🔗 Share this article

The clown's impact on the children of Welcome to Derry shapes them long into adulthood, twisting them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the town's cycle of animosity alive. It preys most easily on children from fractured homes — youngsters who often grow up to repeat the same patterns as their parents. But, the Hanlon family distinguishes itself as a rare example of a family unit that remains intact, which could clarify why Mike Hanlon, even after electing to remain in the town, remains the only Loser who doesn't completely succumb under the clown's influence.

The Hanlon Family's Unique Resilience

In the fourth installment of Welcome to Derry, Leroy finally becomes more aware of the supernatural forces enveloping the community, particularly when the entity starts haunting his child, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan comprises some of the few adults who are cognizant that something is amiss with the municipality, especially Leroy, who was shown to be receptive to the Shining when he was able to detect Dick Hallorann's use of it in the third episode. Subsequently, Leroy spots one of the clown's trademark balloons outside his residence. The ability, coupled with his failure to experience terror, along with the foundation of his family, may be why he's able to see Pennywise's hauntings. But what if that psychic sensitivity is hereditary, and one of the reasons Mike is one of the only adults in Derry who didn't lose themselves to the town's malevolence?

Will is a member of the collective of children at his educational institution being terrorized by Pennywise. All his school friends hail from broken homes, with parents who refuse to accept they're being targeted. The reason he 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 fundamentally outsiders in the town during the early sixties, which contributes towards the family sensing something is off about the locality from the onset. They also have a solid base that isn't fractured, unlike the folks who come from the area, with bonds that have decayed within.

Historical Context

Based on the original book, we understand the juvenile Will Hanlon will end up at the Black Spot, where the psychic will rescue him from a fire that the town bigots of the community will cause. In the recent film, we observe that he has a son named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a fire, with Leroy outliving his own child and adopting his grandchild. The official story in the motion picture is that the parents were on substances, but given our current view of him in the series, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the timid boy, once he grew up, turned to drink to free himself of the hauntings, or maybe the rotten environment affected him first, with the hate group ultimately finishing the task it began long before. Whether through the terror of the entity or via the cruelty of the community, instigated by It, the creature in the end gets 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 resentful and much stricter with his parenting. Since he survived his own offspring, it's comprehensible to observe such a drastic change. Nonetheless, his words carry more weight since we are aware he's witnessed the clown's activities and the impacts they wrought upon his child. In the opening scene of It, we see the boy hesitate to use a bolt gun on a animal at the family property. Leroy chastises him for hesitating and provides an analogy that leads to a kill-or-be-killed situation.

“There are two places you can be in this world. You can be in the open like we are, or you can be in there,” he says as he gestures to the sheep. “You waste time hemming and hawing, and another is going to decide for you. Except you will be unaware it until you feel that bolt between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could represent a bit of prediction, something he wishes he had told his own child. Maybe he desires he had done something in his past, but for certain factors, he was unable to avoid the sickening allure of the town.