The Derry Chronicles May Have Solved a Lingering Pennywise Mystery
Pennywise's influence on the young residents of the Derry series molds them throughout their adult lives, twisting them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the town's cycle of hatred ongoing. The creature preys most easily on children from fractured households — youngsters who frequently mature to replicate the identical behaviors as their guardians. However, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as a rare example of a family unit that remains intact, which may explain why Mike, even after choosing to stay in the town, remains the sole member who doesn't completely succumb under Pennywise's sway.
Hanlon Household's Unique Resistance
In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy finally becomes increasingly conscious of the paranormal entities enveloping the community, particularly when It begins tormenting his child, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan consists of a small number of adults who are aware that something is amiss with the municipality, notably Leroy, who was shown to be receptive to the Shining when he was able to detect a fellow psychic's use of it in the third episode. Subsequently, he sees one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his house. This gift, alongside his inability to feel fear, along with the foundation of his family, may be why he's able to see Pennywise's hauntings. But what if that psychic sensitivity is hereditary, and one of the reasons Mike Hanlon is one of the only individuals in the town who didn't lose themselves to its cruelty?
Will is a member of the collective of children at his school being terrorized by Pennywise. His classmates hail from dysfunctional families, with parents who refuse to accept they're being haunted. The reason he is being pursued is because of the cruelty of the town, paired with his potential sensitivity to shine, which renders him vulnerable. The Hanlons are fundamentally strangers in the town during 1962, which contributes towards the family feeling something is off about the locality from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that remains unbroken, in contrast to the residents who come from the town, with bonds that have deteriorated internally.
Historical Context
Drawing from the original book, we understand the young Will will end up at the Black Spot, where the psychic will save him from a blaze that the town bigots of Derry will ignite. In the recent film, we see that he has a boy named Mike and that the father eventually perishes in a fire, with his father outliving his own child and taking his grandson in. The official story in the motion picture is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but now that we see Will in the series, that's hard to believe. Maybe the timid youth, once he grew up, leaned into drink to rid himself of the hauntings, or maybe the corrupt town got to him initially, with the KKK eventually finishing the task it began long before. Be it via the fear of Pennywise or via the malice of the town, seeded by It, It eventually achieves the last laugh on him.
The Father's Evolution
This chain of events would clarify how the elder Hanlon transforms so radically from what we witness in It: Chapter 1 and the prequel. In his later years, Leroy seems resentful and much harsher with his discipline. Since he outlived his own son, it's understandable to see such a profound shift. Nonetheless, his statements hold greater significance since we are aware he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the effects they had on his son. In the opening scene of It, we observe the boy hesitate to use a stunning device on a sheep at Leroy's farm. His grandfather reprimands him for hesitating and offers an analogy that leads to a survival-of-the-fittest scenario.
“There are two places you can be in this existence. You can be out here like us, or you can be in there,” Leroy says as he gestures to the sheep. “You dawdle hemming and hawing, and someone is going to make that choice. But you will be unaware it until you experience that projectile between your eyes.”
Looking back, this could be a piece of prediction, a lesson he wishes he had told his own son. Perhaps he desires he had acted differently in his youth, but for some reason, he was unable to avoid the repellent attraction of the town.
