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The clown's impact on the young residents of the Derry series shapes them long into adulthood, twisting them into the exact individuals who perpetuate the town's cycle of animosity alive. It preys most easily on kids from fractured households — children who frequently grow up to replicate the identical behaviors as their guardians. However, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as one of the few family unit that never splinters, which may explain why Mike, even after choosing to stay in Derry, persists as the only Loser who doesn't completely succumb under the clown's influence.

Hanlon Household's Distinctive Resistance

In episode 4 of the series, Leroy Hanlon at last grows increasingly conscious of the supernatural forces surrounding the neighborhood, especially when It begins tormenting his child, Will, during their fishing trip. The Hanlon clan comprises a small number of grown-ups who are aware that things are not right with the municipality, notably Leroy, who was shown to be receptive to the Shining when he was able to detect Dick Hallorann's employment of it in episode 3. 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 the entity's manifestations. But what if that psychic sensitivity is generational, and one of the reasons Mike is among the few adults in Derry who resisted succumbing to the town's malevolence?

Will is a member of the group of children at his educational institution being tormented by the clown. His classmates come from dysfunctional families, with caregivers who don't believe they're being targeted. The reason Will is being haunted is because of the cruelty of the community, combined with his likely receptiveness to shine, which renders him vulnerable. The Hanlons are fundamentally strangers in the town during the early sixties, which lends itself towards the family sensing something is off about the town from the beginning. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that remains unbroken, in contrast to the residents who come from the town, with relationships that have deteriorated internally.

Historical Context

Drawing from the original book, we understand the juvenile Will Hanlon will find himself at the Black Spot, where the psychic will save him from a blaze that the town bigots of the community will ignite. In the recent film, we see that Will has a boy named Mike and that the father ultimately dies in a configration, with his father outliving his own son and adopting his grandchild. The public account in the film is that the parents were on substances, but given our current view of Will in the series, that's difficult to accept. Maybe the shy boy, once he grew up, turned to alcohol to rid himself of the hauntings, or perhaps the rotten town got to him initially, with the KKK eventually finishing the job it started long before. Be it via the fear of Pennywise or via the malice of the town, seeded by Pennywise, It in the end gets the final victory on him.

The Father's Evolution

This chain of events would clarify how the elder Hanlon transforms so drastically from what we see in It: Chapter 1 and the prequel. In his older age, he seems bitter and much harsher with his parenting. Because he outlived his own offspring, it's understandable to see such a drastic change. However, his words carry more weight since we are aware he's witnessed the clown's activities 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 sheep at the family property. Leroy chastises him for hesitating and offers 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 points to the creature. “You waste time hemming and hawing, and someone is going to make that choice. But you will be unaware it until you feel that projectile between your eyes.”

Looking back, this could be a piece of prediction, a lesson he regrets not imparting to his own child. Perhaps he wishes he had done something in his past, but for certain factors, he couldn't resist the repellent attraction of the town.