The Derry Chronicles May Have Unraveled a Lingering It Enigma
The clown's influence on the children of Welcome to Derry molds them long into adulthood, transforming them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the town's cycle of animosity alive. It finds easy targets on children from fractured homes — youngsters who frequently mature to replicate the same patterns as their parents. However, 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 Derry, persists as the only Loser who never fully falls under the clown's influence.
The Hanlon Family's Distinctive Resilience
In the fourth installment of the series, Leroy finally becomes more aware of the paranormal entities enveloping the community, especially when It starts haunting his child, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan comprises a small number of grown-ups who are cognizant that things are not right with the municipality, notably the father, who was shown to be sensitive to the Shining when he was capable of sensing Dick Hallorann's use of it in episode 3. Subsequently, Leroy sees one of the clown's trademark inflated orbs outside his residence. This gift, coupled with his inability to experience terror, combined with the base of his household, could be why he's able to see Pennywise's hauntings. But what if that psychic sensitivity is generational, and a key factor Mike is one of the only individuals in Derry who resisted succumbing to its cruelty?
Will is a member of the collective of children at his educational institution being tormented by Pennywise. All his school friends come from dysfunctional families, with caregivers who don't believe they're being targeted. The reason he is being haunted is because of the viciousness of the town, paired with his potential sensitivity to psychic abilities, which makes him susceptible. This family are fundamentally strangers in Derry during 1962, which contributes towards the family feeling anomalies exist about the town from the beginning. They also have a solid base that remains unbroken, unlike the folks who come from the area, with bonds that have decayed internally.
Historical Context
Drawing from the It novel, we understand the juvenile Will will end up at the Black Spot, where Hallorann will save him from a blaze that the town bigots of Derry will cause. In the recent 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 taking his grandson in. The official story in the film is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but given our current view of Will in Welcome to Derry, that's difficult to accept. Maybe the shy youth, once he grew up, leaned into drink to free himself of the hauntings, or perhaps the corrupt environment affected him first, with the KKK eventually completing the task it began long before. Be it via the fear of Pennywise or through the cruelty of the town, seeded by Pennywise, the creature in the end achieves the last laugh on Will.
The Father's Evolution
This chain of events would explain how the elder Hanlon transforms so drastically from what we witness in the first film and the prequel. In his later years, he seems bitter and much harsher with his discipline. Since he survived his own offspring, it's comprehensible to observe such a profound shift. However, his statements hold greater significance since we are aware he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the impacts they wrought upon his son. In the initial sequence of the movie, we see Mike hesitate to use a stunning device on a sheep at the family property. His grandfather reprimands him for hesitating and offers an metaphor that results in a kill-or-be-killed situation.
“There are two places you can be in this world. You can be in the open like us, or you can be in there,” he states as he points to the sheep. “You waste time indecisive, and another is going to make that choice. Except you will be unaware it until you experience that bolt between your eyes.”
Looking back, this could represent a piece of foreshadowing, something he regrets not imparting to his own son. Perhaps he wishes he had done something in his past, but for certain factors, he couldn't resist the repellent allure of Derry.
