Music extraordinaire Lin-Manuel Miranda left Broadway in awe with his political rap musicalHamilton. Based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Miranda married U.S. politics with hip-hop and pop-inspired music. The musical has reached acclaim akin toPhantom of the OperaandWicked. Yet Broadway enthusiasts aren’t the only ones to enjoy Miranda’s works. Disney and Broadway have had a long-standing relationship, especially since the Broadway musical format applied toThe Little Mermaid(1989) saved the company.
Miranda has been composing for Disney for years. He was the lead composer forMoanaand the new live-action version ofThe Little Mermaid, starring angelic songstress Halle Bailey. But it was his 2021 musicalEncantothat stole our hearts the wayHamiltondid. Amostly magical familyin a little Colombian town is at the center ofEncanto. Mirabel, the only non-magical person in her family, is on a journey to help her family heal. The musical is filled with beautiful inspiration from Colombian culture as well as many life lessons from the magical and non-magical characters. Here are 14 of the most important messagesEncantoillustrates to us.
14Luisa Teaches Us to Ask For Help
AsMetroexplains, eldest daughter syndrome is the theme of the song called “Surface Pressure,” performed by Luisa (Jessica Darrow). She is the eldest of Julieta’s children and her gift is superhuman strength. She is asked to move things like a herd of donkeys, houses, and the river. Luisa is the first Madrigal to lose her powers during Mirabel’s mission to save the miracle. She regains her powers but in a smaller capacity, realizing she is stronger with rest and others’ help.
13Isabella Reminds Us to Be a Prick (Sometimes)
Every family has at least one daughter who is seemingly perfect. Julieta’s second daughter, Isabella, is the perfect daughter who does as she is told. Her gift is making beautiful floral and vine arrangements. But when she becomes angry and speaks honestly about marrying someone for the good of the family, she makes a cactus. Her power grows from flowers to succulents.
12Tía Pepa Helps Us Understand Emotions
One of the triplets is Pepa. Her mood and the weather are connected. When she is anxious, high winds can turn into a hurricane. Of course, her saving grace is her husband, Félix. According toRanker, Félix is able to calm her down simply by validating her feelings. Because of this, Pepa is able to keep her emotions fairly stable.
Related:Encanto: What Therapists Are Saying About the Family Dynamics in Disney’s Hit Movie
11Cousin Antonio Teaches Us to Care for Others
The youngest Madrigal and Pepa’s youngest son, Antonio is set to get his gift at the beginning ofEncanto. He is hiding under the bed in the nursery that he shares with Mirabel. There, he reveals to Mirabel that he wishes she could have a gift. The morning after receiving his gift, he asks some animals to warm up Abuela’s seat for breakfast. Ofthe Madrigals' gifts, Antonio is the only one using his gift from a place of generosity instead of for the family.
10Abuelo Pedro Reminds Us to Protect Our Loved Ones
Though he is seen in a flashback and in a painting, Abuelo Pedro’s story is short. At a local event, he sees a young woman trying to see into the crowd. Their romance ends in heartache when Pedro sacrifices himself to protect the villagers from harm. This act of selflessness to protect his family led to the miracle that grants the Madrigal’s gifts.
9Tío Félix Helps Us to Get On Our Feet and Dance
Marrying into any family can be a mixed bag. But marrying into a family with special gifts is a whole other matter. While Félix helps Pepa by validating her emotions, he also brings joy to the entire family. Throughout the film, he is dancing by himself, with Pepa, and encouraging Abuelo to dance.
8Papa Agustin Teaches Us the Importance of Being Cautious
Accident-prone Augustin is married to Julieta and father to Mirabel. He is consistently being stung by bees, though it’s unknown if he’s allergic to them. Augustin is one of the few people who doesn’t shame Mirabel or Bruno (John Leguizamo) and he even stands up to Abuela on behalf of Mirabel. Though he stands up for his daughter, Augustin’s tendency to be stung is a reminder that it’s okay to proceed with caution.
7Mama Julieta Reminds Us to Eat Something Yummy
Julieta is another one of the triplets who was granted with the gift of healing through food. While she can cure physical ailments like bee stings and broken bones, it’s possible her food can also heal emotional distress. After Mirabel is scratched and eats an arepa con queso, she later has a revelation to save the miracle. Instead of feeling downtrodden over her vision, she’s energized, possibly due to the food her mother gave her.
6Tío Bruno Helps Us to Be Brave
Possibly one of the biggest hits since “Let It Go,“Encanto’sinfamous song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” outlines Bruno’s powers of foresight.Loopereven explains a fan theory that the rule about Bruno is to protect Abuela. Yet upon meeting Bruno, it’s apparent that he is one of the bravest Madrigal’s, albeit hiding in the walls of the house. He creates two alter egos, one of them makes the spackle to repair the cracked walls of the house, and the other is brave for everyone.
Related:Disney: Why Was We Don’t Talk About Bruno Such a Hit?
5Cousin Dolores Teaches Us to Listen to Others
Dolores is the eldest daughter of Pepa and Félix who has the gift of hearing everyone’s discussions and movements. Her gift doesn’t just stay within the confines of the Madrigal household. When she and Mariano pair up, she reveals that she can hear his conversations with his mother and that he writes poetry. The location of Mariano’s house in relation to the Madrigal’s house is unknown, but Dolores really can hear anything a mile away.
