The Derry Chronicles Could Have Solved a Lingering Pennywise Enigma

The clown's impact on the young residents of the Derry series molds them long into adulthood, transforming them into the very adults who perpetuate the community's pattern of animosity alive. The creature preys most easily on kids from fractured households — youngsters who frequently mature to repeat the identical behaviors as their parents. However, the Hanlon family distinguishes itself as a rare example of a family unit that remains intact, which could clarify why Mike, even after electing to remain in Derry, remains the only Loser who never fully falls under Pennywise's sway.

The Hanlon Family's Distinctive Resilience

In episode 4 of the series, Leroy at last grows more aware of the supernatural forces surrounding the community, especially when the entity begins tormenting his child, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan comprises some of the few grown-ups who are cognizant that something is amiss with the town, notably Leroy, who was revealed to be sensitive to psychic abilities when he was capable of sensing Dick Hallorann's employment of it in the third episode. Subsequently, Leroy spots one of Pennywise's signature inflated orbs outside his residence. This gift, coupled with his inability to experience terror, combined with the foundation of his family, could be why he's able to see Pennywise's hauntings. However, consider if that shining is hereditary, and a key factor Mike Hanlon is among the few individuals in Derry who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?

The boy is part of the collective of kids at his educational institution being terrorized by the clown. All his school friends come from broken homes, with parents who refuse to accept they're being haunted. The reason Will is being haunted is because of the cruelty of the community, combined with his likely receptiveness to psychic abilities, which makes him susceptible. This family are ultimately outsiders 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 isn't fractured, unlike the folks who originate in the area, with bonds that have deteriorated internally.

Historical Context

Drawing from the It novel, we understand the juvenile Will Hanlon will end up at the Black Spot, where Hallorann will rescue him from a fire that the local KKK members of Derry will cause. In the recent film, we see that Will has a son named Mike and that the father ultimately dies in a fire, with Leroy outliving his own child and adopting his grandchild. The public account in the motion picture is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but given our current view of him in the series, that's hard to believe. Perhaps the shy youth, once he became an adult, leaned into drink to rid himself of the hauntings, or perhaps the rotten environment affected him first, with the KKK ultimately completing the task it began years ago. Whether through the fear of Pennywise or through the cruelty of the community, instigated by Pennywise, It eventually gets the final victory on him.

The Father's Evolution

These occurrences would clarify how the elder Hanlon transforms so drastically from what we witness in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his older age, Leroy seems bitter and much stricter with his discipline. Since he outlived his own son, it's understandable to observe such a drastic change. Nonetheless, his statements hold greater significance since we are aware he's witnessed the clown's activities and the impacts they wrought upon his child. In the opening scene of It, we observe Mike pause to use a bolt gun on a sheep at the family property. Leroy chastises him for hesitating and offers an analogy that results in a kill-or-be-killed scenario.

“You have two options you can be in this existence. You can be out here like us, or you can be trapped inside,” Leroy says as he points to the sheep. “You dawdle hemming and hawing, and someone is going to make that choice. Except you won't know it until you feel that projectile between your eyes.”

In hindsight, this could be a bit of foreshadowing, a lesson he wishes he had told his own child. Perhaps he wishes he had done something in his youth, but for certain factors, he couldn't resist the repellent allure of Derry.