauntings. However, consider if that shining is generational, and one of the reasons Mike is among the few individuals in the town who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?

The boy is a member of the collective of kids at his educational institution being terrorized by the clown. All his school friends come from dysfunctional families, with caregivers who don't believe they're being haunted. The cause Will is being pursued is due to the cruelty of the community, combined with his likely receptiveness to psychic abilities, which renders him vulnerable. The Hanlons are ultimately outsiders in the town during 1962, which lends itself towards the household sensing something is off about the town from the onset. They also have a solid base that isn't fractured, unlike the folks who originate in the area, with bonds that have deteriorated within.

Historical Context

Based on the original book, we understand the juvenile Will Hanlon will find himself at the infamous nightclub, where the psychic will rescue him from a blaze that the town bigots of the community will cause. In the 2017 movie, we observe that he has a boy named Mike and that the father eventually perishes in a configration, with Leroy outliving his own child and adopting his grandchild. The public account in the motion picture is that Mike's parents were on substances, but now that we see him in Welcome to Derry, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the timid boy, once he grew up, turned to drink to rid himself of the torments, or maybe the corrupt environment got to him first, with the hate group eventually finishing the task it started long before. Whether through the terror of Pennywise or through the cruelty of the community, instigated by Pennywise, It eventually achieves the last laugh on Will.

The Father's Evolution

These occurrences would clarify how the elder Hanlon transforms so radically from what we witness in It: Chapter 1 and the prequel. In his older age, Leroy seems bitter and much stricter with his parenting. Because he survived his own offspring, it's comprehensible to see such a profound shift. However, his words carry more weight now that we know he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the effects they wrought upon his son. In the initial sequence of It, we see Mike hesitate to use a bolt gun on a sheep at Leroy's farm. Leroy chastises him for delaying and offers an metaphor that leads to a survival-of-the-fittest situation.

“There are two places you can be in this existence. You can be out here like we are, or you can be trapped inside,” he says as he points to the creature. “You dawdle indecisive, and another is going to make that choice. But you will be unaware it until you feel that bolt between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could represent a piece of prediction, something he wishes he had told his own child. Perhaps he wishes he had done something in his youth, but for certain factors, he couldn't resist the sickening allure of the town.