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The clown's impact on the children of the Derry series shapes them long into adulthood, transforming them into the very adults who keep the town's pattern of hatred alive. It preys most easily on kids from broken households — youngsters who often grow up to replicate the same patterns as their guardians. However, the Hanlon family stands apart as one of the few households that remains intact, which could clarify why Mike Hanlon, even after electing to remain in the town, remains the only Loser who never fully falls under the clown's influence.

The Hanlon Family's Unique Resistance

In episode 4 of the series, Leroy finally becomes increasingly conscious of the supernatural forces surrounding the community, particularly when It begins tormenting his child, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon family comprises a small number of adults who are cognizant that something is amiss with the municipality, especially Leroy, who was shown to be sensitive to the Shining when he was able to detect Dick Hallorann's use of it in the third episode. Later, he sees one of Pennywise's signature inflated orbs outside his house. This gift, alongside his failure to experience terror, along with the foundation of his family, could be why he's able to see Pennywise's hauntings. But what if that psychic sensitivity is generational, and one of the reasons Mike is among the few adults in the town who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?

The boy is part of the collective of kids at his educational institution being tormented by the clown. His classmates hail from broken homes, with parents who don't believe they're being targeted. The cause Will is being pursued is because of the cruelty of the town, combined with his likely receptiveness to psychic abilities, which renders him vulnerable. The Hanlons are fundamentally strangers in Derry during the early sixties, which lends itself towards the family sensing anomalies exist about the town from the onset. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that isn't fractured, unlike the folks who originate in the town, with bonds that have deteriorated within.

Historical Context

Drawing from the It novel, we know the juvenile Will Hanlon will end up at the infamous nightclub, where the psychic will save him from a blaze that the local KKK members of Derry will cause. In the recent film, we see that Will has a son named Mike and that Will ultimately dies in a fire, with Leroy surviving his own son and adopting his grandchild. The official story in the film is that the parents were on substances, but now that we see him in the series, that's difficult to accept. Perhaps the shy boy, once he grew up, leaned into alcohol to free himself of the hauntings, or maybe the rotten town affected him first, with the hate group eventually finishing the task it began long before. Be it via the fear of Pennywise or through the cruelty of the town, instigated by Pennywise, It in the end achieves the final victory on him.

Leroy's Transformation

These occurrences would explain how Leroy transforms so drastically from what we see in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his later years, he appears resentful and much harsher with his discipline. Since he survived his own son, it's understandable to observe such a drastic change. Nonetheless, his words carry more weight now that we know he's witnessed the clown's activities and the effects they wrought upon his child. In the opening scene of the movie, we see Mike pause to use a bolt gun on a animal at Leroy's farm. His grandfather chastises him for hesitating and provides an analogy that leads to a survival-of-the-fittest situation.

“There are two places you can be in this existence. You can be out here like us, or you can be in there,” he says as he gestures to the creature. “You dawdle hemming and hawing, and another 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 prediction, a lesson he wishes he had told his own son. Maybe he wishes he had done something in his youth, but for certain factors, he was unable to avoid the repellent attraction of Derry.