Ever since its release on November 24, 2021, Encanto has captivated audiences across the globe. Encanto tells the story of Alma and Pedro Madrigal, who flee their home in Colombia with their infant triplets – Julieta, Pepa, and Bruno – to escape armed conflict. Pedro is killed in the attack, but his sacrifice causes Alma’s candle to obtain magical qualities. Alma and her children are transported away from the chaos and into the magical community created by the candle.
50-years later, the candle’s magic has created a thriving community within an Encanto – a magical realm in the Colombian mountains. Alma is now Abuela and lives in the sentient house, Casita, with her adult children and grandchildren. The Encanto has also given a gift to each Madrigal child that allows them help the community thrive. Julieta’s youngest daughter, Mirabel, is the only Madrigal child to not receive a gift. However, Mirabel’s lack of a magical gift doesn’t stop her from setting out to save her family when the Encanto’s power begins to wane.
Much of Encanto focuses on the magical abilities of the Madrigal family. Each member has a special power that reflects their character and personality. However, the gifts also come with expectations and burdens for each individual, as well. Here are all of the magical gifts in Encanto, including Abuela’s.
Julieta
Julieta Madrigal (Angie Cepeda) is the daughter of Alma and wife of Agustín Madrigal (Wilmer Valderrama). Her special gift is cooking food with healing capabilities. Those who are physically injured come to Julieta and her cooking makes them whole again. Julieta’s gift fits perfectly with her warm and selfless personality. While she doesn’t have a big role in the film, her few moments are touching. She believes that Mirabel is perfect, with or without a gift, and strives to help her daughter see that. Julieta selflessly cooks for her entire family, both healing them and bringing them together as a family.
Pepa
Pepa Madrigal (Carolina Gaitán) is the second daughter of Alma and wife of Félix Madrigal (Mauro Castillo). She has the power to control the weather. However, her gift is also a bit of a curse, as her emotions frequently cause turbulent weather. Pepa reveals she even got married in a hurricane due to her flustered emotions. Any stress, nervousness, or excitement is immediately visible on the outside with the presence of a rain cloud. This means Pepa is constantly under pressure to control her emotions, lest it cause havoc for her and others. Much like the weather, the full extent of Pepa’s power is amazing, but also very dangerous, thus requiring restraint.
Bruno
Bruno Madrigal (John Leguizamo) is the only son of Alma and Pedro. Bruno is the ostracized member of the Madrigal family, who mysteriously disappeared. He has the power to tell the future through visions. However, his visions aren’t always clear, and the Madrigals fear what they don’t understand. When Bruno has a vision of Mirabel standing among the ruins of Casita, he destroys it and goes into hiding to protect her. Much like his power, Bruno is severely misunderstood. Just as his visions are never as morbid or terrible as they appear, Bruno is also not what he seems. Bruno isn’t a villain or a monster, just a caring uncle, son, and brother who wants to protect his family.
Dolores
Dolores Madrigal (Adassa) is the oldest daughter of Pepa and Félix Madrigal. Her power is superhuman hearing. As Mirabel states, Dolores can literally hear a pin drop. Her superhuman hearing means that she is usually the first to find out any gossip among the Madrigals. However, she greatly struggles to keep secrets and tends to blurt things out at the worst times. While she is very tuned in to everything around her, she sometimes forgets her own voice within. Dolores loves Mariano Guzmán (Maluma), but she keeps this secret because he is betrothed to someone else.
Camilo
Camilo Madrigal (Rhenzy Feliz) is the oldest son of Pepa and Félix Madrigal. He has the power of shapeshifting. Camilo creates mischief and jokes by taking the form of his family. For example, he sometimes shapeshifts as Dolores to get second helpings of food or into his father to tease Félix’s height. Camilo lightens the mood with his power and can create entertaining theatrics for the community. However, his shapeshifting also reflects the fact that he is young and isn’t sure who he really is.
Antonio
Antonio Madrigal (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) is the youngest son of Pepa and Félix Madrigal. He has the power to talk to animals. As the youngest member of the Madrigal family, Antonio is just receiving his gift in Encanto. Antonio forms a special bond with Mirabel and looks to her as an older sister. They find solidarity as the youngest family members lacking gifts. Antonio’s gift of speaking to animals shows his kindness and awareness for all creatures. The Madrigals don’t have much patience for anything that isn’t magical or that they can’t understand, but Antonio seems to break that mold with his unique gift.
Isabela
Isabela Madrigal (Diane Guerrero) is the oldest daughter of Julieta and Agustín Madrigal. She has the power to make flowers bloom and to create beauty around her. Just like the flowers that she grows, Isabela is beautiful, delicate, and dazzling in every way. Isabela, the successful oldest daughter, is also the first Madrigal grandchild set to be married. Betrothed to Mariano, she will carry on the family bloodline and make her family proud. However, Isabela doesn’t want a perfect, glamorous life or to be married to Mariano. She strives to be free, to let loose, and to create beauty that is fun and chaotic, not always orderly and perfect.
Luisa
Luisa Madrigal (Jessica Darrow) is the second-oldest daughter of Julieta and Agustín Madrigal. Luisa is the buff lady gifted with superhuman strength. She moves mountains, churches, and donkeys, and is as tough as the crust of the earth is. However, one thing that she can’t carry all on her own, is the pressure from her family. The Madrigal family expects her to carry the weight of all of their problems just because she is strong. Even the strongest person, however, cannot hold the weight of an entire family and all their burdens. Luisa has to learn that her strength doesn’t make her responsible for everyone and she needs time for joy and relaxation, too, instead of working all the time.
Mirabel
Mirabel is the youngest daughter of Julieta and Agustín Madrigal and the protagonist of the film. She didn’t receive a gift from the Encanto, but that doesn’t mean she is giftless. Mirabel doesn’t have the power to make the flower bloom or control a hurricane. However, she has something more magical – the power of love and hope. When the Encanto begins to lose its power, Mirabel is determined to find the reason. In the end, despite not being superpowered, she finds the power within herself to reconcile her family and save the Encanto. Mirabel’s gift is being the glue that holds her family together, through her unshakeable love and devotion to them.
Abuela
Abuela is the matriarch of the Madrigal family and has her own special power. Like Mirabel, Abuela wasn’t granted a gift by the Encanto, but instead is the holder of power for the entire family. As the keeper of the candle, Abuela oversees the magic of the Encanto and its community. However, it isn’t actually the candle that keeps the magic alive, it is the Madrigal family. The Encanto was enchanted by Alma and Pedro’s love for another and their children. Hence, Abuela’s actual power is to keep the magic of Encanto alive by keeping alive the original Madrigal love and bond that she and Pedro created.
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