🔗 Share this article The Derry Chronicles May Have Solved a Longstanding 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 pattern of hatred ongoing. It preys most easily on kids from fractured households — children who often grow up to replicate the identical behaviors as their guardians. But, the Hanlon family distinguishes itself as one of the few households that remains intact, which could clarify why Mike, even after electing to remain in the town, persists as the only Loser who doesn't completely succumb under Pennywise's sway. The Hanlon Family's Unique Resistance In the fourth installment of the series, Leroy at last grows increasingly conscious of the paranormal entities surrounding the neighborhood, particularly when It begins tormenting his son, Will Hanlon, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon family comprises a small number of adults who are aware that something is amiss with the municipality, especially the father, who was revealed to be sensitive to psychic abilities when he was capable of sensing Dick Hallorann's employment of it in the third episode. Subsequently, Leroy spots one of Pennywise's signature balloons outside his residence. This gift, coupled with his failure to feel fear, along with the foundation of his household, may be why he's capable of perceiving Pennywise's hauntings. However, consider if that shining is generational, and a key factor Mike Hanlon is among the few adults in Derry who didn't lose themselves to the town's malevolence? The boy is a member of the group of kids at his educational institution being terrorized by Pennywise. His classmates come from broken homes, with parents who refuse to accept they're being targeted. The cause Will is being haunted is because of the cruelty of the town, paired with his potential sensitivity to shine, which makes him susceptible. This family are fundamentally outsiders in Derry during the early sixties, which lends itself towards the household sensing anomalies exist about the locality from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that isn't fractured, in contrast to the residents who come from the area, with bonds that have deteriorated internally. Backstory Connections Drawing from the It novel, we know the young Will Hanlon will end up at the Black Spot, where Hallorann will save him from a blaze that the local KKK members of the community will cause. In the 2017 movie, we see that Will has a son named Mike and that the father eventually perishes in a configration, with Leroy surviving his own son and adopting his grandchild. The public account in the motion picture is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but given our current view of Will in the series, that's hard to believe. Perhaps the shy boy, once he grew up, leaned into drink to rid himself of the hauntings, or perhaps the corrupt environment got to him first, with the KKK eventually completing the job it began years ago. Be it via the fear of the entity or through the cruelty of the town, seeded by Pennywise, It in the end gets the final victory on Will. The Father's Evolution These occurrences would explain how the elder Hanlon changes so drastically from what we witness in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his older age, Leroy appears bitter and much stricter with his parenting. Because he survived his own son, it's comprehensible to observe such a drastic change. However, his words hold greater significance since we are aware he's witnessed Pennywise's hauntings and the effects they had on his son. In the initial sequence of the movie, we observe the boy pause to use a stunning device on a sheep at the family property. His grandfather reprimands him for delaying and offers an metaphor that results in a kill-or-be-killed scenario. “There are two places you can be in this world. You can be out here like we are, or you can be trapped inside,” Leroy states as he gestures to the creature. “You dawdle hemming and hawing, and another is going to make that choice. But you will be unaware it until you experience that projectile between your eyes.” Looking back, this could represent a piece of foreshadowing, something he wishes he had told his own son. Maybe he desires he had done something in his past, but for certain factors, he couldn't resist the repellent allure of the town.