The Derry Chronicles Could Have Unraveled a Lingering Pennywise Enigma

The clown's impact on the children of Welcome to Derry shapes them long into adulthood, twisting them into the very adults who keep the town's pattern of hatred alive. The creature preys most easily on kids from broken homes — children who frequently mature to repeat the identical behaviors as their guardians. However, the Hanlon family distinguishes itself as one of the few family unit that never splinters, which could clarify why Mike, even after electing to remain in the town, persists as the sole member who never fully falls under Pennywise's sway.

Hanlon Household's Distinctive Resilience

In episode 4 of the series, Leroy at last grows increasingly conscious of the supernatural forces enveloping the community, especially when the entity starts haunting his child, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan comprises a small number of grown-ups who are aware that things are not right with the town, notably Leroy, who was revealed to be receptive to the Shining when he was able to detect Dick Hallorann's employment of it in the third episode. Later, Leroy sees one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his residence. The ability, coupled with his failure to experience terror, combined with the foundation of his household, may be why he's capable of perceiving the entity's manifestations. However, consider if that shining is generational, and a key factor Mike is among the few individuals in Derry who didn't lose themselves to the town's malevolence?

Will is a member of the group of kids at his school being tormented by Pennywise. All his school friends hail from dysfunctional families, with caregivers who refuse to accept they're being targeted. The reason he is being haunted is because of the viciousness of the town, combined with his potential sensitivity to psychic abilities, which makes him susceptible. This family are ultimately strangers in the town during 1962, which lends itself towards the family sensing something is off about the town from the onset. Additionally, they possess a solid base that remains unbroken, in contrast to the residents who originate in the area, with bonds that have deteriorated within.

Historical Context

Drawing from the It novel, we know the young Will will end up at the infamous nightclub, where Hallorann will rescue him from a blaze that the local KKK members of the community will cause. In the recent movie, we observe that Will has a boy named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a fire, with his father surviving his own son and taking his grandson in. The official story in the motion picture is that the parents were on substances, but given our current view of Will in Welcome to Derry, that's difficult to accept. Maybe the shy boy, once he grew up, leaned into alcohol to rid himself of the torments, or perhaps the corrupt town affected him initially, with the KKK ultimately finishing the job it started long before. Whether through the fear of the entity or via the malice of the town, instigated by Pennywise, It eventually achieves the last laugh on Will.

The Father's Evolution

These occurrences would explain how the elder Hanlon transforms so drastically from what we witness in the first film and the prequel. In his later years, he appears bitter and much stricter with his parenting. Because he outlived his own offspring, it's understandable to see such a drastic change. However, his words hold greater significance now that we know he's seen the clown's activities and the effects they wrought upon his child. In the initial sequence of It, we see Mike pause to use a stunning device on a sheep at the family property. His grandfather reprimands 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,” Leroy says as he points to the sheep. “You waste time hemming and hawing, and someone is going to make that choice. But you won't know it until you feel that projectile in your head.”

Looking back, this could represent a bit of foreshadowing, something he regrets not imparting to his own child. Perhaps he wishes he had acted differently in his past, but for certain factors, he was unable to avoid the repellent allure of the town.