The Derry Chronicles Could Have Unraveled a Longstanding Pennywise Mystery
Pennywise's impact on the young residents of Welcome to Derry shapes them long into adulthood, transforming them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the community's pattern of animosity ongoing. It preys most easily on children from broken homes — children who often mature to repeat the same patterns as their parents. But, the Hanlon family stands apart as a rare example of a households that remains intact, which may explain why Mike Hanlon, even after electing to remain in the town, remains the sole member who doesn't completely succumb under the clown's influence.
Hanlon Household's Unique Resistance
In episode 4 of Welcome to Derry, Leroy finally becomes more aware of the paranormal entities surrounding the neighborhood, particularly when the entity starts haunting his child, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan comprises some of the few grown-ups who are cognizant that things are not right with the town, notably Leroy, who was revealed to be receptive to the Shining when he was able to detect Dick Hallorann's use of it in episode 3. Subsequently, Leroy sees one of Pennywise's signature inflated orbs outside his residence. The ability, coupled with his inability to feel fear, combined with the base of his family, may be why he's able to see the entity's manifestations. However, consider if that shining is generational, and one of the reasons Mike is one of the only adults in Derry who didn't lose themselves to the town's malevolence?
Will is a member of the group of kids at his educational institution being terrorized by the clown. All his school friends come from dysfunctional families, with parents who don't believe they're being targeted. The reason he is being haunted is due to the viciousness of the town, combined with his potential sensitivity to shine, which renders him vulnerable. This family are fundamentally strangers in the town during the early sixties, which contributes towards the household sensing something is off about the locality from the onset. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that isn't fractured, unlike the residents who originate in the town, with relationships that have decayed within.
Backstory Connections
Based on the original book, we know the juvenile Will will end up at the infamous nightclub, where the psychic will save him from a blaze that the local KKK members of the community will cause. In the recent movie, we observe that he has a son named Mike and that the father ultimately dies in a fire, with Leroy outliving his own child and taking his grandson in. The public account in the film is that the parents were on substances, but now that we see Will in Welcome to Derry, 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 town got to him initially, with the hate group ultimately finishing the task it began long before. Whether through the fear of the entity or via the cruelty of the community, seeded by It, It eventually gets the last laugh on him.
The Father's Evolution
These occurrences would clarify how Leroy transforms so radically from what we see in It: Chapter 1 and Welcome to Derry. In his later years, he appears bitter and much harsher with his parenting. Since he outlived his own son, it's understandable to observe such a profound shift. Nonetheless, his words carry more weight since we are aware he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the impacts they wrought upon his child. In the opening scene of the movie, we see Mike pause to use a stunning device on a animal at the family property. Leroy reprimands him for hesitating and provides an metaphor that leads to a survival-of-the-fittest scenario.
“You have two options you can be in this existence. You can be in the open like we are, or you can be trapped inside,” he says as he points to the sheep. “You dawdle indecisive, and another is going to make that choice. But you won't know it until you feel that bolt between your eyes.”
Looking back, this could represent a bit of foreshadowing, something he wishes he had told his own son. Perhaps he desires he had done something in his youth, but for certain factors, he couldn't resist the repellent attraction of the town.
