The Derry Chronicles May Have Unraveled a Longstanding It Mystery
Pennywise's influence on the young residents of the Derry series molds them long into adulthood, transforming them into the exact individuals who keep the town's cycle of hatred alive. It finds easy targets on children from broken homes — youngsters who often mature to repeat the identical behaviors as their guardians. However, the Hanlon household distinguishes itself as a rare example of a households that never splinters, which could clarify why Mike, even after choosing to stay in the town, remains the only Loser who never fully falls under the clown's influence.
The Hanlon Family's Unique Resilience
In episode 4 of the series, Leroy at last grows more aware of the supernatural forces surrounding the community, especially when the entity begins tormenting his child, Will, during their angling excursion. The Hanlon clan consists of some of the few grown-ups who are aware that something is amiss with the town, notably Leroy, who was shown to be sensitive to the Shining when he was able to detect a fellow psychic's use of it in episode 3. Later, he spots one of Pennywise's signature balloons outside his house. The ability, coupled with his inability to feel fear, combined with the foundation of his household, may be why he's able to see the entity's manifestations. But what if that psychic sensitivity is hereditary, and a key factor Mike is one of the only adults in Derry who resisted succumbing 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 hail from dysfunctional families, with parents who refuse to accept they're being haunted. The reason he is being haunted is due to the viciousness of the town, paired with his potential sensitivity to psychic abilities, which renders him vulnerable. This family are fundamentally strangers in Derry during the early sixties, which contributes towards the family sensing something is off about the town from the onset. Additionally, they possess a good foundation that remains unbroken, unlike the folks who come from the area, with relationships that have deteriorated internally.
Historical Context
Drawing from the original book, we understand the juvenile Will Hanlon will end up at the infamous nightclub, where Hallorann will rescue him from a fire that the local KKK members of Derry will cause. In the 2017 movie, we observe that Will has a son named Mike and that the father eventually perishes in a fire, with Leroy surviving his own child and adopting his grandchild. The official story in the motion picture is that Mike's parents were on drugs, but now that we see Will in the series, that's difficult to accept. Maybe the timid youth, once he grew up, turned to alcohol to free himself of the torments, or perhaps the rotten town affected him first, with the KKK eventually finishing the job it started long before. Be it via the terror of the entity or through the cruelty of the town, seeded by It, the creature eventually gets the final victory on Will.
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 later years, he seems resentful and much stricter with his parenting. Since he survived his own offspring, it's comprehensible to observe such a drastic change. However, his statements hold greater significance now that we know he's seen Pennywise's hauntings and the impacts they wrought upon his son. In the initial sequence of the movie, we see the boy pause to use a stunning device on a animal at Leroy's farm. His grandfather reprimands him for hesitating and provides an metaphor that results in a kill-or-be-killed situation.
“There are two places you can be in this world. You can be out here like we are, or you can be in there,” he states as he gestures to the creature. “You dawdle indecisive, and someone is going to make that choice. But you won't know it until you feel that projectile between your eyes.”
In hindsight, this could represent a piece of foreshadowing, a lesson he wishes he had told his own child. Perhaps he desires he had acted differently in his youth, but for some reason, he was unable to avoid the sickening attraction of the town.
