Recent Disney movies have shaken up the studio’s old formula of telling simple good vs. evil stories in a big way, and Encanto is no exception. Released in 2021, Encanto centers around the Madrigal family, who use their magical powers to help the local community in their Colombian village. Nearly every member of the Madrigal family has a superhuman “gift” like shapeshifting or exceptional strength, except for the protagonist, Mirabel. Despite never being given a magical gift, Mirabel finds herself having to rescue the sentient family house, Casita, from destroying itself.
The film is beautiful in its animation, character development, and especially Encanto‘s wealth of memorable songs. In a cast filled with relatable characters, Abuela Alma, or simply Abuela, is one of the most fascinating. Although Abuela seems like she would be Encanto’s villain, she isn’t. The movie’s actual villain is the generational trauma that started when Abuela had to flee her home so many decades ago.
Abuela Is Flawed, But She’s Not Encanto’s Villain
Her Antagonism Towards Mirabel Paints Her In A Bad Light
From the beginning of Encanto, it’s clear that Abuela and Mirabel have a complicated relationship. Abuela certainly doesn’t hate her granddaughter, but their relationship is never the same after Mirabel doesn’t get a magical gift as a child. Abuela sees Mirabel’s lack of magic as a sign of the family’s weakness and shuns her granddaughter as a result.
Despite Abuela’s disapproval, Mirabel still tries to understand the cracks forming in the enchanted Casita and even tries to seek out Bruno, whose gift allows him to see the future, to learn why the house is beginning to fall apart. But Abuela sees Mirabel’s honesty and concern for her family as malicious jealousy. Eventually, Abuela scolds Mirabel and tells her that she can’t sabotage her family because she wasn’t given a gift.
Considering that Abuela and Mirabel are at odds with each other for a good portion of the film, it makes sense that viewers would mistake her for the villain. After all, an antagonist, in the traditional storytelling sense, brings conflict to the plot, so Abuela’s contempt for Mirabel could certainly be misconstrued as evil. But, Abuela, unlike some other Disney parents and family members (cough, cough Chicken Little’s Dad, Buck Cluck), actually cares about her family. Still, Abuela’s anger towards Mirabel makes her look like the villain in Mirabel’s story.
Generational Trauma Is Encanto’s True Villain
Abuela Never Healed From Her Past & Took It Out On Mirabel
Encanto does not rely upon a twist villain like many other recent Disney animated tropes. Yes, it would have been tempting to have Abuela be the villain that Mirabel has to defeat to help her family, but Encanto is better than that. Instead, Encanto doesn’t make Abuela the villain and decides to focus on how she never healed from the trauma she endured as a young woman. Abuela carried the trauma of fleeing her home and losing her husband with her for years, and took out her unprocessed feelings on Mirabel.
During the Oscar-nominated song, “Dos Oruguitas”, Abuela’s troubled past comes to life. She was forced from her homeland during an armed conflict and lost her husband, Pedro, as their family was fleeing.
It isn’t until that lovely scene late in the movie, where Mirabel discovers the ʙuттerfly, that the two women discuss the trauma Abuela endured as a young woman. During the Oscar-nominated song, “Dos Oruguitas”, Abuela’s troubled past comes to life. She was forced from her homeland during an armed conflict and lost her husband, Pedro, as their family was fleeing. Once Abuela can sit with this trauma, and rely on Mirabel for support, instead of seeing her as an obstacle, healing takes place.
Abuela Looks Bad Because Her Backstory Comes Too Late
We Don’t Sympathize With Abuela Until The End
Since Abuela’s backstory isn’t revealed until towards the end of Encanto, her early mistreatment of Mirabel seems unsubstantiated. For the first part of the film, the audience is on Mirabel’s side because it feels like she has to prove herself to her family and earn their love due to her not having magical powers. Plus, Abuela’s tendency to treat Mirabel like a second-class citizen within the family makes us feel even worse for the protagonist and dislike Abuela even more. But when Abuela’s tragic backstory is revealed, she becomes a complex character instead of a one-dimensional villain.
Both the characters and viewers alike respect that Abuela cares so deeply about her family, especially because her husband and her homeland were taken away from her. We’re able to sympathize with Abuela, and, suddenly, her previous actions make sense. Her mistreatment of Mirabel shouldn’t be excused, but now we know where she’s coming from, and we don’t see her as malicious but rather misunderstood, because it’s clear that she’s endured a lot of hardship in her life. However, it’s worth noting that some viewers believe that Abuela was forgiven too quickly, and should have faced more pushback from Mirabel after she apologized.
Abuela Is Redeemed By The End Of Encanto
She Accepts Both Mirabel & Bruno
After Abuela is confronted with her past trauma, it’s clear that things in the Madrigal Casita will never be the same. At the end of the film, there’s a promise that Abuela will never hurt Mirabel again because she can see the situation clearly. Abuela knows that her past behavior was born out of fear left in the wake of her trauma. Plus, she has a newfound respect for her granddaughter.
The best part about Abuela’s redemption is that it makes clear that all along, Abeula and Mirabel had the same goal in mind. Ultimately, their love for one another and the rest of their family is more special than any magical gift. It’s only after looking inward and working through her painful past that Abuela can see the promising future ahead. She can finally accept Bruno and Maribel not as the outcasts of the Madrigals but perhaps as the two people who cared about the family most of all.
By the end of the film, Abuela isn’t a villain but rather a proud grandmother who can see Mirabel for who she truly is, a strong young woman whose gift is bringing the family together to work through trauma. Now, the family can be stronger than ever, thanks to Mirabel. Sure, it takes most of Encanto‘s run-time for Abuela to be redeemed, but it is worth it because it is so satisfying to see her come to terms with her trauma and dedicate herself to helping her family, especially Mirabel.
