Being a fan of the movie Encanto might leave you pondering why you didn’t Mirabel get a gift.
Produced by Walt Disney Animation Studio, Encanto is a Disney animated film that hit the theatres in 2021. For those who haven’t yet watched Encanto and are yet to get acquainted with Mirabel, this article might help you get an overview of the film.
Also, the article will come to the help of all those Encanto fans who have been long wondering why didn’t Mirabel get a gift.
Table of Contents
The plot of the movie Encanto
Encanto is a narration of the life of Madrigals, a clan whose leader is the matriarch Alma Madrigal or Abuela. Intertwined in Columbian history, this tale starts when Alma and Pedro had to flee their village with their three children due to ensuing armed conflict.
Pedro loses his life while fleeing, but the candle of Alma magically repels all the attackers, and a house is built in a magical land called Encanto, surrounded by high mountains.
After fifty years, under the aegis of the candle and its light, a whole village emerged, and all the descendants of Madrigal started getting a gift at the age of five, which they used to serve the other villagers. Most of the fans question why didn’t Mirabel get a gift emanating from this juncture.
Alma’s three children were Bruno, Pepa, and Juliet. Bruno disappeared ten years earlier. Mirabel is Juliet’s fifteen-year-old daughter and this Madrigal descendant who didn’t receive a gift or any magical power. There have been many theories and speculations about this absence of gift to which we will return later.
The day Antonio gained his powers to communicate with animals, Mirabel noticed the damage in their house. However, it seemed fine to others; hence, no one cared to probe into it. Upon consulting with his sister Louisa, she went to a cave to find a mirror where she could see a picture that depicted their cracked house.
On the day when Isabela was set to be engaged with their neighbor Mariano Guzman, chaos unfurled. Dolores, who had superhuman hearing powers, revealed all that Mirabel had discovered. This further led to cracks in the house. Amidst all these bustles, Mirabel discovered Bruno. The latter confided he had never left the house.
Later, Alma even rebuked Mirabel by saying that Mirabel was trying to form family chaos as she didn’t have powers. However, she apologized later, and everybody joined to save Casita from cracking. The film ended happily when Bruno and Mirabel joined the family for a wholesome family photograph.
However, the question remains, why didn’t Mirabel get a gift?
Why didn’t Mirabel get a gift?
Played by Stephanie Beatriz, Mirabel is the only child among the flock of Alma’s grandchildren who didn’t get a gift in Encanto. However, this absence of gifts or powers motivated her to save her family in the end. Even if she didn’t get any powers, her family was adorned with several types of gifts.
Jessica Darrow played the role of Mirabel’s sister Louisa who possesses super strength. Camilo, Mirabel’s cousin, has the power of shapeshifting.
Bruno, the uncle of Mirabel, has the power of a soothsayer; he can predict the future. Pepa, Bruno’s brother, can control the weather.
So, all these powers always lead to the question of why didn’t Mirabel get a gift. Fans have several theories regarding this conjecture. Let’s visit them one by one.
Mirabel accidentally wiped her hands.
One of the fan theories suggests Mirabel herself sabotaged her gift. Have you ever wondered how a child gets a gift in Encanto? After touching the magic candle, they need to open a doorknob that leads them to their power.
However, while Mirabel was participating in her ceremony, she wiped her hands after touching the candle and opening the doorknob. Thus, the door disappears, leaving the little Mirabel powerless.
Even if this is a very minute detail and may appear insignificant, there is a telling difference between Antonio’s and Mirabel’s hand-wiping in their ceremonies. Antonio doesn’t wipe his hands after touching the candle, so his door also appears, and he gains the power to talk to animals.
Thus, as this is not the case with Mirabel, if you are trying to find the answer to why Mirabel didn’t get a gift, any such difference might have deep, subtle meanings.
Abuela’s connection
While hand-wiping is one of the dominant fan theories answering the question of why Mirabel didn’t get a gift, another theory also exists.
This theory points the finger at Abuela and her mistakes leading to Mirabel’s absence of gifts. However, at this point, one should know Abuela herself didn’t possess any power.
Maybe, Mirabel is all set to follow her trails and save the family. Like Abuela, Mirabel doesn’t care for herself and puts family and the town before her.
Without the magical powers, Alma serves as an intermediary between the townspeople and her magical family. Mirabel has been put in her shoes to carry the legacy and lead her family out of the darkness.
Another theory suggests a darker alternative to Abuela’s connections with Mirabel’s absent powers. So, if you have been wondering Encanto why didn’t Mirabel get a gift might have something to do with this theory. Finally, you might get some clue regarding why didn’t Mirabel get a gift. However, the answer might break your heart.
The truth on why didn’t Mirabel get a gift
Alma is a very favorite character among all the characters in Encanto. So, if the answer to why she didn’t Mirabel get a gift leads to some darker features of her character, that might break a fan’s heart.
The theory suggests that due to Abuela’s insistence on having a third child, Augustin and Juliet gave birth to Mirabel. They were both happy with Luisa and Isabela. However, Juliet’s mother’s insistence led her to give birth to Mirabel.
You might now be wondering why Alma was so persistent about having Mirabel. The reason was that she was obsessed with her family’s magical powers and wanted to expand their territory to expand Madrigal’s legacy. In that way, the town’s future could also be made secure, and the name of the Madrigals would be engraved as the native saviors of the town.
A historian of colonialism might read this desire as the desire of a native to save their kin, serving as a blow to the savior complex of colonial expansionists. So, you cannot blame Alma, who was ousted from her place by an attacking group and lost her husband to the attackers, for having this desire.
Thus, Abuela stopped seeing her family as a group of individuals and insisted on seeing them as a cluster of power. Hence, Casita, the magical house borne out of the lamp, didn’t give Mirabel a gift. As the fans think, this was in retaliation to Alma’s manipulation behind Mirabel’s birth and her unquenchable desire for more powers.
However, Casita also had a love for the family. Hence, Mirabel was not entirely powerless. Her power was to communicate with the Casita. So, only she could see the damage to the house.
Her power of communicating with Casitas
This brings us to a positive aspect of the question of why didn’t get Mirabel a gift. Throughout the entire film, the two people could continuously communicate with Casitas. However, Casita follows Alma’s orders more closely and even directs Mirabel to follow her orders.
Casita even helps the Madrigals survive the collapse of the entire building. Thus, it appears to share a special bond with Mirabel and Alma.
In the end, Mirabel is the person who reinstates the doorknob in the rebuilt building. Why didn’t Mirabel get a gift and finally stumble upon a fact which is a little more illuminatory?
Is Mirabel herself the miracle?
Even though all the members of the Madrigal family fail to understand the reasons for the origin of the magic, this also includes Alma.
So, the question of why they didn’t Mirabel get a gift even alludes to Alma. The only thing that she knows is that gifts started appearing after her husband Pedro’s death.
Thus, she doesn’t even understand the reason behind Mirabel’s lack of magic and starts to think that her family will lose the magic.
However, can Mirabel herself not be the miracle? Pedro had sent Mirabel to Alma, after all. Also, Mirabel’s efforts made Casita stand on its feet again. If she didn’t reinstate the doorknob, Casita would be nothing but a regular doorknob.
If you look at the film closely, you might again get a hint of Mirabel being the miracle herself. One of the connections of the magical powers with the Madrigals is their outfits.
For instance, Isabela can create plants and wears a flowery dress. Dolores has super hearing abilities, so her dress is adorned with soundwaves.
Mirabel has butterflies in her dress. Can you remember where you have spotted butterflies in Encanto?
The candle has butterflies that resemble those in Mirabel’s dress. Thus, it is not a coincidence that the costume designers of Encanto will slip this detail.
Hence, if you have been striving to know why you didn’t get Mirabel a gift, this might be your most relevant answer.
The music track of Encanto
Along with this, why didn’t Mirabel get a gift might have another telling answer which suggests she is gifted. The answer lies in the songs of Encanto.
The film is replete with the genius Lin-Manuel Miranda’s beautiful soundtrack, which also designed the sound of Hamilton, the classic musical; the song We don’t talk about Bruno has reached immense success, and Disney World even arranged a light and sound show for it. So, the opening song of Encanto might have a clue to the answer that you want to find.
The opening song introduces the spectators to the magical family of the Madrigals. So, the song is titled “The Family Madrigals.” However, one specific song lyrics is bound to catch your attention if you follow it closely.
In this song, in one particular stanza, Mirabel is seen describing her sisters by saying, “The beauty and the brawn do no wrong.” The fan theories suggest that the word brain is missing in this line.
This is the gift Mirabel possesses.
She has the brain that her sisters and cousins don’t have. Hence she didn’t receive any gifts, just the fact that she didn’t need them. Thus, her intelligence and strength make her suitable as the family leader after Alma. So, why Mirabel didn’t get a gift might lead you to the simple answer that she might not have needed it.
Thus, even though Encanto never reveals why Mirabel didn’t get a gift, there are many clues that the fans have scratched to find an answer to this.
However, the absence of power never really dissuaded Mirabel from saving her family. Instead, her determination and intelligence save the family even though she didn’t receive any powers in the ceremony.
Other theories
Many other theories, even darker ones, suggest alternate aspects of Mirabel’s character. One theory seems to suggest that she could manipulate reality, and she did that by placing the doorknob on the door of the rebuilt house apk.
This theory suggests a darker reality of Mirabel’s character and that the entire Madrigal family is trapped in her machinations.
It also suggests that Casita cracked due to Mirabel’s wrath as she witnessed her cousin Antonio gain his powers. However, if you are a fan of Mirabel, it will be hard to digest these facts.
Final Thoughts
Why didn’t Mirabel get a gift to have several theories as its answer? Which one you choose to accept is on you. But, the fact that there are some telling signs that she was a miracle can not be neglected. Rest is upon the audience to interpret.
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FAQs
Why did Mirabel not get magic in Encanto? ›
Mirabel Was Never Meant To Get A Gift
Much like Abuela Alma, Mirabel puts the family before herself and helps the Madrigals when they're in need. Without a power, Abuela Alma is an intermediary between the magical family and the townspeople.
Mirabel's gift was never meant to manifest, which is why she didn't explicitly receive a gift at the end of Encanto. Rather, Mirabel herself is the gift, and it's thanks to her that the Madrigal family is whole again.
Does Mirabel really not have a gift Encanto? ›It turns out that she did not get skipped over when it came to the miraculous gifts of the Madrigal family, but is, in fact, the gift itself. While she doesn't have any tangible abilities, Mirabel's special power is love and her ability to bring the family back together allows the magic to come back.
Did Mirabel not get a gift because she wiped it? ›Encanto director Jared Bush debunks a popular fan theory that Mirabel accidentally sabotaged her own gift ceremony by wiping off the candle's magic. Encanto director Jared Bush debunks a popular theory that Mirabel accidentally sabotaged her own gift ceremony.
Will there be Encanto 2? ›Encanto 2 has yet to be officially confirmed by Disney, but recent developments at the House of Mouse might have given fans hope that we'll all be talking about Bruno again (if we even stopped). In February 2023, Disney confirmed sequels for Toy Story, Frozen and Zootopia.
Why was the magic losing in Encanto? ›The eventual destruction at the end comes because of Mirabel's argument with Alma. The basis of her argument is that Alma is the reason that the family is coming apart. Mirabel blames her excessively high expectations as the reason for Luisa's stress and her other sister, Isabela's (Diane Guerrero), pent-up emotions.
Why did Mirabel's door disappear? ›The door disappeared for Mirabel because her gift would flourish best in a room where there was no magic. Think about the ending when Casita began to break. Everyone lost their powers that they had relied on, and the powers left them just as they tried to reach the flame.
What is Mirabel's dads gift? ›Personality. Having married into the family, Agustín has no magical gift of his own, and understands what it is like not to feel as though he belongs in the family. He tries his best to comfort his youngest daughter, Mirabel, due to her being the only Madrigal child (who was born in the family) without a magical gift.
Does Mirabel get a gift at the end of the movie? ›Mirabel is gifted the power of the Madrigal's magic as a whole. That's right: after cracks begin appearing at La Casa Madrigal, the young girl discovers that they're reflections of the family's relationships with each other.
Why did Antonio get a gift and not Mirabel? ›Mirabel didn't get a gift because the pressure/expectations (especially by abuela) were so high that it faded. So why did Antonio get one? The pressure, the expectations were still there.
What would have Mirabel's gift been? ›
They say, "Mirabel's gift is that she can talk to and even give instructions to Casita, much like Antonio can with animals. Her door disappeared because the house itself is her realm."
Is Mirabel the next candle holder? ›When Encanto ends, the candle no longer exists, but Mirabel is able to unlock the magic once again by leading the rebuilding of the casita. This practically confirms the idea that she is the new keeper of the miracle. Finally, the butterfly motif present throughout the film connects Mirabel, Abuela and the candle.
Why didn t Mirabel get a blessing? ›Mirabel didn't receive one because the candle couldn't grant her anything due to her already having latent magic within her. The magic that makes the house and gifts possible is contained within both the candle and Mirabel.
Why didn t Marable get a gift? ›Casita didn't give a gift to Mirabel because that would have rewarded Abuela for her manipulation, as she pushed for Mirabel to exist just to add more powers to the family – but as Casita also loved the family, it didn't leave Mirabel entirely powerless, and it gave her its own magic, allowing her to communicate with ...
Why was Bruno's door not glowing? ›➪ Bruno's door stops glowing because no one had good hopes if their gift anymore, including Bruno. Gifts only work when the holder believes that it will. ➪ The place where abuelo Pedro sacrificed himself is also a link of the miracle as it was also present and close to the event just like how the candle was.
Why is Isabella so mean to Mirabel? ›Why does Isabela not like Maribel? Isabela does not get along with her youngest sister Mirabel. Both sisters are mutually jealous of each other's lives, which differed from their own; Isabela envying Mirabel being unburdened by expectations and free to do whatever she wants.
Who is the villain in Encanto? ›Dolores is the closest character to a villain in Disney's Encanto as she uses her magical gift to negatively affect people like Isabela. While Encanto doesn't have a traditional Disney villain, Dolores Madrigal seems the closest to fulfill that role, especially with how she tries to ruin things for her cousin, Isabela.
How was Abuelo Pedro killed? ›As Alma carried the three babies across the river in her arms, Pedro was unable to pass, being murdered by the conquerors who drove them from their home. In the midst of Pedro's death, Abuela's candle came to life as it gifted the babies, and future Madrigals, their magical powers.
Why didn t the Casita give Mirabel a gift? ›Casita didn't give a gift to Mirabel because that would have rewarded Abuela for her manipulation, as she pushed for Mirabel to exist just to add more powers to the family – but as Casita also loved the family, it didn't leave Mirabel entirely powerless, and it gave her its own magic, allowing her to communicate with . ...
Did Luisa lose her gift? ›Shortly after this, after Mirabel had run into Alma after having collected Bruno's vision from his room, Luisa came running into the house and hysterically explained to Alma that she was losing her gift.
Is Mirabel's power the house? ›
“She's the new Abuela — the new head of the family, and the village.” They go on to explain that no one else in the family except Abuela can address Casita, the enchanted house they all live in. Only Mirabel and Abuela have the power to command the house.
Why does Bruno's room break? ›The underlying tension and fracture in family relationships also cause the entire magical house to crumble, but the strengthening of the Madrigals' relationships results in the resurrection of the Casita.
Why did Mirabel see cracks? ›The ending of the movie reveals that Mirabel's gift is herself. After cracks start to appear in La Casa Madrigal, Mirabel discovers that the cracks in the family home are actually a reflection of the fractures in her family's relationships with each other.
Why can't Casita help in Bruno's Tower? ›Because Bruno has stepped away from the family, the light on his door is dim, indicating that Casita's magic doesn't work in there anymore. Just like any other room, though, it was once enchanted and Bruno's room may serve as a metaphor for the heartbreak he endured trying to protect Mirabel.
Is Mirabel's father Bruno? ›Bruno Madrigal is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Animation Studios' 60th feature, Encanto (2021). Voiced by John Leguizamo, he is Mirabel's ostracized uncle who has the ability to see the future.
What gift did Mirabel's cousin get? ›Mirabel Madrigal (Stephanie Beatriz) isn't like the rest of her family in Encanto. The Madrigals all get magical gifts to help the family and their village in the film. For instance, Mirabel's sister Luisa (Jessica Darrow) gets super strength, and her cousin Dolores (Adassa) has the power of keen hearing.
What is abuela's gift in Encanto? ›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.
Is there a secret ending to Encanto? ›Posting on Twitter over the weekend, Encanto co-director Jared Bush shared a short post-credits scene that was ultimately axed from the final film. "We considered an after-credit joke to end the movie, but ultimately felt going out on the emotion and joy of the family coming back together was the way to go," he wrote.
Why did Bruno leave the family in Encanto? ›Bruno has been absent from his family for 10 years, within the walls of La Casa Madrigal. He believes his ability to see the future causes people to assume the worst of his visions, which is why he left (and which also caused him to become more eccentric).
What does Mirabel say to Antonio under the bed? ›Mirabel crawls under the bed and tells a clearly anxious Antonio that he doesn't have anything to worry about. She assures Antonio that he will get his gift and he will open his door to his new room and it'll be a great experience.
Is Antonio Mirabel's cousin? ›
Antonio is Mirabel's youngest cousin who has a sweet relationship with her, with Mirabel being a big sister to him. Ravi-Cabot, Antonio's voice actor, describes his character: "Antonio's gift is talking to animals and communicating with them. And they can communicate with him.
Did Antonio share a room with Mirabel? ›Mirabel's Room: What Would It Look Like? One of the key points in Encanto is that Mirabel did not receive a special gift, meaning that she did not get her own magic room, either. Due to this, Mirabel stayed in the nursery, sharing the small space with Antonio once he was born.
Is Mirabel's gift the miracle? ›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.
Did Mirabel wipe off the magic? ›Encanto director Jared Bush debunks a popular fan theory that Mirabel accidentally sabotaged her own gift ceremony by wiping off the candle's magic. Encanto director Jared Bush debunks a popular theory that Mirabel accidentally sabotaged her own gift ceremony.
Does abuela have a gift? ›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.
Did Camilo go after the candle? ›When Mirabel tries to go after the Miracle Candle in the crumbling Casita, Camilo (along with Isabela) runs after her to help her get it and save the miracle because all his life Abuela Alma has told them that it is the most important object in the Encanto, demonstrating his protective drive to help his family.
Who will Mirabel marry? ›After graduation, at only 19 years old, Harry asked Mirabel to marry him and she accepted.
Why is Abuela holding a candle? ›The candle represent's the couple's love for each other, so the object makes sense as a vessel for the miracle.
Could Dolores hear Bruno? ›Though Dolores seems to hear Bruno living behind the house's walls, there's a reason she doesn't speak up about it. Dolores's super hearing lets her in on all the secrets in the town, and she even admits in "We Don't Talk About Bruno" that she believes she hears Bruno in the walls of the magical Casita.
Why does Abuela have a door but not Mirabel? ›Why does Abuela have a door and Mirabel doesn t? But NothingReallyAndYou reveals that, actually, Mirabelle doesn't get a door or a room because the entire Casita is hers. Her gift was the magic in the very walls of the Casita. She is the next caretaker, the leader, the center of the family.
Is Mirabel the next abuela? ›
Mirabel Madrigal is Abuela Alma's eventual replacement in Disney's Encanto, and one meaningful theory from the film finally explains why. In Disney's Encanto, Mirabel is Abuela Alma's replacement in the magical Casita, and one symbolic theory explains why.
Was it Abuelas fault Maribel didn't get a gift? ›Due to the magic being unstable then and the other family members being sad, she couldn't get a gift because Abuela lost sight of what the Miracle was for: To help the family and make them happy.
Who is the only person who didn t receive a gift in Encanto? ›Mirabel is the only member of the Madrigal family who was not granted a superhuman ability when she was a child. The movie doesn't make it clear exactly why Mirabel was skipped over, but also shows that it didn't really matter as she's the one who eventually saves the day.
Did Julieta get a gift? ›Julieta was gifted the power to heal with her food; i.e. any food she makes or helps make can heal severe allergic swelling or compound fractures with just one bite.
What does Bruno's family do after he disappeared? ›Bruno's family is left baffled by his disappearance; his mother and Gretel go back to Berlin and his father stays in Auschwitz.
Is Bruno 7 feet tall Encanto? ›Director Jared Bush said in a tweet, "Here's an answer to a question I've been asked A LOT -- 'how tall is Mirabel?!' Official answer: 5'2" -- all other characters' heights are relative to hers, so that's all I got... except Bruno who has, you know, a 7-foot frame and rats along his back."
Was Bruno's vision wrong? ›Mirabel was convinced that Bruno's vision predicted her destiny would either destroy her family's miracle or save it. In reality, it did both. After witnessing Bruno's vision, Mirabel was wrongfully convinced that her destiny involved either destroying her family's miracle or saving it for the duration of Encanto.
Did Mirabel wipe off the magic in Encanto? ›Though Bush seemed to put the theory that Mirabel sabotaged her gift to rest, the movie may have also debunked it long ago. According to Bush, Mirabel's hand-wiping scene was just a "character specific mannerism." And the movie apparently supports that.
Why did Maribel not get magic? ›Casita didn't give a gift to Mirabel because that would have rewarded Abuela for her manipulation, as she pushed for Mirabel to exist just to add more powers to the family – but as Casita also loved the family, it didn't leave Mirabel entirely powerless, and it gave her its own magic, allowing her to communicate with ...
Is Mirabel from Encanto magical? ›Mirabel is not bestowed a magical gift like the rest of her family. However, she does have a stronger affinity with the Casa Madrigal than most of her family; she communicates with the house (or Casita) like it is a real person, and Casita responds to her prompts and helps with her daily routine.
What did Mirabel's gift end up being? ›
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.
Why doesn t abuela have a gift? ›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.
Why was Isabella so mean to Mirabel? ›Isabela Madrigal - Encanto Wiki | Fandom
expresses her dislike for Mirabel because she thought she was envious of Antonio's successful ceremony and wanted to ruin the day.