the Madrigal family and their special gifts.
Set in Colombia, Encanto introduces the audience to the Madrigals, led by matriarch Alma Madrigal a.k.a. Abuela (María Cecilia Botero). Years ago, while fleeing from an armed conflict, Alma lost her husband and was left alone with her baby triplets (Julieta, Pepa, and Bruno), and by a miracle, her candle got magical qualities, keeping them safe from their pursuers and building a sentient house for them, which they affectionately call "Casita". The candle continued to burn for decades, protecting Casita, the Madrigals, and the whole town, while also granting special gifts to each Madrigal descendant – except for Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz).
Mirabel’s lack of a gift made her feel left out of the family, but it also led her to discover many family secrets when Casita started to crack, and she learned all about her mysterious uncle Bruno (John Leguizamo), who disappeared shortly after her failed ceremony, and understood her family’s legacy a lot better. Although Encanto told a complete story, it still left many questions that have made way for a variety of theories, mostly about Mirabel’s situation, and among those is one that suggests she had a gift from the beginning and Encanto is actually a horror story.
Did Mirabel Get A Gift In Encanto?
As mentioned above, the end of Encanto, Casita was rebuilt by the Madrigals and the town’s residents, and when Mirabel put the new doorknob on the main door, the magic was restored and Casita came to life again, but it was unclear if Mirabel was still powerless.
As the Madrigal’s powers returned and Casita came back to life as soon as Mirabel put the doorknob, this has made way for a number of interpretations and theories on how she did get a gift after all, though a more symbolic one than those of her siblings, cousins, aunt, and uncle. Mirabel’s gift could be the ability to see people for who they truly are, her intelligence and determination, or becoming the new leader of the family, with some suggestions of her room not disappearing but becoming the main door of Casita. Mirabel’s lack of powers or not is left to the audience’s interpretation, and one theory in particular has given her and Encanto a horror twist.
Theory: Mirabel’s Secret Gift Makes Encanto A Horror Movie
A theory posted on Mirabel touched the doorknob, she merged with her power: manipulation/reality-bending, and just like her Aunt Pepa with her weather-controlling powers, Mirabel’s emotions affect her surroundings. Her fears and thoughts of not getting a gift took over and her powers ended up turning her nightmare into her reality.
The author adds that the rest of the family and the townspeople got trapped in their roles to perform in a reality where Mirabel didn’t get a gift and became a disappointment to the family. This would mean that they are all under Mirabel’s control, though she has no idea that she has such power over everyone around her. The author also adds that Encanto isn’t really a musical and the songs are Mirabel’s thoughts of her reality being a musical, and the colorful visuals aren’t “just artistic representations of the themes of the song” but they are actually happening thanks to Mirabel’s power to bend reality. As for why Casita cracked after all those years, it’s important to Antonio is the only Madrigal family member to get his gift after Mirabel’s ceremony (Camilo is Mirabel’s age, but he could be slightly older), so seeing her little cousin getting a room and a gift could have triggered more negative emotions or memories on her, leading her powers to crack Casita and unleash chaos.
How Mirabel’s Manipulation Gift Changes Encanto
This theory essentially turns Encanto into a more kid-friendly version of Mirabel responsible for everything bad that happens not only inside Casita but in town as well, as these are all a reflection of her thoughts, fears, and emotions, so the destruction of Casita and her family losing their powers were her fault. This dark Encanto theory is unlikely to be true, but it offers a completely new perspective on the story and its characters that, surprisingly, makes sense, so it’s just a fun way of explaining Mirabel’s supposed lack of a gift.
