Encanto: Mirabel’s Gift
When we get to the end of Encanto some people felt it wasn’t clear if Mirabel had a gift, or what it was. But, I think I might be on to something with my theory.
Let’s start at the beginning, not of the movie, but where the gifts came from. Abuela receives her gift after being devastated by watching her husband die, and desperate to protect her babies. Her gift was protection. She created a safe place to live, and grow.
She was desperate to prove her and her family deserved the gift, and wanted to keep everyone safe. What started out as good intentions, turned into a toxic trait of control, and overprotection. You can see the signs of it in how she treats her entire family, you can see how it effects each member differently.
The problem started because Abuela had become too controlling, and lost the real vision and purpose of the magic. Some family members seem afraid of her, and they are desperate to prove themselves to her, at the expense of their own happiness. This clearly has a negative effect on the magic, and something needs to change.
That is where Mirabel comes in. Casita prevents her from receiving her gift, so she can change the course of where things are going. So why was it important that she not get a gift at all, instead of getting one that might be useful in some way? Because had she received a gift, she would have been like the rest of her family. She wouldn’t have developed the traits she needed when the time came to save the magic, her family, and Casita.
Remember, Abuela didn’t start with a gift, or get it when she was a child. She received it as a full grown women, in a moment of desperation. Then stress and pressure changed her. And, let’s face it, someone needed to “replace” Abuela someday. Which means they would need to have a similar “gift”. The gift of protection, and love for their family.
We see Mirabel give her cousin, Antonio, courage to receive his gift. We watch her help Luisa realize there is more to her than just her strength. Then she helps Isabela’s gift grow stronger. We also see that she has a special connection with Casita. More than likely none of that would have happened had she received a gift when she was a child.
At the end of the movie it takes Mirabel and her Abuela to unite to start the process of fixing Casita, and bringing everyone together (including Bruno). Then Mirabel is presented with a doorknob of her own, one that opens the doors to Casita itself. Turning that knob was when Mirabel received her gift, as the magic came back. Her gift mirrors Abuelas. It’s created out of love, and wanting to protect her family.
Well, that’s at least how I see it.
