It: Welcome to Derry builds further on the iconic It movies by establishing context on Pennywise’s origin, and picks up on key plots from Stephen King’s books. The viewers are transported to an earlier Derry, where the creature wakes again and targets a new set of characters. One of the most important among them is Will Hanlon.Andy Muschietti told Deadline,"If you see in the big arc of the movies and this show, you will notice that there's kind of a central figure in the Losers of 1989, which is Mike Hanlon"Fans of the successful franchise know him as the future father of Mike Hanlon. This relationship becomes a major reason Pennywise focuses on him. The film series, as well as the show, has amply established a key characteristic of the eerie clown. It is only a shape that the creature uses.Before we delve deep, readers' discretion is advised. The article contains spoilersWhy is Pennywise so interested in Will Hanlon in It: Welcome to DerryPennywise is an ancient being that crashed into Earth millions of years ago, which in King’s books has been described by Deadlights. These lights could not be deciphered by a human mind, and looking at them would make a person go mad.The show uses this idea again when Will sees the Deadlights in Episode 7. Pennywise is a creature from a different realm; time is felt and lived differently by it than by humans. It sees all moments at once. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostThis crucial detail meant that Pennywise was able to see both the past and the future, simultaneously. The show uses this ability to explain Pennywise’s interest in Will. The creature already knows what Will’s son, Mike, will eventually do.Mike Hanlon becomes a core member of the Losers’ Club. Even in the film, Mike is the one who stays in Derry even after the rest of the group leaves the place. He grows his knowledge of the creature and waits for the next time it awakens.He is the only one who remembers everything without fading memories. When Pennywise rises again, Mike is the one who contacts the others and brings them back.It is precisely because of these future events that Pennywise targets Will. In Episode 7 of It: Welcome to Derry, the creature confronts him and exposes him to the Deadlights. The Deadlight encounter was targeted at Will so that he could become mad and never become Mike’s father.It: Welcome to Derry's co-creator Andy Muschietti explained this in an interview. He said Mike is the “central figure” in the Losers’ story. He explained,That later on pays off when, in 'It Two,' we realize that Mike is the only one of the Losers who stayed in town and that actually did something to fight. And he's the one summoning the Losers to their reluctance and basically harnessing back against the monster to kill it."Still, It: Welcome to Derry raises questions. If Pennywise sees all of time, then it should also be able to know that his efforts will fail and that Will grows up to take him on. He grows up. He becomes Mike’s father. The future that leads to Pennywise’s defeat still happens. This creates a puzzle inside the story, something that may have unfolded later.You can stream It: Welcome to Derry on HBO Max