I think she's meant to become the matriarch. Like her grandmother, her connection to magic is the house, itself, rather than a specific gift.

In the film they say Mirabel takes after her mother. Her mother Julieta has the power to heal people through her food. So it makes me think Mirabel's gift is more like Julieta's. Where Julieta can heal people physically but Mirabel can heal them emotionally. Edit: wow! I wasn't expecting so much likes and replies, thank you!

By staying in the nursery, she is literally helping to raise and guide the younger family members, practicing her role in the same way the others practice their powers in their rooms.

IMO, i think Mirabel IS the next "miracle" for her family. And that's why she wasn't able to get a "specific" gift because she herself WAS the miracle. Throughout the movie, she's able to get each of the family members to speak their truth and confide in her in a way that their abuela wasn't able to. If you notice, the cracks only happened whenever Mirabel doubted herself and her place in the family. The candle burned brighter when Mirabel and Isabel hugged because Mirabel was happy to see her sister being happy. But as soon as the abuela began to make mirabel unhappy and doubt herself again, the house fully crumbled. When she ran away, no magic was present in the village. But after convincing her abuela, her abuela says that Pedro sent Mirabel to them, just like Pedro sent the candle to them. And in the end, Mirabel bought the magic back after her faith in herself was restored again. So all in all, Mirabel IS the next miracle.

My theory is her ability is the family/house in general. That's why she didn't get a room, but in the end the door shaped like it's her room. Her room is the house, of course she didn't get the room. She's already in it. It also makes sense that the house broke because she IS the source to the magic, her doubts and negative feelings caused the decay, and her helping her family getting along helped her. She finally got recognise and restore her-the family's magic. Her ability IS indeed her family. She's the new candle, after her grandma. Also, the cracks could be caused by her loneliness as she's alone as powerless again.

When I watched this a second time with my mom, she yelled, “She wiped her hands after touching the candle!” And it was something I didn’t noticed but it was completely plausible in my head. I laughed at the thought, though. I think it’d be funny if the reason she didn’t get a gift was because of something as simple as that. Don’t wipe off the magic, Mirabel. You got to let it marinate in your hands a little bit. Lol.

I think Mirabel did have a “gift”. The house could not give her a room because her gift was an internal one. She is able to see what people need. Rest for Luisa, self expression for her princess sister and truth from her grandmother.

2:59 I don't think Camillo uses his powers for his "own selfish ways", he's just that teenage cousin that loves to prank everyone in the family (Of course, there has to be one in every family). If anyone saw from the scene where Mirabel introduces everyone, Camillo helped a mother with taking care of her newborn baby by shapeshifting into the mother who finally had some rest

According to writer and director Jared Bush, the reason Mirabel did not get a gift was deliberately left ambiguous. Still, really enjoyed the story and music of *Encanto!*

I love how Abuella's children represent past; present and future: Julieta's food heals past wounds; Pepa's mood controls present weather; and Bruno's previsions see into the future! Also, some people commenting on this post and I have come up with some exciting new ideas! The thing is Abuela's grandchildren may represent the 5 senses: Luiza's strength is for touch; Isabela's flowers are for smell; Dolores's audition is for hearing; Camilo's shapeshifting is for sight; and Antonio, being the only one to use his speech and tongue to use his gift, is for taste! As for Abuela and Mirabel, they both fulfill the same role of matriarch, which is to guide the family to stay strong and united. However, Abuela represents the mind, for she oversees and controls everything in the family, while Mirabel represents the heart, for she is able to understand and fix the problem each one is facing. So all the powers play out as if the Madrigal family was a single body whose mind and heart coordinate all its parts in perfect harmony: past; present; and future; touch; smell; hearing; sight; and taste!

I had this same perspective! And the clothing. Everyone’s clothing hints to their gift. Mirabel has butterflies on her dress, who else has butterflies? Abuela. The candle has butterflies. That means they’re both connected to the magic.

I believe Mirabelle is an Enchanter. Encanto can mean: spell, charm or enchantement. And I feel the last one is more relatable as she does not utter spells or charms but rather imbue inanimate objects/catalysts with magics and/or spirits. Also, I believe she inherited that ability from her abuela.

Here's my family's theory after watching this (we are Puerto Rican): Abuela's discouragement/concerns robbed Mirabel of her gift. Bruno had the vision because Abuela went to him due to her thinking the power of the miracle was fading. The vision- on the surface- showed that Mirabel would cause the destruction of the miracle. So Abuela had her mind set that Mirabel would only cause trouble- the same mindset that painted Bruno as a "bad guy." Not wanting his niece to suffer the same humiliation, he removed himself. BUT I believe Mirabel did receive something of the miracle... and it was all of the family's gifts. Hear me out (spoilers): In the song "Waiting On A Miracle," Mirabel sings to each of the family members what things she can't do (move the mountains, make flowers bloom, heal, etc). As the song develops she claims that she WILL do everything that she first said she couldn't. Mirabel DOES move the mountains surrounding their village when she confronts her Abuela about expectations. Mirabel DOES make flowers bloom when she makes amends with her sister Isabela (the sister creates a cactus with a flower). Mirabel DOES heal what's broken- the relationship between Abuela and Bruno. She changes the weather from gloomy (when Casita collapses) to sunny and bright (when she hugs Abuela at the river). Mirabel DOES communicate with animals, like the donkeys and rats. Mirabel DOES have a vision when helping Bruno by seeing the butterfly and seeing the cracks. She DOES hear what others don't by hearing out all the members' struggles with Abuela's expectations. And she DOES shape-shifting by (my mom says this one is a stretch but) trying to make herself useful with preparations, though it always results in her getting yelled at by Abuela. She does all of that~ Plus, Mirabel is the only one that actually respects Casita. Out of all of the Madrigals, Mirabel is the only one that pays attention to the house while everyone is wrapped up in their performance. Anyway~ that's just me.

i think her true gift is that she can turns people's emotion into a perfectly choreograph song where people suddenly harmonize to the same lyrics ngl 😂

Anyone realize that when Bruno's vision was Mirabel hugging Isabel, I think it was actually Mirabel reconciling with her grandma, Alma - but it was when Alma was younger. This makes sense since Alma found her by the river. Then we, including Mirabel, see the whole story of Alma. I think that is what the vision represented. That Alma needed to be reminded of the love of her family versus being perfect and protecting the powers - the magic came from the love of family - and Mirabel needed to see where Alma came from and her backstory. How Alma lost so much. It would also make sense because when they hugged, there was a swarm of butterflies around them as well.

I dunno about her not having powers. Remember when her cousin is getting his gift, and time slows down for her while she sings about how disappointed she is? While you certainly could interpret that as just a narrative tool; she does end up outside the room and seeing the casita cracking. Though it makes me wonder how she wouldn't notice if she did have this power. Honestly though, I think Mirabel is an embodiment of the power. The present that she gives her cousin before his ceremony mirrors the gift he ended up getting. Perhaps Abuela and Mirabel both have the ability to bestow these gifts, but they don't consciously realize they are doing it.

Someone has to be powerless to keep the family “human”. Abuela lost sight of the humanity of her family which ended up hurting them in the end and if Mirabeau had received a gift, she wouldn’t be able to save the magic (or at least not have done so in time).

My theory: The reason Mirabel wouldn't get a gift because she's not supposed to have one. But instead give the next generation a gift, her niece, nephew, son, and or daughter. And the cycle would repeat all over again as one of the next generation would not get a gift because they would give a gift to their next generation. Of course this cycle would start again when Mirabel becomes Abuela's age when the encanto first appeared or after Abuela dies.

The more important question still is: if her mom can heal anyone with her food, why does Mirabel have to wear glasses?

I think Mirabel didn’t have any powers as a test. To see how the family react to one of their own not having a gift, and wether or not they deserve to keep their gifts.

I think Mirabel didn’t receive an obvious gift, but she did get one nonetheless. It’s just that her ability isn’t something magical that can be activated at a moment’s notice like all the others. Mirabel’s gift seems to be the ability to empathize and gain deeper insight into her family members, either by asking the right questions, seeing the clues other people miss, or having a knack for catching them at just the right moment to get to the heart of their feelings. It’s how she was able to connect with Bruno so quickly despite his being a literal creeper in the household and something of a family boogeyman, tease her sisters’ deeply-buried insecurities and desires out of them, and realize which Madrigal actually had the hots for the local pretty boy. If Abuela’s “gift” is her altruistic regard for the town and her protectiveness towards her family, making her both the family guardian and lorekeeper, then Mirabel is the keeper of the family’s heart.

I think, she's probably meant to be the next matriarch, but since there's no need for one yet, it isn't manifested. She had no door, because Casita as a whole is hers. But most importantly, her not having a gift was meant to be a test for others. The miracle was born out of Alma's love and desire to protect. As time went by, the family wandered astray from the actual source of magic. First, by making Bruno outcast and not standing up for him, when townspeople didn't like his prophecies. Then - by literally slaving away for the community, where it wasn't necessary or healthy anymore, then by placing too high expectations on their younger generation. And finally by distancing away from Mirabel for her lack of gift. Mirabel's bitterness wasn't the reason Casita crumbled. It was the fact that her feelings were complitely justified. Not to mention, she wasn't the only one unhappy, but the only one to try and do something about it. And lastly, she doesn't actually need a magic gift. She is a good leader, who easily befriends and organises people, she makes quality handmade, sings and dances well, is a good listener and a source of comfort for everyone. All that at age of 15. Mirabel is basically the most powerful person in her family as it is. That's what I personally think.

2:42, its also said behind the scenes that regardless if a Madrigal is adopted or biological, they can still receive a Gift, as the family is tied together by their love and not solely by blood. Though it is not known if an adopted Madrigal past the age of five can receive a gift. As for Abuela, the only reason why she’s one of the only two Madrigal (not an in-law) is because the magic started from her, so she’s the giver and therefore she didnt get a Gift. It is also said that their doors grow in real time as each Madrigal ages, so the moment they get their Gifts at age five, the door shows a caricature of said member at that age, so as they age their caricature ages too, But in the triplet’s case their doors (as seen in the pictures on the wall), their door caricatures are already of their present 50 yr old selves as opposed to when Antonio got his gift, his door reflects his present 5 yr old self.

When I first saw this, I said Mirabel “was the house”.she can’t be relegated to one room because she’s the family “glued.

After watching the movie, I feel that Mirabel was actually given a gift from the start. How her door dissolved in the wall meant her door was the main of the house. Her family missed to understand as they only focused on what they can utilise, the "magical gifts" they possess. The cracks worsen because of her doubts and loneliness inside being outcasted by her abuela. We see that despite people mocking her of not having one, she sees the positive things. The house needed to get destroyed to remind her family that there is more important than "magical gifts". At the end of the movie, she brought back magic and it appears the house with all her family was her gift all along. She brought all family together realising their true selves' purpose way beyond the gifts they possess.

I've watched the movie for the second time and the theory that people said about the candle's power transferring to Mirabel actually made sense. If you have noticed, Mirabel's feelings affect Casita and also the candle. She was also the only one who saw the cracks appearing in Casita. She also possessed some of the family gifts in a different way without literally showing it as a power. If Pepa can affect the weather by her emotions, Mirabel can affect the candle - that can even lead to destruction of Casita. If Julieta can heal any injured person, Mirabel heals her family - including Abuela. If Isabela can design using flowers, Mirabel designs her own clothes. If Luisa is strong, Mirabel is brave especially when she tried to look for Bruno. If Bruno can predict the future, she was able to predict Antonio's gift by giving her a tiger plushie. Mirabel was actually the next 'candle' since the candle didn't appear in the end and it was Mirabel who was able to restore Casita and everyone's gift. I think the reason why the candle didn't appear in the end because Abuela didn't need it anymore and she was able to move on from Abuelo's death but still with Mirabel's bloodline, their gift will still be passed on to the next Madrigals. Also, the letter 'M' in the doorknob at the ending scene could mean Mirabel, Miracle and Madrigal.

6:18 didn’t realize the parallels between the house crashing around Mirabel while she holds the candle and abuela holding the candle until this video. so beautiful. Also this confirmed my theory! Def agree!

I watched it with my sister, and she said “It’s because she wiped her hands and got the candle wax off!” I had never thought about it before, but it makes sense to me.

i think why Mirabel didn't get a gift is because she is properly chosen to be the next candle holder after Abuela Alma also the movie gave out a special message and an amazing plot

I took it is as Mirabel didn't get a gift because she didn't "need" one or at least didn't need a magical one. She needed to become who she became because literally no one else could have done what she did for her family. The gifted family members were struggling to keep up with expectations and the townspeople rely on and marvel at their gifts. As a fellow family member without a magical gift, Mirabel is the only person to whom her relatives would feel they can reveal their true selves, even by accident, and who would genuinely want the best for them. She knows how it feels to be deeply unhappy and feels she's lesser because she's ungifted. The last thing she would want is for her gifted family members to not love and revel in their abilities and would do whatever it took to help them find the light. And because she wasn't constantly putting on a show or serving the townspeople, she had freedom to actually take notice of the cracks in the house and problems befalling her family (i.e. Luisa's eye twitch). If Mirabel had gotten a gift, she likely would have been stuck in the same pitfall of being a miraculous Madrigal and nothing would have been resolved.

For some reason, I am in love with this new Disney movie! I can look at it repetitively, and never get bored. I love the music, I truly love the animation! You can tell they put so much effort into making this beautiful creation, no lie this movie is on point 💯

You know on everybodys outfits how they have a symbol of their gift on it, Mirabel had butterflys on her outfit.

That was the exact same conclusion me and boyfriend came to when we saw the movie for the first time. We both noticed that the only two family members who truly interacted with Casita as a living being was Mirabel and Abuela. Also, Casita still tried to protect Mirabel even as it was falling apart.

I do have a little theory as to what would have been Mirabelle’s gift. Or at the very least a very fitting one. We can see from the triplets Pepa, Julietta, and Bruno that they share a theme: past, present, and future. Julietta can heal wounds from the past, Pepa changes the present weather, and Bruno can see into future. We see a theme again in Pepa’s children. This time with parts of the body/our senses. Dolores for hearing, Camilo for sight/appearance, and Antonio for speech. For Mirabelle’s sisters, she states in the song “The Family Madrigal”, she says, “Beauty and brawn do no wrong.” Now, beauty and brawn aren’t usually compared to each other. But, brain and brawn is (Brain v. Brawn). This made me believe that if Mirabelle got a power, it would have been intelligence based. Now, giving Mirabelle a simple power of heightened intelligence is a bit too simple (for me anyways). I love the idea that Mirabelle’s gift would be to fix objects by touching them. Like fixing clocks or even damaged houses. Too fix something, it must be broken first. It would have fit her role in Encanto of fixing the relationship of her family and the Casita. Those are just my thoughts though, but I thought it would be worth sharing.

I really liked this movie due to that it’s not like most stories where it is “Life is absolutely miserable, but by chance I am the chosen one or royalty or something and now I am happy and will never be sad again!” No. In this one it’s more “Things are not perfect but let’s pretend it is… Ok this isn’t working, we need to accept things aren’t perfect but there is some light. Life isn’t perfect, but good things still can outweigh the bad”

She is (will be) the new matriarch, that was all but stated at the end when she was directing everyone in building the new house AND when the magic came back showing Mirabel at the front of the family on the new door.

Casita knew the magic was in danger, that Alma would suffocate it. Had Mirabel been given a gift, she'd have been just another cog in the machine, doing everything she could to fit Alma's idea of what she ought to be. It was only because she didn't have a gift, and therefore no role for Alma to assign her, that she was able to see what was really going on and put a stop to it. It was literally the only way that Casita could save the family and thus their magic.

I thought Mirabel's gift was having a deeper connection with the Casita. As she talks to it a lot and seems to have a friendship with it. As we saw that Casita can't alter things in the bedrooms. So it wouldn't be able to follow her if she got a room. So she didn't.

You know they told us why she didn’t get a gift right? Abulia confessed that it was her. She stressed over everything being perfect so much that it became an deep obsession that killed the candle and her family from within. The moment Mirabel was about to receive her gift the obsession over perfection finally got to abulia. she lost sight of what truely mattered and Mirabel lost her gift because of it. Abulia is emotionally connected to the candle somehow.

Mirabell has a gift. It’s the miracle itself, as shown at the end of the movie, when she holds all of the powers up.

i think if mirabel did get a gift, it would have been something related to the mind as Luisa is the “brawn”, Isa is the “Beauty”, and that would leave the “Brain” for Mirabel.

she technically doesnt ‘have’ a gift but in the ending when she put back the final doorknob, it showed that everyone else’s gifts returned because of her. the candle, the house, the miracle all came back because she made it happen. her gift IS the miracle in the same way it happened to her abuela

It seemed apparent from early on that Mirabel was chosen by the magic/ house, to be the next matriarch. I had even told my husband half way through that I believed grandma would die and she would take her place and that would be the ending. I was wrong of course, but that was an easy enough conclusion to make.

During their reconciliation scene abuela mentioned that she asked her husband for help and he sent Mirabel. That explains it, Mirabel is the next abuela. She will run the show, no powers.

To me, I think Mirabel’s door IS the front door. When she didn’t get her gift, her gift is the casita. As you notice the the family loves the casita and the casita but Mirabel is the one talking to the casita the most! Mirabel cares for the casita the most out of the whole family! And I think the casita knew that they were going to need someone to take on Abuela’s position, so the casita chose Mirabel! Not to mention, many of the times the casita starts to crack and fall apart are when Mirabel is most upset. So to me it really makes sense that Mirabels gift is the casita! I know many people think this movie reminded them of coco, and I see that with the generational trauma, but I mostly think of Moana when I see this!

I never realized Alma didn't have a magical gift, mostly because she has her own room. Watching Mirabel's ceremony, her door disappearing didn't seem like a rejection at the time but Abuela's reaction did. In hindsight, I think it was indicating that the family and casita is her gift, marking her the future matriarch. And to be exact, her door turns to sand... which is what Bruno uses to observe the future. She's marked as the future of the family. (Also, predecessor wasn't the correct word to use)

We really need more than a single movie for Encanto. There’s so much we don’t know or don’t address and I feel that a series would be great in expanding on everything left out of the movie.

I hope there's a part 2, theres so many content to explore in the movie. The background of other characters, a potential villain, mirabel's actual gift, etc.

I am utterly convinced mirabel has the power to cause musical Numbers. Every musical number has wierd exposition, and every time someone refuses to elaborate to mirabel Five seconds later there is a musical number of them elaborating. The only reason she does not have a door is because casita needed her to do what she did. It knew the prophesy and it knew that abuela was pushing them too hard and fracturing both the family and casita something it needed to do whatever it could to stop.

I honestly thought the casita would be Mirabel’s gift. Since it seems like she’s the only one that treats it like an actual living being and has conversations with it. And in turn it helps her on her journey and risks it’s life to protect her in the end. While the rest of the family took it and their gifts for granted and duty, Mirabel sees them and the casita for the Miri or that they are. That was my theory anyway, but I also like your ur way of thinking of Mirabel’s gift

I always thought her magical power was a familial power,the power of love, compassion and adoration for her family.she did not have a power in a superhero type sense but she was able to see what was hidden and see the trumas burried in the family blood line and tending too those wounds thus keeping the family together.the farther apart the family got the weaker the miracle got.its almost as if she is the miracle and her power is keeping it alive.

Doesn’t Mirabel have a “gift” since whenever Casita is “talking” to her Mirabel can understand it better than anyone in her family.

Once Casita saw that Alma was starting to value magical gifts over her family, I reckon it knew that they would need someone to guide them on a new path, so chose Mirabel for this task…..but in order to accomplish that, meant she couldn’t receive a gift 😔 Because if she had, she wouldn’t have been able to connect with her family & help mend their bonds in the way she did which could only be done by someone WITHOUT magic. This would explain why Antonio received a gift after Mirabel didn’t. I too, also believe that Mirabel is intended to be Alma’s successor. I know the directors chose not to give an answer to Mirabel not being magical but I felt that left too many things unexplained & more confusing, whereas with this theory, it makes sense as to why Casita was still able to bless gifts after Mirabel despite not bestowing her with her own magic.

random note - Mirabel's name sounds a lot like Miracle which could mean she is the miracle that brought her family together, much like Abuela Alma did when she had to flee her home

If you notice there is a butterfly on the candle and there's a butterfly on her clothing she is the source of the magic power

i would love a sequel with mirabel as the next head of the household

I had a different theory for why Mirabel is meant to be the next caretaker of the Miracle Candle. It seems that once the triplets (or sisters at least) started having children, the first five grandchildren weren't more than five years apart. There was another child that would potentially receive a gift when grandchild X was receiving theirs. Until Mirabel. When she had her ceremony, she was the youngest. She was potentially the last child of that generation of Madrigals, and at Alma's age there was no guarantee she would live to see a great-grandchild's ceremony. The magic chose Mirabel as a way of protecting itself. Mirabel and Camillo are the same age, but Camillo was born first between the two. I think it's possible that if Mirabel was the slightly older one, that Camillo would have been the one without a magical gift.

I feel like the House didn't give her magic specifically for her to be the family's humility. Abuela was losing sight of a person's worth and was seeing their magic as who they are. Mirabel reminded her the magic is not who you are. It's unfair that she has to be the grounding force of the family and as such does not receive a gift in my opinion. But her becoming the leader of the family is a great theory. I hope so. Abeula didn't receive magic but the House did give her a magical room. So it's totally possible once she passes, the literal torch/candle will get passed to Mirabel.

the house kinda chose Mirabel as it chose abuela in the beginning, she's an extention of casita that signifies her becoming the leader. she's the source of everyone's powers and the one keeps everyone in tact

My theory was that she rubbed her hand on the candle, then on her skirt, and then on the door. While others rubbed the candle then the door. I feel like she rubbed the magic off

Alma is the keeper of the miracle. When the house is rebuilt, Mirabel is next to Alma at the head of her family. Mirabel's door doesn't glow, but it has the candle front and center and is surrounded by the other family's motifs. Mirabel not getting a gift was the first indication of the magic being in danger, but Mirabel's gift when the magic returned became the miracle itself. She also acts as a stabilizer for everyone's powers. She helps Bruno discover the other half of his vision. She helps Isabela grow her powers. She gives Antonio the confidence to receive his gift. And she shows Luisa that she needs to learn to take time for herself.

My sister thinks that Mirabel didn't get a gift because she is the miracle herself. As Alma said near the end of the movie, she prayed for a miracle to save the magic, and was sent Mirabel (paraphrasing, as I don't remember, word for word, what was said. Basically, Mirabel is the new candle, which is why the house showed more cracks, the more Mirabel felt left out, or bad about herself. This is also why the magic returned after she put the doorknob in place on the newly built house- because she creates the magic.

Something I thought about Mirabel’s lack of a gift was that, She’s the only ordinary person in a family of extraordinary people, making her unordinary. She is unordinary, because she is ordinary. Abuela doesn’t have a gift, but she’s in charge, she can communicate with the candle in a way non of the other members of the family seem to have the ability to. The message I get from Mirabel is that sometimes, being ordinary is the most extraordinary thing a person can do

Did anyone else also notice that when the candle melts into a nub in one shot the next shot there doesn't seem to be any form of wax on mirabelles hands? in my opinion this symbolises her taking on the function of the keystone of the magic gifts not only will she become the leader I believe that by the candle melting into her she also now is the embodiment of the candle And may have at that point been granted a semi immortal state as long as the family stays strong just like the flame that until the day the house collapse never went out she may still however need to find a successor who like her won't be given a visible gift.

I think Mirabel didn't get a gift because she already had one. Her heart was so big and full of love for everyone...and I think that's all she needed. So she didn't get a magical room? I think the nursery was enough for her. She got to create a bond with the Madrigal children that could show them love was unconditional.

My theory is that the magic could sense that Alma had lost sight of things and refused to give Mirabel a gift as a test. If the family could repair their bonds and come together, the magic would be stronger, which is why the candle brightens when Mira and Isa repair their relationship. When Mira and Alma have their big fight, their bond is fractured and thus casita is destroyed and the magic dies. By coming together and repairing their relationships they earned the magic back. Instead of a candle, Mirabel is now the source of the magic because she is what brought her family back together, something she could only do by having no gift.

Ppl I’ve heard said mirabel didn’t get a gift because you can’t give a gift to someone with a gift. Basically she needs help unlocking it basically saying she was just like her grandfather

Maribel has a gift to lead and when she got super sad and mix of emotions the house started to break making her the leader and protecter of the home and means she also controls the house so she can take powers away not sure yet I LOVE ENCANTO

I'd love to think their gifts are a representation of their insecurities or some sort of fear. Luisa gets super strength because she was afraid of being too weak Isabella gets plant powers but only made beautiful flowers because of her fear on not being perfect enough Mirabel didn't get one because she was selfless and thought about her family first that's why she was chosen to be the next leader. Now I'd love to think camilo shape shifts because he wants to be a somebody Dolores hears everything because she probably doesn't want to be left out

I believe it’s because she IS the gift. She shows that she is a miracle even without magical powers. To show her abuela (I think I spelled it right) that even without powers, she is still special. The powers don’t define the individual. For example, Bruno’s powers do not define him. He is not evil or bad because he can see bad things that will or may come.

My thought is that during Mirabel's ceremony, she touches the doorknob and the magical glow disappears. It shows that she has the capability to take the magic away. The more involved she gets in the family issues, the more the gifts begin to fade. She alone has the compassion and courage to address the pressure her family is going through and to confront abuela about how she is taking things for granted. And in doing that, she plays a role in the magic disappearing and the house falling down. Then by bringing the family back together and rebuilding la casita, she brings the magic back. Mirabel giveth and taketh away! Alternatively, during her ceremony when she touches the doorknob and the glow disappears, it shows that her gift is that she is inherently valuable without a gift and throughout the movie she is able to show everyone that they are also valuable beyond their gifts. Her gift is compassion and empathy. And those things are inside of you, so the glow didn't really disappear, it was absorbed into her. And when her prophecy was realized, she touched the door knob and gave Casita back the magic that she absorbed on the day of her ceremony, but now their home life will be more compassionate.

The miracle itself was the entirety of the Encanto, but within it, they each had their own domains - their rooms. And their abuela needed a space to raise and protect her family from within, so what better a domain than a protective house, that will catch your children when they fall, entertain them, and feed them? It also feels noteworthy that, in the film, while the Casita clearly has it's own personality and makes it's own choices, the only people we ever see directly interfacing with the Casita are abuela Alma and Mirabel. The scene at the end, where Mirabel has the same magic door reaction that literally every single memory of her family had to their own domain doors, feels like the final nail in the coffin, to me, of it being her and her abuela's domain.

This is not my original theory, but I read somewhere that Mirabelle didnt get a gift because, when we compare the gift ceremony of her and Antonio, we see Antonio touching the candle and then directly touching the doorknob. But If you look closely, Mirabelle touches the candle and then hers clothes/herself, then the doorknob. Wiping the magic from the candle off from her hands. I like to make a little twitch in this theory and say, that she becomes "a door" herself... The door to the next generation, the door too change... (I may have worded the last bit a bit weird, but idk how to say it differently, i hope you can catch my drift.)

Well, I do find it extremely suspicious that the frame lingered on wee!Mirabel wiping her hands on her dress after touching the magic candle. My theory is that Mirabel DID in fact receive the expected magical blessing, but instead of transferring it to the doorknob (and therefore a Gift), her wiping her hands on her dress transferred that magic directly to her. That's why she was the fulcrum upon which the family's fate seemed to balance in the movie, why it was her decisions specifically that would result in the Madrigals either crumbling to dust or growing stronger together. I think her Gift is something you can't see, something that can't be perfected in a special, magical room. I think she does indeed have a Gift, but it went unnoticed and unacknowledged because it didn't manifest in the way Abuela or any Madrigal expected. Possibly it ties in to some of the themes present in "Waiting On A Miracle," since the lyrics take on a new meaning after following her through the film's journey.

I assumed Mirabel never received a "gift" because like Abuela, she was the magic BEHIND all the gifts. The Casita was just a building until she touched it - it was her magic infusing the home, just as it had been Abuela's to infuse the original structure. I agree she's the future leader for the clan; in the meantime, she's part of the glue holding the family together.

If you look at symbolism in the movie you can see that each character with a gift has something on their clothing based on their gift. The matriarch of the family has something showing the Encanto on her’s. Mirabel has not only all of them on her’s, but also butterflies. Butterflies symbolize hope and transformation. As you can see that the matriarch is stuck in the past and when she figures out how someone should use their gift that was it. While Mirabel was bringing change. These changes were being hope and fixing the home. But I do believe that she did not get a gift nor a room because she has a room. It is just occupied as the moment.

My theory is that when Mirabel went through her ceremony, she touched the candle and wiped her hands on her dress before touching the door, she actually gave herself magic on the inside instead of a physical power. When Mirabel was trying to get the encanto, the house helped her. Then when the house was rebuilt and she put the handle in the door, the house responded again. My theory is Mirabel now holds the family magic in herself. Eventually the candle was going to burn out, so now that Mirabel hold the magic of it within, she became the next matriarch and leader in the family. Edit: I just realized that Mirabel held the candle as it burned out. So maybe she absorbed the last amount of magic from the candle which could also be a reason why the door nob responded to her.

Here is my theory: We know abuela is connected to the candle. When mirabel’s ceremony was happening and she touched the doorknob, the door faded away because of how abuela felt. In the movie it says abuela had been going through tough things since Bruno left, she was sad and anxious. So, mirabel was going to receive a gift however because of abuela’s mental state the door faded away. Now mirabel is the next candle holder, possessing the power of casita and the power to give other people gifts through the candle.

Mirabel did have a magical gift, it wasn't manifested until she grew up. The scene where she was arguing with her Abuela, then Mirabel shook the earth from beneath her feet...

I think her room would be a loft filled with butterflies, crafts for gifts and clothes, and pictures of her family moments together expressing their love. It would overlook the small town. It would still be kinda normal but more adult for her age. Might even have small symbols or trinkets that represent the family like a hourglass, plants with blooming flowers , stuffed animals she made, an instrument, etc.

I feel like it could be interpreted that Mirabel did get a gift. After all, there was no family precedence for what it would look like if someone didn’t. Her door disappeared, yes, but it did by dissolving back into the walls. Casita’s walls. And she was obviously more in tune with the house than anyone else, with it prioritizing her orders above those of others. What if her door vanishing into the house meant that the entire house was the equivalent to her of the rooms to every other Madrigal? In the end, her returning to the (now rebuilt) house was what restored the magic. I know it’s not what the writers had in mind, but I kind of still believe her gift was a heightened connection to the family home and awareness of the magic failing and strengthening.

I would say maribel serves the same purposes green arrow served to the justice league in the animated series, originally green arrow didn't wanna join the justice league because he didn't trust them as super powered beings but batman pointed out they needed someone to watch over them and keep them honest and that was the purpose he served even by batman standards green arrow was as human as they come, but the league needed his humanity to keep then grounded, so in a similar way Maribel serves as the tie to humanity she keeps the family grounded and in check if everyone had powers they'd have no ties to humanity anyone they'd become demi gods or even gods but maribel shows that in the end they are just as human as they are magical and she's the reminder

Honestly I think that mirabel is the extention of the candle and thus the extention of the house. The house knew that the family would slowly fall apart and mirabel was the one to create a miracle (also their names sound similar)

Just an observation: When Casita came back, a new cancel was not shown. So that begs the question, does this new magical house need a new candle...?

I agree with you Isaac I see Mirabel not having a gift as proof that she would be the next matriarch and Guardian of the Casita. I also think the Casita is more intertwined with Mirabel and she interacts with the house the most and notices the cracks. She keeps her family grounded and reminds them that while they are gifted, they are still a family and must respect and help everyone who may not have gifts

Before we begin, I just wanna throw in my two cents; Mirabel DOES have a gift. Her gift is maintaining the family. My real question is why didn’t Mirabel get a 🚪 ? Possible answer: The house realized that Mirabel’s gift encompasses the family, so the whole house was her room. Still, seeing Mirabel’s door disintegrate in front of her may have made the family think she was unworthy of a gift. Also, how traumatizing is it for a little girl to lose face in front of her family?

When I saw the scene that she open the door and it start to disappear, my first thought was 'she didn't get the room because she got the whole house' + she is the closest to the house + when the house is cracking it's always when she feel insignificant or insecure. So I always believe she didn't 'didn't receive any gift' but her gift is related to the house.

Well what I think is that when she was about to get her gift you can see when she touches the candle then she wipes her hand on her shirt then touches the door knob so probably it’s the candle touch that gives them gifts, also some evidence is when Antonio touches the candle he doesn’t wipe his hands. Idk that’s what I noticed.

I think Mirabel's room is the nursery because she is destined to become the most maternal figure, maybe not the leader-leader of the family, that role would probably fall to one of her siblings before her, but still a very important part of the family. Similar to her mothers role maybe, her mom acts like the glue keeping everyone together with her healing abilities, and while Mirabel doesn't have a gift I think she will still become very important in the raising of her cousins/neices/nephews (just like we saw her doing with Antonio)

It's clear Mirabel doesn't have a power from Casita, but as a result of it she gained the ability to empathize with others by listening and seeing THEM for who they truly are with or without their gifts! I also like to believe that's why we were given so many creative backstory moments because it's like she can really see what's going on- empathize with people as if she were actually experiencing all the emotions herself. I also love that she's across Abuela's room. The rest of the family might have seen it as an embarrassing thing to stay in the nursery, but because of that she was able to raise up her cousin and encourage him to have courage and embrace his gift even before he received it...like a true matriarch. Abuela is original matriarch in the back of the house. Mirabel is the new matriarch in training waiting in the front of the house for her time to shine! It is not having a magical gift from the house that makes you special. It's using the gifts that you do have for the sake of a higher purpose...Disney seems to be saying, "in helping others...be true to who you are. When you suppress yourself, your gifts don't shine like they could"

"I think, she's probably meant to be the next matriarch, but since there's no need for one yet, it isn't manifested. She had no door, because Casita as a whole is hers. But most importantly, her not having a gift was meant to be a test for others. The miracle was born out of Alma's love and desire to protect. As time went by, the family wandered astray from the actual source of magic. First, by making Bruno outcast and not standing up for him, when townspeople didn't like his prophecies. Then - by literally slaving away for the community, where it wasn't necessary or healthy anymore, then by placing too high expectations on their younger generation. And finally by distancing away from Mirabel for her lack of gift. Mirabel's bitterness wasn't the reason Casita crumbled. It was the fact that her feelings were complitely justified. Not to mention, she wasn't the only one unhappy, but the only one to try and do something about it. And lastly, she doesn't actually need a magic gift. She is a good leader, who easily befriends and organises people, she makes quality handmade, sings and dances well, is a good listener and a source of comfort for everyone. All that at age of 15. Mirabel is basically the most powerful person in her family as it is. That's what I personally think." "From Umimop."

Great theory Issac Like always. I've watched Encanto and ngl I didn't even notice abuela had no powers either. Kind of ironic she was tough on Mirabel for not having a gift when she (abuela) had none of her own I think maybe besides loving her family, there may have been some jealousy on Abuela's part, which may have had some role in why she was so uptight on everything and everyone

I see her gift as freedom- each gift came with expectations and rules, and reduced people to what they can do for the community or Abuela, but by not having a gift, she didn't have all the things that come with it. That's why she was able to save everything, because she wasn't tied up

Word play is very interesting. Abuela Alma means 'soul' and Mirabel means 'to see beauty' and this is what the whole movie is about. Mirabel reflects the imperfections of her family and that's what makes them beautiful. She's the only one that actively talks to the house and with some prompting, she investigates what her cousin Dolores told her about her sister. When her cousin Antonio is nervous, she has a keen sense of what his gift will be because she spends time with him. Once he receives his gift, she isn't surprised that it is what it is. Mirabel was the only one that found her uncle Bruno and asked him the deeper questions. She was the only one that wasn't afraid of his gift, even though, it would be the first time she would meet him. (She's like the coordinator working behind the scenes that no one really gives credit to but keeps things running smoothly) She knew of all the family stories and became the historian for the town. An archivist or historian is a very labor-intensive job and she really LOVED it. She understood the importance of preserving the history of the town and its magic.

i feel like you could add that mirabels room DID help her develop her "gift" when she supported her little cousin so directly- so much so that he needed her with him when he recieved his gift

Love this theory and all the comments as well. It sets up for an amazing sequel where it's many years into the future. Mirabel and everyone is older. Alma is about to pass away and does so (sad, emotional scene for the family and viewers) then you see that Mirabel is meant to be the next Matriarch. The plot is about Mirabel getting used to her new role and what it means for her and her family and making the role her own. We'll get to see Dolores have kids with the man she loved. Maybe Isabel married as well. Luisa is older. You'll get to see most the main cast and some newer ones.

YES! This is what I told my family when I watched Encanto the first time and saw Mirabel’s touch brought casita back to life. I would even go a step further and say that Abuela & Mirabel meeting at the spot of the original miracle and being surrounded in a swarm of butterflies 🦋 was the true passing off of Abuela’s gift. I believe both Abuela and Mirabel are anchors for the family’s magic and based off of their emotions toward the family the magic can be strengthened (like with Isabella) or weakened like when they went for each other’s throats. I’m just curious to see what happens as the family grows.

This video is basically exactly what I thought when watching this movie: My head-cannon was that "candle-bearer" was Abuella's gift and that Mirabel got the same gift so once Abuella dies Mirabel gets her old room with access to the candle tower/room/window.

First observation: this whole Encanto script is so totally done with Disney + in mind. It is soooo rich and demands many views. I can imagine the team sitting in their first workshop years ago and saying to each other something like "So we need to create more value to Disney + subscribers. Let's make a totally overwhelmingly rich movie so that one needs to rewatch to get it". :-) It's risky to make something that does not open up first time but did they nail it! Well done! Second observation: what's with the butterflies? When Grandpa died, he went from being a catepillar into a full grown butterfly (in the candle), or so it seems to me. The song underlines the theme of first being a catepillar and then becoming a butterfly. Is the spirit of the grandpa now in the candle? The house ornaments and even architecture is full of butterflies. And so is Mirabel's outfit. Is the grandpa now in her? And the butterfly features in every significant scene of the movie, including Bruno's vision with Mirabel. Butterfly showed the way. Maybe someone already made a butterfly-video, sorry! :-) Have a nice day!

So many character relationships and parallels in this film!