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The clown's influence on the children of Welcome to Derry molds them long into adulthood, transforming them into the very adults who perpetuate the community's pattern of hatred alive. The creature preys most easily on children from fractured homes — children who often grow up to repeat the same patterns as their guardians. But, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as one of the few households that remains intact, which may explain why Mike Hanlon, even after choosing to stay in Derry, remains the sole member who doesn't completely succumb under the clown's influence.

The Hanlon Family's Unique Resistance

In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes increasingly conscious of the paranormal entities enveloping the community, particularly when It begins tormenting his child, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon family comprises a small number of adults who are cognizant that something is amiss with the municipality, notably the father, who was revealed to be receptive to psychic abilities when he was able to detect Dick Hallorann's employment of it in episode 3. Later, Leroy sees one of Pennywise's signature inflated orbs outside his residence. This gift, coupled with his inability to feel fear, combined with the foundation of his household, could be why he's capable of perceiving Pennywise's hauntings. But what if that shining is generational, and one of the reasons Mike is among the few adults in the town who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?

The boy is part of the collective of kids at his school being tormented by the clown. His classmates hail from dysfunctional families, with parents who don't believe they're being haunted. The cause Will is being haunted is because of the viciousness of the town, paired with his potential sensitivity to psychic abilities, which renders him vulnerable. This family are ultimately outsiders in the town during 1962, which contributes towards the household feeling something is off about the town from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that isn't fractured, unlike the folks who originate in the town, with relationships that have decayed within.

Historical Context

Drawing from the It novel, we know the juvenile Will Hanlon will find himself at the Black Spot, where the psychic will save him from a fire that the town bigots of the community will cause. In the recent film, we observe that Will has a boy named Mike and that Will eventually perishes in a configration, with Leroy surviving his own son and adopting his grandchild. The public account in the motion picture is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but now that we see Will in the series, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the shy boy, once he grew up, leaned into drink to rid himself of the hauntings, or perhaps the corrupt town got to him initially, with the hate group ultimately finishing the job it started years ago. Be it via the terror of the entity or through the malice of the town, instigated by It, It in the end achieves the final victory on Will.

The Father's Evolution

This chain of events would explain how Leroy transforms so radically from what we see in It: Chapter 1 and the prequel. In his older age, he seems bitter and much harsher with his discipline. Since he outlived his own offspring, it's understandable to observe such a drastic change. However, his words carry more weight since we are aware he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the effects they wrought upon his child. In the initial sequence of the movie, we see the boy pause to use a stunning device on a animal at the family property. Leroy reprimands him for hesitating and provides an metaphor that leads to a kill-or-be-killed scenario.

“There are two places you can be in this existence. You can be in the open like us, or you can be in there,” Leroy states as he points to the sheep. “You waste time hemming and hawing, and someone is going to decide for you. But you won't know it until you experience that projectile between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could be a bit of foreshadowing, something he wishes he had told his own son. Perhaps he wishes he had done something in his youth, but for certain factors, he was unable to avoid the sickening allure of the town.