Welcome to Derry Could Have Unraveled a Lingering It Mystery
Pennywise's influence on the young residents of the Derry series molds them long into adulthood, twisting them into the very adults who perpetuate the town's pattern of hatred ongoing. The creature finds easy targets on children from fractured households — youngsters who frequently grow up to repeat the identical behaviors as their parents. But, the Hanlon family distinguishes itself as a rare example of a family unit that never splinters, which could clarify why Mike, even after electing to remain in Derry, persists as the only Loser who doesn't completely succumb under Pennywise's sway.
The Hanlon Family's Distinctive Resistance
In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes more aware of the paranormal entities surrounding the community, particularly when the entity starts haunting his son, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan consists of some of the few grown-ups who are aware that things are not right with the municipality, especially Leroy, who was revealed to be sensitive to the Shining when he was able to detect 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, alongside his failure to feel fear, along with the base 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 is one of the only adults in the town who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?
Will is a member of the group of children at his educational institution being terrorized by Pennywise. His classmates hail from broken homes, with parents who refuse to accept they're being haunted. The reason Will is being haunted is due to the cruelty of the town, paired with his potential sensitivity to shine, which makes him susceptible. This family are fundamentally strangers in the town during the early sixties, which lends itself towards the household sensing anomalies exist about the town from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that remains unbroken, unlike the residents who come from the town, with relationships that have decayed within.
Historical Context
Drawing from the It novel, we understand the young Will Hanlon will find himself at the Black Spot, where the psychic will rescue him from a fire that the local KKK members of Derry will cause. In the recent movie, we see that Will has a son named Mike and that the father eventually perishes in a fire, with his father outliving his own son and adopting his grandchild. The official story in the film is that the parents were on drugs, but given our current view of Will in the series, that's difficult to accept. Maybe the shy youth, once he grew up, turned to drink to free himself of the torments, or maybe the rotten environment got to him first, with the KKK ultimately finishing the job it began long before. Be it via the fear of the entity or via the cruelty of the community, instigated by Pennywise, It in the end achieves the final victory on Will.
The Father's Evolution
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 seems bitter and much harsher with his discipline. Because he outlived his own offspring, it's understandable to see such a drastic change. However, his words carry more weight since we are aware he's seen the clown's activities and the effects they wrought upon his son. In the initial sequence of the movie, we observe the boy hesitate to use a stunning device on a sheep at the family property. Leroy reprimands him for delaying and provides an analogy that leads to a kill-or-be-killed situation.
“You have two options you can be in this world. You can be out here like us, or you can be trapped inside,” he says as he gestures to the creature. “You waste time hemming and hawing, and someone is going to make that choice. Except you will be unaware it until you experience that projectile between your eyes.”
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 past, but for some reason, he was unable to avoid the sickening attraction of Derry.
