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Pennywise's impact on the young residents of Welcome to Derry shapes them long into adulthood, twisting them into the exact individuals who keep the town's pattern of animosity ongoing. It finds easy targets on kids from fractured homes — children who often grow up to replicate the identical behaviors as their parents. However, the Hanlon family stands apart as a rare example of a households that never splinters, which could clarify why Mike, even after choosing to stay in Derry, remains the only Loser who doesn't completely succumb under Pennywise's sway.

Hanlon Household's Unique Resistance

In episode 4 of the series, Leroy at last grows more aware of the supernatural forces enveloping the community, especially when the entity starts haunting his son, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon family consists of some of the few adults who are aware that something is amiss with the town, especially Leroy, who was revealed to be sensitive to the Shining when he was able to detect a fellow psychic's employment of it in the third episode. Subsequently, he spots one of Pennywise's signature balloons outside his residence. The ability, alongside his failure to feel fear, combined with the base of his household, could be why he's capable of perceiving Pennywise's hauntings. However, consider if that shining is hereditary, and one of the reasons Mike is among the few individuals in the town who didn't lose themselves to the town's malevolence?

Will is a member of the collective of kids at his educational institution being tormented by Pennywise. All his school friends come from broken homes, with parents who refuse to accept they're being targeted. The cause Will is being pursued is due to the cruelty of the town, paired with his likely receptiveness to psychic abilities, which makes him susceptible. This family are fundamentally outsiders in the town during 1962, which contributes towards the family sensing something is off about the locality from the onset. They also have a solid base that isn't fractured, unlike the folks who originate in the town, with bonds that have decayed internally.

Historical Context

Based on the original book, we understand the juvenile Will will find himself at the infamous nightclub, where the psychic will rescue him from a blaze that the town bigots of the community will ignite. In the recent film, we see that he has a boy named Mike and that Will eventually perishes in a configration, with Leroy outliving his own son and adopting his grandchild. The official story in the film is that Mike's parents were on substances, but given our current view of Will in the series, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the timid youth, once he grew up, leaned into alcohol to rid himself of the hauntings, or maybe the corrupt environment affected him initially, with the KKK ultimately completing the job it began years ago. Be it via the fear of the entity or via the cruelty of the community, instigated by It, the creature in the end achieves the final victory on Will.

Leroy's Transformation

These occurrences would explain how Leroy changes 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 parenting. Because he survived his own offspring, it's comprehensible to observe such a profound shift. Nonetheless, his statements carry more weight now that we know he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the impacts they had on his child. In the opening scene of the movie, we see the boy hesitate to use a stunning device on a sheep at the family property. Leroy reprimands him for delaying and offers an metaphor that results in a survival-of-the-fittest situation.

“You have two options you can be in this world. You can be out here like us, or you can be trapped inside,” Leroy states as he points to the sheep. “You dawdle indecisive, and another is going to decide for you. Except you will be unaware it until you experience that bolt in your head.”

In hindsight, this could be a piece of foreshadowing, something he regrets not imparting to his own child. Perhaps he wishes he had done something in his youth, but for some reason, he couldn't resist the repellent attraction of the town.