Warning: Contains spoilers for Encanto.
In Disney's Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz) loves being in the Family Madrigal. Unfortunately, her noticeable lack of supernatural abilities constantly makes her feel like an outsider. However, when the family's enchanted house begins to show signs of cracking, Mirabel's lack of powers may be precisely what the Madrigals need. And the journey could finally give Mirabel a chance to make her overachieving family proud.
The Family Madrigal doesn't truly understand their magical gifts. Abuela Alma (María Cecilia Botero) simply knows that the magic arrived after her husband Pedro's tragic death. The magic manifested into an enchanted candle, the magic house, and the family receiving special abilities. The of the Family Madrigal then use their powers to strengthen the community around them and protect them from harm. For instance, Mirabel's sister Luisa's (Jessica Darrow) strength allows her to lift donkeys and carry the family's heavy burdens. She even sings about her responsibilities in the song "Surface Pressure."
Though Mirabel doesn't have powers, there may be a reason why. As explained in a fan theory (via Reddit), Mirabel was supposed to lead the village into the modern world. According to the theory, the Family Madrigal's magic helped protect the town around them and allow the people to thrive. However, it also shielded the village and the family from the outside world. Since Mirabel doesn't have powers, she can lead the village into modern times and a world without magic. Much like Abuela Alma protected the family and the village in the past, Mirabel will do so in the future.
The theory about Mirabel's lack of gifts has a lot of evidence. For instance, when the family starts to lose their powers and become normal in the film, Mirabel is the one who helps guide their way and confront the cracks in their foundation. Like Abuela Alma helped guide the family and the village in their time of need, Mirabel seems set to lead them into the future. At the end of the film, Abuela Alma even says she asked Pedro for help, and he sent Mirabel to share the burden. Since Mirabel is becoming the family leader, it makes sense that she wouldn't have a gift. After all, Abuela Alma doesn't have a gift either, which doesn't stop her from guiding the family.
Of course, the potential Encanto theory also takes several leaps. For instance, though the family starts to lose their gifts in the film, the magical abilities come back by the end, and the village helps to repair their magical house. Though Mirabel and the family learn valuable lessons, they're essentially back where they started by the end of the film. The Family Madrigal is still magical, and the village remains in a Madrigal-made protection bubble. Of course, an Encanto sequel could change things in the future. After all, as Luisa sings in the film, the Madrigal responsibilities bring pressure "that'll never stop."
