The Derry Chronicles May Have Unraveled a Lingering It Enigma
Pennywise's impact on the young residents of the Derry series molds them throughout their adult lives, twisting them into the very adults who keep the town's pattern of hatred ongoing. The creature finds easy targets on kids from fractured homes — youngsters who often mature to repeat the identical behaviors as their guardians. But, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as one of the few households that remains intact, which may explain why Mike, 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 Resilience
In the fourth installment of the series, Leroy Hanlon at last grows more aware of the supernatural forces enveloping the neighborhood, especially when It starts haunting his son, Will Hanlon, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon clan consists of some of the few grown-ups who are cognizant that things are not right with the municipality, especially the father, who was revealed to be sensitive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing a fellow psychic's employment of it in episode 3. Subsequently, Leroy sees one of the clown's trademark balloons outside his house. The ability, coupled with his failure to feel fear, along with the base of his household, may be why he's able to see the entity's manifestations. However, consider if that shining is hereditary, and one of the reasons Mike is among the few individuals in Derry who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?
Will is part of the collective of children at his educational institution being terrorized by the clown. All his school friends come from broken homes, with caregivers who don't believe they're being haunted. The reason Will is being haunted is due to the cruelty of the community, combined with his potential sensitivity to shine, which makes him susceptible. This family are fundamentally strangers in Derry during the early sixties, which contributes towards the family sensing anomalies exist about the town from the onset. They also have a good foundation that isn't fractured, unlike the residents who come from the area, with bonds that have decayed internally.
Historical Context
Drawing from the It novel, we understand the young Will will find himself at the Black Spot, where Hallorann will rescue him from a blaze that the town bigots of the community will ignite. In the 2017 film, we see that he has a boy named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a fire, with his father surviving his own son and adopting his grandchild. The official story in the motion picture is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but now that we see him in Welcome to Derry, that's hard to believe. Maybe the shy youth, once he grew up, turned to alcohol to rid himself of the hauntings, or maybe the corrupt environment affected him initially, with the KKK ultimately finishing the task it began long before. Be it via the fear of the entity or through the cruelty of the town, seeded by It, the creature in the end achieves the last laugh on him.
The Father's Evolution
These occurrences would clarify how Leroy changes so drastically from what we witness in the first film and Welcome to Derry. In his older age, he seems resentful and much stricter with his discipline. Because he survived his own offspring, it's understandable to observe such a drastic change. However, his statements hold greater significance now that we know he's witnessed the clown's activities and the effects they wrought upon his son. In the initial sequence of It, we see the boy pause to use a bolt gun on a sheep at the family property. His grandfather chastises him for delaying and provides an metaphor that leads to a survival-of-the-fittest 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,” Leroy says as he gestures to the creature. “You dawdle indecisive, and someone is going to make that choice. But you will be unaware it until you experience that projectile in your head.”
In hindsight, this could represent a bit of foreshadowing, a lesson he regrets not imparting to his own son. Maybe he wishes he had acted differently in his youth, but for some reason, he was unable to avoid the sickening attraction of Derry.