The Derry Chronicles Could Have Unraveled a Longstanding It Mystery

The clown's impact on the young residents of Welcome to Derry molds them throughout their adult lives, twisting them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the town's pattern of animosity alive. It preys most easily on children from broken households — youngsters who often grow up to repeat the same patterns as their guardians. But, the Hanlon family stands apart as one of the few households that never splinters, which could clarify why Mike, even after choosing to stay in the town, persists as the sole member who never fully falls under the clown's influence.

Hanlon Household's Unique Resistance

In episode 4 of the series, Leroy Hanlon at last grows more aware of the supernatural forces enveloping the community, especially when It begins tormenting his son, Will, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon clan comprises a small number of adults who are cognizant that something is amiss with the town, notably 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. Later, Leroy spots one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his house. This gift, alongside his inability to feel fear, along with the base of his family, could 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 its cruelty?

The boy is part of the collective of kids at his school being terrorized by Pennywise. His classmates come from dysfunctional families, with parents who refuse to accept they're being targeted. The cause he is being haunted is because of the cruelty of the town, combined with his likely receptiveness to shine, which makes him susceptible. This family are fundamentally strangers in Derry during the early sixties, which lends itself towards the household feeling anomalies exist about the town from the beginning. They also have a solid base that remains unbroken, in contrast to the residents who originate in the area, with bonds that have deteriorated within.

Historical Context

Based on the original book, we understand the young Will Hanlon will find himself at the infamous nightclub, where the psychic will save him from a fire that the local KKK members of the community will cause. In the 2017 movie, we observe that he has a son named Mike and that the father ultimately dies in a fire, with Leroy surviving his own child and taking his grandson in. The official story in the motion picture is that Mike's parents were on substances, but now that we see him in the series, that's hard to believe. Maybe the timid youth, once he grew up, turned to drink to rid himself of the hauntings, or maybe the rotten town got to him initially, with the hate group eventually finishing the job it began long before. Whether through the terror of Pennywise or through the cruelty of the town, seeded by Pennywise, the creature in the end achieves the final victory on Will.

Leroy's Transformation

This chain of events would explain how the elder Hanlon changes so drastically from what we witness in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his later years, Leroy seems resentful and much harsher with his discipline. Because he outlived his own son, it's comprehensible to see such a drastic change. However, his statements hold greater significance now that we know he's seen the clown's activities and the impacts they wrought upon his child. In the opening scene of It, we see Mike hesitate to use a stunning device on a animal at the family property. His grandfather chastises him for delaying and offers an analogy that results in a survival-of-the-fittest situation.

“You have two options you can be in this existence. You can be out here like we are, or you can be in there,” Leroy says as he points to the sheep. “You dawdle indecisive, and someone is going to decide for you. Except you will be unaware it until you feel that bolt in your head.”

Looking back, this could represent a bit of prediction, something he regrets not imparting to his own son. Perhaps he wishes he had done something in his past, but for some reason, he couldn't resist the repellent attraction of the town.