Encanto’s Mirabel is the only ungifted Madrigal. But the ending reveals that she has a gift – one not only powerful but also the most important.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Encanto.
The ending of Disney’s Encanto reveals that Mirabel actually has a power of her own – and it’s perhaps the most important of all. The enchanting family drama suggests that its protagonist is the only one of Encanto‘s Madrigal family members without a gift from the miracle, a magical candle born from Abuela Alma’s and Pedro’s love. But powers like super strength, talking to animals, and shape-shifting aren’t the only kinds of magical power. Does Mirabel get a gift at the end after all?
Each of the Madrigals has a unique power (except for the husbands who married into the family, and Abuela Alma, the keeper of the miracle). But the miracle can feel like a curse, particularly to the sisters Mirabel, Isabela, and Louisa. During the song “Surface Pressure,” Louisa tells Mirabel her fear of being useless if she can’t be of service. One of the best Encanto soundtrack songs is “What Else Can I Do?” where Isabela explains how she feels constrained to her perfect but fake persona. Mirabel has issues of self-worth because she isn’t “special,” and therefore yearns to contribute to the Madrigal legacy in any way.
Does Mirabel get a gift by the end of Encanto, however? The ending reveals Mirabel’s true gift: the miracle itself. She keeps her family’s gifts alive and helps them flourish despite not having tangible powers. When she helps Isabela accept herself, the cracks in Casita heal and her sister discovers new abilities. When Mirabel and Abuela fight over the problems in the family and the miracle wanes, the symbolic cracks in Casita – mirroring the cracks in the Madrigal family – ruin their home. It is only when they finally reconcile at the place where Abuela first received the miracle, and when they rebuild the house with Encanto‘s real-life influenced Colombian community, that the magic can come alive once again. In essence, Mirabel’s power is love and support.
Mirabel’s Power Is Her Ability To Bring People Together
In a strange inversion of the Disney trope of a Princess going to find herself – particularly key to the likes of Moana, Tangled, and Frozen – Mirabel’s magical power is as the cornerstone of her household. She is a personification of how important the family unit is and how key staying together is. When she opens the new door to Casita, the magic returns, even though the candle that was the miracle is no more. Mirabel herself, with the uniting love of her family, empowers everyone. It’s no mistake that “Mirabel” sounds like “miracle” – the same way “Madrigal” sounds like “magical.” The movie also points out her power in some key lines of dialogue. Before Encanto‘s Mirabel opens the door, Bruno says: “You’re the real gift, kid. Let us in.”Abuela tells her that Pedro “sent me you,” and calls her the miracle.
As Abuela professes in the song “All of You,” the miracle of Encanto is everyone: “The miracle is you, not some gift, just you… All of you.” It’s a beautiful thematic close to the film. Mirabel empowers everyone through both magic and love, and it is because of their family and community that the miracle continues.
Why Mirabel Didn’t Get Her Power As A Gift
Still, this reading of Encanto doesn’t fully answer the question: does Mirabel get a gift at the end of the movie? As in, a superhuman skill that matches those of her family? While she’s clearly an indispensable family member with the power of the miracle, Mirabel still doesn’t have a noticeable magical ability by the film’s end. There are numerous Encanto theories that Mirabel’s gift was sabotaged by herself or Abuela, or that she does have a subtle magical power, such as communicating with Casita. However, it’s thematically on point that Mirabel doesn’t have a magical gift in Encanto. Since Mirabel’s real power is love, support, and unifying the family, she already has everything she needs without obtaining a special ability. This is precisely what makes Encanto‘s story so inspiring, so the absence of any magical abilities is the best choice for the narrative.
