It’s an undeniable truth that Isabela Madrigal is one of, if not the, most annoying characters in Disney’s Encanto. Her picture-perfect looks and seemingly flawless life seems designed to be as obnoxious as possible, and her rivalry with Mirabel doesn’t do her popularity any favors. Isabela’s hateful attitude is in no way justified, but she may have had good reason for her hostility toward Mirabel.
Isabela is introduced in Encanto as an effortlessly perfect character. In Mirabel’s words, she’s never even had a bad hair day before. It’s not until the two sisters finally have a heart-to-heart talk that Isabela finally reveals her big secret: that her perfection is painstakingly practiced. Like the other Madrigal family members, her every decision is made with the intent to please Abuela. Unfortunately, because her grandmother isn’t exactly liberal with praise, Isabela continuously finds herself striving to meet an arbitrary standard of perfection that even she can’t fully define.
On the other hand, Mirabel never received a gift. For better or worse, she was spared from Abuela’s eagle-eyed scrutiny. Being the only unexceptional Madrigal meant Mirabel didn’t have many expectations placed on her. She had no duty to fulfill to either the family or the Encanto in Abuela’s eyes. To the audience, Mirabel’s frustration at being sidelined in her own family is quite apparent, but to Isabela, who’d grown used to having perfection expected from her always, Mirabel’s predicament must have been enviable.
To make matters worse, Mirabel was often getting in the way of the perfection Isabela sought. Desperate to prove her worth despite not having a gift, Mirabel often took on more than she could handle, which resulted in an interrupted workflow. During their first interaction in Encanto, Isabela makes her aware of this plainly, telling Mirabel that she wouldn’t be in the way so much if she stopped trying so hard. She says it in her usual snarky tone, but at that moment, it’s pretty sound advice.
In fact, from Isabela’s point of view, Mirabel spends most of Encanto actively sabotaging most the family’s attempts at living their regular lives. She escorts Antonio during his gift ceremony, even though it is traditionally a journey taken alone. During his after-party, Mirabel crashes the festivities with unconfirmed claims of cracks in their house. It probably seems to Isabela that Mirabel is just throwing a childish tantrum to ruin the celebration of a new gift, especially after Abuela reassures everyone of their safety.
As if Isabela doesn’t already have enough reason to resent her, Mirabel continues about her business undeterred and perhaps with even more malicious intent. What is supposed to be a charming dinner with the Guzmans turns into a disaster further worsened by Mirabel’s overcompensation. Considering Mirabel’s actions with as little context as Isabela had and assuming their childhood followed the same pattern, it’s fair to conclude that Isabela may have deserved the apology she wanted… at least, just a little.
To reexamine Isabela’s behavior, Encanto is now streaming on Disney+.
About The Author