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The clown's impact on the children of Welcome to Derry molds them long into adulthood, twisting them into the very adults who perpetuate the town's pattern of hatred alive. It preys most easily on children from fractured homes — children who often grow up to replicate the identical behaviors as their parents. However, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as one of the few family unit that never splinters, which could clarify why Mike, even after choosing to stay in the town, persists as the only Loser who never fully falls under the clown's influence.

The Hanlon Family's Unique Resilience

In episode 4 of the series, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes increasingly conscious of the supernatural forces surrounding the neighborhood, particularly when It starts haunting his child, Will Hanlon, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon family comprises some of the few grown-ups who are cognizant that something is amiss with the town, notably the father, who was revealed to be receptive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing a fellow psychic's employment of it in episode 3. Later, he spots one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his house. This gift, alongside his failure to experience terror, along with the foundation of his household, could be why he's capable of perceiving the entity's manifestations. But what if that shining is generational, and a key factor Mike is one of the only individuals in Derry who didn't lose themselves to its cruelty?

The boy is a member of the group of children at his educational institution being tormented by Pennywise. His classmates hail from dysfunctional families, with parents who refuse to accept they're being targeted. The cause he is being pursued is due to the cruelty of the community, combined with his likely receptiveness to psychic abilities, which makes him susceptible. This family are ultimately strangers in the town during the early sixties, which lends itself towards the family feeling anomalies exist about the locality from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a solid base that isn't fractured, unlike the folks who originate in the area, with bonds that have decayed within.

Historical Context

Based on the It novel, we understand the juvenile Will will end up at the Black Spot, where the psychic will save him from a blaze that the town bigots of the community will cause. In the recent film, we see that Will has a boy named Mike and that Will eventually perishes in a configration, with his father outliving his own son and adopting his grandchild. The official story in the film is that the parents were on drugs, but given our current view of Will in the series, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the shy boy, once he became an adult, leaned into drink to free himself of the hauntings, or maybe the corrupt environment affected him first, with the hate group ultimately completing the task it began years ago. Whether through the fear of Pennywise or through the cruelty of the community, seeded by It, the creature eventually achieves the last laugh on Will.

The Father's Evolution

This chain of events would clarify how the elder Hanlon transforms so radically from what we see in It: Chapter 1 and the prequel. In his later years, he appears resentful and much harsher with his discipline. Since he outlived his own offspring, it's understandable to see such a profound shift. However, his statements carry more weight now that we know he's witnessed Pennywise's hauntings and the effects they wrought upon his child. In the initial sequence of the movie, we observe Mike pause to use a stunning device on a animal at Leroy's farm. His grandfather reprimands him for hesitating and provides an analogy that leads to a kill-or-be-killed scenario.

“You have two options you can be in this world. You can be out here like we are, or you can be trapped inside,” he states 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 experience that projectile between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could be a piece of prediction, something he regrets not imparting to his own child. Maybe he desires he had done something in his youth, but for certain factors, he couldn't resist the sickening attraction of the town.