🔗 Share this article

Pennywise's influence on the children of Welcome to Derry molds them long into adulthood, twisting them into the exact individuals who keep the community's cycle of animosity ongoing. It preys most easily on kids from fractured homes — youngsters who frequently mature to replicate the identical behaviors as their parents. But, the Hanlon family distinguishes itself as a rare example of a households that never splinters, which could clarify why Mike Hanlon, even after choosing to stay in the town, remains the only Loser who doesn't completely succumb under the clown's influence.

The Hanlon Family's Distinctive Resilience

In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy at last grows more aware of the paranormal entities enveloping the neighborhood, particularly when It starts haunting his child, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan consists of a small number of adults who are cognizant that things are not right with the municipality, especially Leroy, who was shown to be receptive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing Dick Hallorann's employment of it in episode 3. Subsequently, he spots one of the clown's trademark balloons outside his house. This gift, coupled with his inability to experience terror, combined with the foundation of his family, could be why he's capable of perceiving the entity's manifestations. But what if that shining is generational, and a key factor Mike Hanlon is one of the only adults in Derry who resisted succumbing to its cruelty?

The boy is a member of the group of kids at his educational institution being tormented by Pennywise. His classmates come from broken homes, with parents who don't believe they're being haunted. The reason he is being pursued is due to the cruelty of the town, combined with his likely receptiveness to shine, which renders him vulnerable. The Hanlons are fundamentally outsiders in Derry during 1962, which contributes towards the household feeling something is off about the town from the beginning. They also have a good foundation that remains unbroken, unlike the residents who originate in the area, with bonds that have deteriorated internally.

Historical Context

Based on the original book, we understand the young Will Hanlon will end up at the Black Spot, where Hallorann will rescue him from a blaze that the local KKK members of Derry will cause. In the recent movie, we see that he has a son named Mike and that the father ultimately dies in a configration, with Leroy outliving his own child and adopting his grandchild. The official story in the motion picture is that the parents were on drugs, but now that we see him in Welcome to Derry, that's hard to believe. Maybe the shy boy, once he grew up, leaned into drink to rid himself of the torments, or perhaps the corrupt town got to him initially, with the hate group eventually completing the job it began long before. Whether through the fear of the entity or through the cruelty of the community, instigated by Pennywise, the creature in the end achieves the final victory on him.

Leroy's Transformation

This chain of events would explain how Leroy transforms so radically from what we see in the first film and Welcome to Derry. In his later years, he appears bitter and much stricter with his parenting. Because he survived his own offspring, it's understandable to observe such a profound shift. Nonetheless, his statements hold greater significance since we are aware he's witnessed the clown's activities and the impacts they had on his son. In the initial sequence of the movie, we see the boy hesitate to use a stunning device on a sheep at the family property. Leroy reprimands him for hesitating and provides an analogy that results in a survival-of-the-fittest scenario.

“There are two places you can be in this world. You can be out here like us, or you can be trapped inside,” Leroy says as he points to the sheep. “You waste time hemming and hawing, and another is going to make that choice. Except you won't know it until you feel that projectile between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could represent a piece of foreshadowing, a lesson he wishes he had told his own child. Perhaps he desires he had acted differently in his past, but for certain factors, he was unable to avoid the repellent allure of Derry.