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Pennywise's impact on the young residents of the Derry series molds them long into adulthood, twisting them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the community's pattern of animosity alive. It finds easy targets on kids from broken homes — youngsters who frequently mature to replicate the same patterns as their parents. However, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as one of the few family unit that never splinters, which may explain why Mike Hanlon, even after choosing to stay in the town, remains the only Loser who never fully falls under Pennywise's sway.

The Hanlon Family's Unique Resilience

In the fourth installment of the series, Leroy Hanlon finally becomes more aware of the paranormal entities surrounding the neighborhood, particularly when It begins tormenting his son, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon family comprises a small number of grown-ups who are aware that things are not right with the town, notably the father, who was shown to be receptive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing Dick Hallorann's employment of it in episode 3. Later, Leroy sees one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his residence. This gift, alongside his failure to feel fear, combined with the base of his family, could be why he's capable of perceiving Pennywise's hauntings. But what if that shining is generational, and a key factor Mike Hanlon is one of the only adults in Derry who resisted succumbing to its cruelty?

The boy is part of the collective of kids at his school being terrorized by Pennywise. His classmates hail from broken homes, with parents who refuse to accept they're being haunted. The cause he is being haunted is due to the cruelty of the community, paired with his likely receptiveness to shine, which makes him susceptible. This family are ultimately outsiders in Derry during the early sixties, which contributes towards the household feeling something is off about the town from the onset. They also have a good foundation that remains unbroken, unlike the residents who come from the town, with bonds that have deteriorated internally.

Backstory Connections

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 fire that the local KKK members of the community will ignite. In the 2017 movie, we observe that Will has a son named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a configration, with his father outliving 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 the series, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the shy youth, once he grew up, turned to drink to free himself of the torments, or maybe the rotten town got to him initially, with the KKK eventually finishing the task it started years ago. Whether through the fear of Pennywise or via the cruelty of the community, seeded by Pennywise, It in the end gets the final victory on Will.

The Father's Evolution

This chain of events would clarify how the elder Hanlon changes so drastically from what we see in the first film and the prequel. In his older age, he appears bitter and much harsher with his discipline. Since he outlived his own offspring, it's understandable to see such a profound shift. Nonetheless, his statements carry more weight since we are aware he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the effects they wrought upon his child. In the initial sequence of the movie, we observe the boy pause to use a stunning device on a animal at the family property. His grandfather chastises him for hesitating and provides an metaphor that results in a kill-or-be-killed situation.

“You have two options you can be in this existence. You can be out here like we are, or you can be trapped inside,” he says as he gestures to the sheep. “You dawdle hemming and hawing, and someone is going to decide for you. But you will be unaware it until you feel that bolt in your head.”

Looking back, this could represent a bit of foreshadowing, something he regrets not imparting to his own child. Maybe he desires he had acted differently in his youth, but for certain factors, he couldn't resist the sickening allure of Derry.