The Derry Chronicles May Have Unraveled a Longstanding It Mystery

The clown'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 animosity ongoing. It preys most easily on children from broken homes — youngsters who often grow up to repeat the same patterns as their guardians. But, the Hanlon household stands apart as one of the few family unit that never splinters, which could clarify why Mike, even after choosing to stay in Derry, persists as the only Loser who doesn't completely succumb under Pennywise's sway.

The Hanlon Family's Unique Resistance

In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes increasingly conscious of the supernatural forces surrounding the neighborhood, particularly when the entity begins tormenting his son, Will, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon clan consists of some of the few adults who are cognizant that something is amiss with the municipality, especially the father, who was revealed to be receptive to psychic abilities when he was capable of sensing a fellow psychic's employment of it in the third episode. Later, he sees one of the clown's trademark balloons outside his residence. The ability, alongside his inability to experience terror, combined with the base of his household, could be why he's capable of perceiving Pennywise's hauntings. However, consider if that psychic sensitivity is generational, and one of the reasons Mike is among the few individuals in the town who didn't lose themselves to the town's malevolence?

Will is part of the collective of kids at his school being terrorized by Pennywise. All his school friends come from dysfunctional families, with parents who refuse to accept they're being targeted. The cause Will is being haunted is because of the cruelty of the community, combined with his potential sensitivity to psychic abilities, which renders him vulnerable. This family are ultimately strangers in Derry during 1962, which contributes towards the household sensing anomalies exist about the locality from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that remains unbroken, unlike the folks who originate in the area, with relationships that have deteriorated internally.

Historical Context

Drawing from the original book, we understand the young Will Hanlon will find himself at the infamous nightclub, where Hallorann will rescue him from a fire that the town bigots of Derry will cause. In the recent film, we observe that he has a boy named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a fire, with Leroy outliving his own son and adopting his grandchild. The public account in the film is that the parents were on substances, but given our current view of him in the series, that's hard to believe. Maybe the timid boy, once he became an adult, turned to alcohol to free himself of the torments, or perhaps the corrupt environment got to him first, with the hate group ultimately completing the job it started years ago. Whether through the terror of the entity or through the malice of the community, seeded by Pennywise, It in the end achieves the last laugh on Will.

The Father's Evolution

This chain of events would clarify how the elder Hanlon changes so drastically from what we witness in the first film and the prequel. In his older age, Leroy seems bitter and much harsher with his discipline. Because he survived his own offspring, it's comprehensible to observe such a profound shift. However, his words hold greater significance now that we know he's witnessed Pennywise's hauntings and the impacts they had on his son. In the opening scene of the movie, we observe Mike hesitate to use a stunning device on a animal at Leroy's farm. His grandfather reprimands him for delaying and offers an metaphor that leads to a survival-of-the-fittest 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,” he states as he points to the sheep. “You waste time indecisive, and someone is going to make that choice. But you won't know it until you feel that projectile between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could represent a piece of prediction, a lesson he wishes he had told his own child. Perhaps he wishes he had acted differently in his youth, but for certain factors, he couldn't resist the repellent attraction of the town.