The Psychology of a Perfectionist - Encanto: What ELSE Could Isabela Do - Therapist Reacts!

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Psychotherapist Georgia Dow delves into the psyche of a perfectionist in Isabela from "Encanto!"
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[@GeorgiaDow]

🔥 NO ADS! CuriosityStream & Nebula for less than $15 a YEAR! www.curiositystream.com/georgiadow 🙌 More Encanto Videos: kzbin.info/aero/PL3I0HsOf9M_SaOaa8HrLlKUtkcgiYNmjv 🤔 What should I react to next ??

[@NDJunction]

i appreciate your hard work and GORGEOUS character representations/lighting in these vids. you're calming, informative, and make us feel like we're speaking to a humble & very intelligent friend ^_^ all of the love for Georgia-Chan

[@nicnuyster18AS]

recently i started watching anime and some of them made a mark in my memory. They all different and very special in some way or another. 1) Sword Art online (1 of the greatest and most watched anime of all time, basic and lovely and thrilling, have a lot of fighting scences) (about 4 seasons but the 1st one is a must, other 3 ok). 2) Great pretender (unexpected, fast, emmotional (kinda dark), characters have strong principles) (1 season) 3) 86 (dark, war, slavery, death, moral choices, mechs, racism, trama , a lot of deep sad dialogs) (2 season). 4) Faraway paladin (Family values, kindness in cruel world, loss, adulthood ) (1 season). These are not particular anime tags, these are just my list of "tags" that you can review and talk as a therapist. Thx for the attention and sorry for mistakes, english isn't my native language.

[@grimm516]

I agree with danger qd and what they said and for something to react to you could have a look at agent Carter, the expense, troll Hunter, how to train your dragon? Food for thought.

[@dragondestroyer8465]

Is there any chance you’d be able to react to Dimitri from Fire Emblem Three Houses? His story is the best of the main three characters in my opinion, and it’d be cool to see what your thoughts are on his story

[@Motaki666]

Maybe Ciri from the witcher?

[@faemonae]

I always find it interesting that Isabela explicitly states "Abuela was happy" and "The family was happy" but never once does she say "I was happy"

[@GeorgiaDow]

very true =))

[@cattiefogelsong6399]

Isabela’s misery is more subtle, she is better at hiding it and I think that is part of why Mirabel is less empathetic. Everything with Isabela is less obvious.

[@malloryspinz]

This hit hard

[@jeanettecarnell8933]

She unconsienly hit her would be husband in the nose,not once, but twice.

[@radishmiri3137]

Also when they sing We Don't Talk About Bruno, everybody is sad because what Bruno told them became true but Isabela's problem was the opposite, that the vision about her didn't happen yet ("He told me that the life of my dreams would be promised and someday be mine")

[@ursulajoni15]

in the scene in isabella's room where she's talking about how things were "perfect" she doesn't talk about her or Mariano or really any of the things you would expect somebody could talk about in regards to their engagement instead she talks about how Abuela was happy i'm not sure if i would call it foreshadowing given she makes the reveal very shortly afterward but it IS a really clever subtle character moment

[@EtamirTheDemiDeer]

“Abuela was happy! The family was happy!”

[@wtimmins]

@@EtamirTheDemiDeer Yeah, that really stuck out for me.

[@JangoMango007]

Also her smile as Mariano is proposing isn’t one Id exactly call happy

[@zthehuman7051]

@@JangoMango007 yeah her smile reminded me of mirabels smile in the beginning where the guy who grew a gut was talking about “the not special special”

[@tsharabrown3719]

Yeah. Even on the first viewing I noticed she never said "I was happy."

[@odile8701]

You know what I never caught that just made me really sad? When Isabela first gets the colors on her dress, she kinda freezes for a moment, glancing instinctively at Mirabel for approval. Which Mirabel instantly grants, and you see Isabela relax and play, getting herself fully covered. Mirabel even helping, kicking the colors all over her as she dances. As soon as Abuela shows up, and her disapproval is obvious, what’s the first thing Isabel does? Tries to brush the colors off. But she can’t, so she slinks away to hide 😕 I never noticed her trying so desperately to clean herself off and shed her new vibrancy

[@GeorgiaDow]

wonderful catch

[@cattiefogelsong6399]

It is so sad to see Isabela and Luisa cower while Mirabel confronts Abuela.

[@darkdragoness5]

In the ending song with the three sisters are interacting, you can see Luisa relax as she sees how Isabella is comfortable showing off her true feelings, especially as Isabella accepts her true feelings. Isabella then shows off more of her true self seeing that Luisa is comfortable being herself. All three sisters bond over being comfortable enough to be themselves with each other, because their sisters are being comfortable with them.

[@user-ft3fj3kh8r]

​@@darkdragoness5 Most likley why i love Mirabel and Isabellas bond. I love that Mirabel aproved of the colors staining Isabella.

[@BobbyK19]

I love how when Mirabel sings “you just seem like your life’s been a dream since the moment you opened your eyes” she’s singing in Isabella’s melody from We Don’t Talk About Bruno. It’s like she’s talking to her in her own language, like she’s finally seeing how she’s struggling and then right after that they take each other’s hand and go up to the sky.

[@valkyrie-randgris]

Yesssss!! I noticed this as well! It's super interesting that Mirabel in this scene, as well as Isabella and Dolores in "We don't talk about Bruno" share that bit of melody! I'm not a music person, but surely that has to be intentional!

[@MichaelBurhans]

@@valkyrie-randgris Nothing Lin Manuel-Miranda does is by accident. The man is a master of layers within layers, within layers both musically and lyrically.

[@battywingz]

Yeah not only the same melody but extremely similar lyrics Isabella says "he told me that the life of my dreams would be promised and someday be mine" Mirabel finally realises that the 'dream life' she imagined is different from what Isa wants

[@Arogrocks]

Another thing to notice in this part(at least what I interpreted) is that at the beginning of the song, Mirabel is trying to hug Isabella just to save the miracle, not because she wants to hug her. However, when she sings about seeing her sister rise and they both rise together, she doesn't go for a hug, but opens her arms outward to let her sister free to express herself. She isn't even looking for that hug anymore and forgets about it until Isabella initiates the hug.

[@Tobi-ss4vw]

Yeah

[@Nuadin]

The cool thing about Isabela's voice is they have her sing like a Disney princess: very soft and light. During her song it keeps building with Mirabel's encouragement until the end of the song where Isabela belts out the last note, something a Disney princess voice wouldn't do. It really shows her character arc through song.

[@GeorgiaDow]

oh wow that is great

[@mitsunitaiko1742]

I think Mirabel is jealous of Isabela because it looks to her like she's living in a dream And I think Isabela is jealous of Mirabel because as the one with no gift, she doesn't have to force a role on herself

[@Nuadin]

Mirabel is free in her eyes. I also think she's afraid that Mirabel could crack her facade because that's just who Mirabel is... genuine.

[@DeathKitta]

Yeah she thinks Isa is just natural in her perfection and doesnt struggle at all. Until we find out that even those graceful perfect poses were practiced by her to later look natural.

[@idk27212]

Nah, I don't think she's jealous at all. Rather fed up, done, and annoyed.

[@palitodequeso9824]

Maybe Mirabel is jealous, but not because of her "dreamy life" but because Isabella always had all the support, favoritism, acceptance and love from abuela, and that was Mirabel really wanted (it shows when she sang around abuela in "Miracle"))

[@CearaIvory]

Mirabel kind of had to learn what was causing the miracle to die. This told her. No one was really happy. It was all a lie.

[@Shadow1Yaz]

I also noticed that when Isabella noted that Mariano was hurt she said, "Mariano's face looks like a smashed papaya!" She didn't call him her "fiancee" or "boyfriend." I find when someone hurts people we love, when we confront them, we remind them of that person's relationship to us. I remember in Avatar: the Last Airbender when Aang burned Katara, Sokka yelled, "You hurt my sister!" and I've seen it in real life too where people I know say things like that. So even more insight that she wasn't into him at all

[@theantagonist2589]

Yeah, it's a way to say "It's personal now".

[@Shadow1Yaz]

@@theantagonist2589 Yes, exactly!!

[@slipperytummy5532]

Also the concern being on Mariano's face in that line- the perfect image is ruined, not necessarily showing concern about his pain

[@The_SinisterMister]

I found it interesting how, originally, all of Bruno's prophecies in his song for everyone were ominous and terrible, except Isabela. At the time, we as the audience just kind of roll our eyes and think to ourselves "of COURSE miss perfect is the only one to get a positive prophecy from the movies' boogeyman." Then, later on we find out that that's the last thing that she wants, and that her life is a carefully curated golden birdcage and that being told it would continue forever was just as upsetting to her as his prophecies to everyone else were perceived to be for them.

[@karanhdream]

It could also be that he saw her struggle and his prophecy was about her getting her freedom? So the prophecy would still positive but formulated in a way only she could understand.

[@kaleite6857]

Actually if you hear it right her prophecy is positive and foreshadowing "He told me that the life of my dreams would be promised and /SOMEDAY/ be mine" implying she isn't living how she wants currently but maybe she could in the future. Which in the end turns out to be true, she could finally be free of expectations

[@ivanamendez478]

@@kaleite6857 exactly! And the part about her power growing, which also happens as she makes trees and cacti grow which she didn't do before

[@starscream319]

@@kaleite6857 Yes indeed, the wording of Bruno's prophecies is super specific

[@Who-Am-I...]

@@kaleite6857 he also described her power as growing "like the grapes that thrive on the vine". He could of said her power would bloom like a rose or pretty flower. But, no, he specifically mentioned grapes and vines, the kind of imperfect, but still wonderful things she grows during her song.

[@brammclaughlin5718]

I love the metaphor of Isabella's flower magic being a type of artwork. She had gotten so used to creating art for the sake of the town and as a job that it had lost any of the joy it had for her, and creating the cactus is like a flash of artistic freedom where she rediscovers the joy of creating something because she wants to

[@GeorgiaDow]

thanks yes

[@CallmeOzymandias]

This, absolutely.

[@xenkk0o]

PERFECT DESCRIPTION

[@ahstiasummers5583]

I compared her to any artist that makes it big and becomes well known. They started creating art for the joy of making art. For themselves and to make others happy. Then as they grew bigger, the public demanded ever more of a very specific type of art, with ever increasing pressure to make this project better than the last one, until the artist lost their joy in their work

[@Nuadin]

"And I'm fine, I am fine, I am fine, I am fine!" -Isabella "Why would anything be wrong? I'm totally fine, magic's fine, I'm totally not nervous." - Luisa "Hey, I'm still part of the family Madrigal and I'm fine, I am totally fine..." - Mirabel Spoiler: They're not fine.

[@deborahhoven8360]

At the same time that Isabel is singing "I'm fine" during the 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' song, Dolores is singing the same thing.

[@maelynnwolertz4398]

And Pepa trying to convince herself that she’s “fine” and doesn’t need bad weather…. Abuela telling the villagers everything is ok. Bruno talking like he’s ok, but he’s so rattled that he becomes extremely superstitious. Pure denial….

[@Nuadin]

@khymera915 well I think part of that "beating up" came from a place of envy, as Mirabel appeared to be free of those same pressures (but I'd argue she was affected by the same pressures just in a different way). Also you got me thinking, that after Mirabel didn't get a power, the pressures probably increased on her sisters which may have caused animosity from Isabella as a result. Also, another thing you got me thinking about, is everything Isabella did to Mirabel was a mirror of what she saw her grandma doing, "stay out of the way, don't cause trouble, etc." And it threatened perfection (toxic perfection). I'm hoping after Isabella let go of expectations she was able to be more free and grow with her sister, which I think is evident by their hug, something neither thought was possible.

[@playvoii4528]

Everyone in the family is in denial lol

[@ahstiasummers5583]

@@Nuadin Alma’s somewhat condescending treatment of Mirabel likely no verbally taught the others that it’s okay to blame her when things go wrong, even when it wasn’t Mirabel’s fault at all

[@starscream319]

I also really like the use of the word "embrace" in Bruno's vision of Mirabel and Isabela. Not hug. Embrace. It's very specific. I definitely think it's meant to be a double meaning saying Mirabel (and the family) have to embrace who Isabela really, fully is, imperfections and all, in order to heal. After all, it's been shown that paying attention to the specific wording Bruno uses when giving his prophecies is very important.

[@GeorgiaDow]

embrace good catch

[@venkat5051]

When they embraced, the cracks started to disappear and candle started glowing. But thanks to Abeula for destroying it again!

[@matityaloran9157]

@starscream319, that’s true about prophecies in general

[@eileensnow6153]

I like that Isabela is never actually shown to be perfect. She’s conceited, she’s dismissive, and she’s rude (mostly to Mirabel, but it shows in her other interactions too). But the family has assigned her the *role* of perfection, so everybody calls her the “perfect child”.

[@sydneysingh4244]

I’d argue that she isn’t conceited. She’s just stressed out about trying keep up that constant perfect image that Abuela has forced on her. Nothing she does is really selfish, it’s done to keep Abuela happy. It just comes across like that because this entire movie is from Mirabels point of view. And Mirabel sees Isabela as conceited and prissy, bc up until “What Else Can I Do” she doesn’t see the internal struggle Isabela has put up to keep everyone happy and maintain her perfect facade.

[@eileensnow6153]

@@sydneysingh4244 Very true, I just meant how she refers to herself as “perfect” (“I’ve been stuck being perfect my whole life”) comes across that way

[@sunshineyrainbows13]

Nah she's probably a darling to literally everyone but her sisters. Like real older sisters. -a middle sister.

[@eileensnow6153]

@@sunshineyrainbows13 That’s literally the point…I’m a little sister too btw, it’s not a wildly unique situation

[@palitodequeso9824]

She was the "golden child", so everyone passed through her rudeness

[@alexsond3015]

I never noticed that the flowers disappear when Abuela is yelling and being upset about Isabela's change. It's like she's hiding away this thing she was so proud to discover just because Abuela doesn't like it. :(

[@hekateryn]

There's a really quick moment with Isabella at the end of We Don't Talk About Bruno where everyone is dancing around Mirabel as she puts the prophecy together. You can see that she's distressed as the proposal is getting closer and closer, and she's stopped singing her prophecy and is just repeating "and I'm fine" over and over again. My heart breaks for her every time I see it and how painful it's gotta be to bury everything because bruno said she would get the life of her dreams so this must be it, regardless of how it's making her feel. And how terrible it is that what she thinks is the life of her dreams is to sacrifice herself and her happiness for what other people want.

[@sarahfreakinlynn]

Dolores also joined in!! Which is also foreshadowing for her wanting to be with Mariano

[@jaysenstoudt7610]

She also breaks her singing pattern from "perfect" the first time she sings her part with each word being distinct to them flowing together and her practically belting it. I had to watch the lyric video to catch the Dolores and Isabella "I'm fine" duo that Tybalt mentioned, but now when I sing the song I sing Isabella's part when they all overlap because it's so powerful and crazy to see the hint right there "in the open".

[@threenorns3]

if she's not happy, then it isn't the life of her dreams. the problem is she doesn't know what she wants - she only knows what she's told she wants. logic says if she was promised the "life of her dreams", then, if she's miserable, this isn't it.

[@ahstiasummers5583]

@@threenorns3 Isabela might've interpreted Bruno's prophecy to be "The life of Abuela's dreams", so it was just as foreboding an omen as everyone else's interpretations of their prophecies

[@thatHARVguy]

@@ahstiasummers5583 Ooo, nice catch. As others have said, the words in Bruno's prophecies are very specific. Embrace. Her dreams.

[@traeh1714]

LOVE the point about isabela being a caretaker and not a narcissist. More people need to realize everything she did was for the benefit of those around her (in her eyes), and to the detriment of herself. She’s extremely selfless!

[@TGY21133]

and she was willingly going to get married to someone she didnt even like just for her family

[@SarahBent]

I love the moment where she makes the colour powder from the plant and has a momentary panic - she looks at Mirabel who encourages her to do it again!

[@GeorgiaDow]

Yes good catch a wonderful moment

[@Smallpotato1965]

Are we ever going to address the elephant in the room? The bit where Abuela Alma is using her family as a mirror (kinda the way a narcissistic parent does, even though Abuela redeems herself the way a narcissist never could). Narcissistic parents will often take the child which reminds them of the things that they (secretly) dislike or fear about themselves and make them the Scapegoat of the family, and then take the child that most resembles the things the narcissist likes about themselves, or more probably, wants to be like, and that child becomes the Golden Child, to act as a mirror to the narcissist. As strange as it sounds, the Scapegoat has a better deal, because no matter how painful it is to be the Scapegoat, the Golden Child is not allowed to develop a personality, a personhood, away from the narcissist. Now, look at Abuela. She's the undisputable leader of her family and the community. The miracle of magic and centered around her, but she herself never gets a gift. We learn that she was once a happy young bride and mother, wife to a handsome, brave and kind man, who sacrificed himself for her and the children. So what does she do, in case of Isabela? Isabela, the grandchild that is the spitting image of young Abuela, has been picked at a young age to be the Golden Child, the child who is destined to have the perfect life Abuela never had. Abuela has even selected the handsome, brave and kind husband, who even looks a bit like her own Pedro, to be Isabela's husband, and rejoices, like her young self, in the idea of lots and lots of babies. The young Abuela, just after become a widow, had many fears, and many of the children and grandchildren's gifts reflected or addressed those fears. Abuela was deeply afraid of the future, to be causght out and be vulnerable, and see! Her son forsees the future and can warn the family! One daughter can heal the wounded and a granddaughter is stronger than an army of bandits. Another granddaughter can hear those bandits come from a mile away. But Isabela is, almost from birth, for Abuela, her Second Chance. A way to have her Perfect Life. Isabela's story is meaningless without pointing out WHY she 'has to be perfect all the time'.

[@Rose-jz6sx]

100% this

[@LavenderrLatte]

Good insight

[@morganmiller41]

Not gonna lie kinda want an assassin clan AU. Camillo undercover type ish.

[@lemonade_011]

As someone who’s 18 with npd, I’m trying to get help but as time and time goes again, I don’t think it’s worth living if I’m stuck being in a cycle like this, people who get affected by it aswell although I do believe I was raised by a narcissist too so I understand your point and your meaning. I’m honestly stuck but I just wish there was a pill that you could take to better yourself but life’s not easy like that lol 🤷🏻 This may of been a selfish rant or just a need to talk to someone idk …. But yeah I agree with your points and they definitely remind me of someone who raised me and I do understand Isabella’s feelings to a degree.

[@damaskito]

Abuela is not the villain. 🙄 Isabella did this to herself. That's why she healed herself by herself.

[@EroticInferno]

Wait, did you just say that cactus, that has a visible flower on top, is all barbs? No, no, it has barbs to protect itself, yes, but it’s also beautiful in a unique and asymmetrical sort of way. That’s the point, that beauty doesn’t have to be forced into a rigid mold of symmetrical expectations, but can exist and thrive in the raw reality of life. Isabella’s entire song is about “what can I do if I just do without thinking about how it might be perceived by others” and the result? That she’s still beautiful and inspiring as her true self.

[@daemondoodles]

^^^ I was thinking this too

[@elle0024]

That was beautifully put!

[@Zhishan929]

Roses have thorns too! It’s just cactus have bigger thorns. Both beautiful.

[@johniversen1539]

I love how you said that.

[@BrokenDarkFire]

Agreed! And that feels relevant because one of the first “new” outfits we see her wear after the revelation is this all-black goth-y dress, and it looks like a similar feminine silhouette as her previous dresses but she looks grungier and messier, like she’s finding an effective way to express her personal aesthetics.

[@clury9477]

I love how Georgia dresses up as the characters. Just shows how much she cares and how much thought she puts into these videos

[@GeorgiaDow]

hehe its is also just such fun

[@elbruces]

It's kind of the schtick of this whole channel, and I am 100% here for it.

[@-_minx_-6834]

@@GeorgiaDow my favorite costume was the jinx and pepa outfits

[@TechBearSeattle]

Up until this song, most of the things Isobella creates are pink. As the question "what else can I do" settles in, she does red, then the mural explodes into blue, and then many other colors. Pink and pastels seems to be her perception of perfection, and suddenly she is realizing that she CAN be excited, angry, sad, creative, and all the other bold colors of emotions she has had to keep bottled up. (Start around 10:00.) It is really, really well done.

[@StonedHunter]

That is an amazing detail to notice.

[@stellasdoesstuff]

Pink isn't just the "perfect" color -- pink is Abuela's color. All the adults have a color: Abuela is pink, Pepa is yellow, Bruno is green, and and Julietta is blue. For the Pepa and Julietta, their husbands and children have the same main color as them... Except Isabella, who wears a purple/pink-ish color, closest to Abuela. That is, until What Else Can I Do, when the base color of her dress becomes a deep blue

[@TechBearSeattle]

@@stellasdoesstuff -- Oo, nice catch!

[@threenorns3]

pink and pastel are "safe" colours - the colours of oblivious innocence. they're the colours we decorate the nursery with and dress our little children in. think about it: when our kids hit the tweens and start to buck for independence, what is the colour they gravitate to? black. the absence of colour. it's so prevalent that it's almost a joke. isabella just drifts through life doing as she told, following her expectations - just like everybody else except mirabel, who keeps asking "but why????" and has all the colours in her clothes.

[@RhantheSlayer]

There was a comment I saw somewhere about when Isabella makes that grand display at the beginning of the film ("Did someone say, 'flowers'?"), it's possible that when she did that, it wasn't to show off, but to calm down Pepa when she was making a mini-tornado. However, like Mirabel, we misunderstand the display and see it as her just showing off how perfect she is

[@cattiefogelsong6399]

I like this idea. She swung down infront of Pepa, handed her a buquet and said it was nothing. Trying to make her feel better?

[@abluesapphire1352]

I honestly like this idea. An opportunity to please the crowd, make them happy AND comfort her aunt? Sounds amazing! She even used a soothing voice which in a way can be mistaken for some other tone that makes her sound too proud, like she’s showing off.

[@devinspencer1678]

@@abluesapphire1352 It could also have been something of a performance, to take the attention and pressure off Pepa. After that grand display, everyone went about their business, and Felix gently lead Pepa upstairs.

[@hawklegs6940]

I always thought it was interesting how Pepa was the one who was expected to mask, but was bad at it, so a lot of people's attention was turned to manage her, while Isabella could mask her emotions well, so she's looked to as a stabilizing or admirable figure like Luisa. Then it becomes this dynamic where Pepa can show her irritation at being "managed" but Isabella has to pretend that everything's fine for her.

[@nataliesquire969]

1:54 if you look at Dolores’ expression after she says “he wants five babies” she kind of smirks and then continues eating. That smug look on her face after she says that makes me think she just made that up to mess with Isabela since she’s in love with Mariano. Also him randomly saying he wants five kids in that moment wouldn’t really make sense loll

[@Despoina-jk2bp]

I thought this too

[@sydneysingh4244]

It looked more like an expression of disappointment. Knowing Mariano (how quickly he wanted to marry Dolores), he probably did want five babies. Dolores just looks like the picture of disappointment and jealousy.

[@LJMC80]

Think you missed Isabela's expression there, its not excited its...slightly disgusted, slightly consigned, and quickly changed to a smile when Abuela is looking. Also the always pink Isabela produces one white flower, which Abuela quickly plucks away.

[@Annie-wy5mc]

Dolores probably did that cuz she's jealous

[@cheshiretiger5698]

Being called 'Selfish' sets her off. Thats so far out of line to her that she has to argue, even when she was sk dismissive to everything else Mirabelle was saying till that point

[@inkubator320]

I don’t think she was selfish but she definitely was terrible to mirabel

[@sydneysingh4244]

I love the point about Isabela being more like a caretaker than a narcissist. Yes, she’s rude to Mirabel, but when you think about it, she was just trying to protect her. The whole thing with Mariano was Isa trying to appease Abuela and keep her from taking out her anger on Mirabel. Her telling Mirabel to stay quiet and out of the way is rude for sure, but I think that was her way of trying to warn her. Trying to tell her that if she went too far, there’s no telling what Abuela could do. Her putting up that grand flower display when Pepa was creating a tornado, was her trying to calm Pepa down. Isabela knew she was the only one who could keep everyone happy without risking Abuelas anger.

[@geetha92533]

I agree. But I also think the rude tone stems from 1. a little bit of jealousy that mirabel is the “free” younger sister while she’s stuck with “important work” to do and the added irritation that 2. mirabel the little sibling is likely to unhelpfully “be helpful” & make a mess of it. The whole family seems to be asking mirabel to stay out of the way, so it’s probably happened often. Isabella will keep doing the right things but, as an older sibling I know that irritated feeling. It’s like when your mom gives you all the laundry to fold and you don’t love it but your doing it, and you see your little brother messing around (irritating) and then he jumps into your pile (More irritating).

[@ahstiasummers5583]

@@geetha92533 Also, the more your siblings mess up the more pressure is put on you to be perfect to compensate their mistakes. Think of when younger sibling makes mistakes, and then later on parents tells the older kid "Be better than (sibling's name) and learn from their mistakes." Puts the pressure on the older one to be more well behaved while they also get upset at their younger sibling for their parents' actions

[@deidarinhakun]

Funny how Isabella, Mirabel and Luisa are trying to be perfect all the time. But we also have "Tia Pepa" who can't hide her flaws.

[@bluebird1914]

Honestly Pepa strikes me as someone who when she was younger was shoved into the same role as her nieces, but that overwhelming stress caused her to become well, Pepa. If Mirabel had never intervened, her sisters would've ended up like Pepa or maybe worse. Luisa probably would've gone down a self-hatred spiral, and Isabella probably would've developed depression.

[@silverroxen2954]

I would love for someone to talk about Tia Pepa, as someone with a (severe) anxiety disorder I instantly related to her.

[@xxcallmeniaxx3272]

Well to be fair she is trying to be perfect the whole movie but she has been keeping her emotions inside for 50 years so she's is cracking naturally

[@TechBearSeattle]

@@silverroxen2954 - Pepa literally wears her emotions out in the open. Imagine the intense, intense pressure of having to be happy and joyful all the damned time, and the anxiety spiral that a bad mood might ruin the harvest or worse.

[@silverroxen2954]

@@TechBearSeattle Yes having to change how you're feeling to appeal to others. Now I see that there's a video up about her now.

[@m.b.6402]

It's not necessarily that Mirabel is stronger than Isabella. Mirabel has nothing to lose, and everything to gain: she's the imperfect one, the younger one, the outcast, trying to win a round. Isabel has everything to lose and nothing (obvious to her) to gain: she's been perfect because she feels she has to--that it's the price of approval and love in her family. (And that's also part of the problem between her and Mirabel: classic older sib who is frustrated that she followed all the rules and she tried to meet all the demands--and the youngster gets off easy, breaks all the rules, rebels, is forgiven over and over and over again.) Isabel's going to need reassurance to break free.

[@gudinesangelicau]

as an older sibling figure, Isabella spoke to me. And also as an only child, Mirabel also spoke to me too. I just feel sad that so many of us has still this generational traumas, and never getting the happy ending that Encanto had.

[@chemistrytube6300]

How mirabel gets off easy, she was literally the scapegoat, Isabella is the one who had it easier

[@josegar30]

I love that look isebella gave mirebell when the flower powder happened. Like “this is a mess, is this still okay?” And mirebell look of determination to isebella like “yeah make more of it” like the approval she needed from a source that she thought would never come from, her sister that she mistreated for so long

[@sergeantwaffles710]

I don't know if it's intentional or not, but I had dresses like her and it was so ITCHY and uncomfortable. Maybe I'm reading into it too much but I like to think it's many of the things she endured just so she could look perfect Also, theres this show called Euphoria and though it's super SPG, there's tons of complex characters and a lot of their issues can be tied to their trauma. It would be cool to read the characters based on their facial expressions too, especially since a lot of the actors are oscar worthy

[@lonniegabbie]

I dont watch Euphoria but from the internet I know that the character Cassie wakes up at 4am to get ready/do her makeup before school which is…wow

[@Dontknowanymore32]

@alondra g. I went to high school with girls like that in the 90s. I am like, you wake up at what time!? I wake up 15 minutes before it's time to leave the house and still get to school on time, lol.

[@carlotzin56]

I like the part of the song where Mirabel tells Isabela that she thought "her life was a dream since the moment she open her eyes" and Isabela answers "How far does this roots go down" as if saying "how far has this lie gone".

[@GeorgiaDow]

yes =)

[@Nurichiri]

The "her life was a dream" part was also the same melody that Isabela herself sang in WDTAB, mirroring the perception Isabela had given, but the tune changes to match Isabela's once Mirabel realized and accepted who Isabela really was.

[@gabrieldelacruz289]

I’ve been thinking about the Mariano second flower hit scene and honestly that may have been more of a jab at Abuela. Clearly Abuela would have known who power this was and put the pieces together. It was her way of letting Abuela know this is who she is without having to be in her face since we can see she definitely shied away when it came to the physical confrontation.

[@valkyrie-randgris]

It was probably a little bit of that, but I feel like if that's all it was, they could have had, say, a wall of vines or flowers spring up between Abuela and Mariano + His Abuela to get her attention. (Would have pulled double duty as a sort of "Hey Abuela stop focusing on what the townsfolk think of us for a second, things are happening over here.")

[@hopper8514]

“You want a perfect golden child?! Fuck this shit, and fuck all your toxic pressure!”

[@venkat5051]

@@hopper8514 Lol

[@azue5895]

“Abuela was happy, the family was happy” she was saying everyone was happy except her

[@nellfromhell7192]

Also equating abuelas opinion with the entire family's opinion

[@TheNoteblockLizard]

Oh wow .... No wonder I gravitate towards, and relate with, Isabela. I couldn't figure out why, but as I listened to you talking about her and breaking her down, it felt like you were talking about the person I used to be my entire life up until 4 years ago. There were a lot of things I had to hide to keep my family happy, but one of them was that my parents refused to let me have very colourful hearing aids because "it would make the other kids make fun of [me] when they noticed" or "no one is going to employ someone who has that colour in their ears." I still struggle some days with some of the expectations of how I should act or what I should like that my parents impressed upon me. It took finally moving out to start to feel more free and be okay with my flaws. Thank you so much. I didn't realize I needed this video, and it has helped clear up a lot for me.

[@Kittycat-fv9tk]

My mother was a big factor when I was really young because she was competitive and I naturally followed her actions, my father focused on school and education and said as long as we tried he'd be happy but would never accept the results unless they were B's or higher and messed me up when I was a teenager. Well they definitely did something wrong because the eldest sister was suicidal (got therapy, is much better now), the middle sister is anti-social and never gets out of her house, and I, the youngest of the three, am depressed and losing motivation. They got three chances and botched all of them. Then they'd say "well there are people who have less than you and are suffering more". Parents. They are 9/10 times gonna mess it up. I know they're human too, but it's extremely frustrating, and a very bad sign, to look back on childhood and slowly realize how horrible it was.

[@dragletsofmakara1120]

Colorful hearing aids would be awesome. One day at work, I waved over a coworker to help me lift something. I knew his face, but he worked in another area so we had never interacted. I told him what I needed help with, and then he turned ON his hearing aid. I was shocked and felt bad that I didn’t know. Plus I had to repeat everything. Since then, we have had several conversations. And I always greet him in sign language. Having a visible hearing aid could’ve made the initial meeting much less awkward. Yes, kids can be cruel. So can adults. But if you are happy with your hearing aid, wear it proudly. Fashion and functionality.

[@dragletsofmakara1120]

Omg! I just looked at your name. I just subscribed to you a few weeks ago. Your videos are awesome! I’ve rewatched the Encanto ones several times just to catch the details you put in. Beautiful!

[@loubna2579]

But what did you do to stop being perfectionist? I struggle with perfectionnism a lot

[@peggyschuyler4741]

@@loubna2579 If you still can’t do it for yourself, because as someone like this I couldn’t do it for myself, people will like you more the more you’re a true person. I’m still having difficulty but I’m getting better with perfection

[@RedK5]

"Isabela's actually a caretaker." The fact that I spent most of this movie hating her that I didn't believe her quick turnaround to being nice all of a sudden. Thanks. I also tend to put others first but that also include feelings. I don't like hurting other people feelings

[@playvoii4528]

Why are a lot of people hating on Isabela? I thought everybody knows who really Isabela is because of her song

[@RedK5]

@@playvoii4528 that was before her song though. I didn’t hate her after. Not trusting her quick turnaround doesn’t mean I still hated her after the movie

[@ChasehaWing]

When I talked to my sister about Isabella, I wondered out loud when was the last time she was allowed to just play. Because when she is doing her number, and especially once she starts throwing all the colours all over herself, she is having a ball. She goes completely overboard and I think it's because she's been repressed for so long. If she's been playing "perfect" for as long as she got her door, the last time she probably played/ had any real fun, was probably when she was five years old. And that's just heart breaking...

[@NaviNeku24]

I keep saying that she never got her emo teen phase.

[@manycoloredshiny]

"Don't ever mess up or even do anything unexpected, because it will make the family anxious." Ok, but that's kind of stressf- "Oh, and don't ever show that you're stressed or unhappy about it either, because that will also make the family anxious." Um, ok... I didn't have Isa's looks or grace (or the power to summon bouquets and ornamental tarzan vines from the void) but I was assigned her role. Funny thing is, I fervently HATED her right up until that cactus popped out of the floor. I wonder how many other assigned golden children also loathe golden children and themselves!

[@sildarmillion]

I think Isabela does have a little bit of a self-centered streak (like how she ignores Mirabel for 2/3 of the song), but not too too much. Like, it's understandable why she's so self-focused - she just discovered a new more liberating side to herself. And then when she starts paying attention to Mirabel, they start to get close and repair their relationship.

[@kellyrawhouser5219]

I think it's interesting that generally people notice that Isabela ignored Mirabel, but look at Mira, she's literally on a one track thought. "Oh wow what a huge secret you just shared! Okay time to hug so I can move on!" Mirabel needed to start listening too, they both start to listen to each other around the same time and that's when the relationship starts to mend.

[@sildarmillion]

@@kellyrawhouser5219 That’s a great point! It’s when Mirabel also confesses that this whole time I thought your life was perfect and she encourages Isabela to be herself - that’s when Isabela also embraces her and they truly start to get along.

[@playvoii4528]

@@kellyrawhouser5219 That is true, the family are scared of sharing their problems, thats why the casita is cracking because it represents their emotion like look at Luisa, she don't want to breakdown in front of mirabel because she thinks it makes her look weak but she knows she needs it then her door starts acting goofy

[@planclops]

I remember being closeted and having to not only play “straight” but play it perfectly, being the perfect child. Isabela caught me off guard with how it depicted repression and how that can feed maladaptive behaviors. I still have some perfectionist tendencies, but I am happy with how much I’ve learned to accept myself and embracing my faults.

[@mc2383]

The main reason I admire and can easily relate to the LGBTQ movement ( as a straight person) is their drive, resilience, and fight to just be themselves.

[@jandex4838]

@@mc2383 Ah, just a friendly warning, from someone who kinda is the part of the scene, but not really, just like all folks, while ideology is admirable, please look at the people making up the movement, and don't mind the warts, no matter how well executed the attempt to hide them. As the song states, we, none of us, are perfect, not in our thoughts, not in our behavior, not in our ideologies. And that is OK.

[@mc2383]

@@jandex4838 Gotcha, I just stated the most prominent line from the pro side of my pros and cons list regarding the movement.

[@Sunny00002]

Same. I'm not cis, strqight or religious like my family and if i come out i feel like they are going to hate me because i'm not what they expected and when i was a child i used to follow others people's orders to fufill their expectations of me and didn't think twice of doing it and didn't knew to recognize my emotions neither. Like one time a girl behind me wanted to pass her a paper to help her cheat and my naive me decided to do it like i was a robot that followed others blindly and that's probably why it took me so much time to know who i really am.

[@planclops]

@@Sunny00002 This comment hits so hard 😅 I was right there with you way back when.

[@charlesthompson8743]

I think that since Isabella resembles Abuella Alma when was she was young, and Mariano resembles Abuello Pedro when he was alive. Abuella may be trying to live vicariously through Isabella since she didn’t get to grow old with Abuello Pedro. So she was placing all this pressure to be perfect on Isabella. Also, Bruno’s vision of Mirabel embracing Isabella to fix the family also could have meant she also needed to repair the relationship with Abuella too since young Abuella and Isabella resemble each other. Just a thought.

[@thenarrator6846]

17:18 I love the detail of Isabella trying to wipe the colors off her dress. It shows that she's still trying to hide her true self but is now unable to.

[@Ubersupersloth]

A bit of clever subtext for the botanists watching Isabela’s song: The main two flowers Isabella grew under Abuela were Roses and Flores de Mayo. Both of those plants have been carefully cultivated to be externally beautiful at the expense of their health. In contrast, all the other plants mentioned in the song are mostly still natural while still being appreciated due to things like having unique characteristics or ecological importance. It’s LITERALLY a song about how it’s better to be unique and in your place in the world as opposed to focusing on being pretty all the time.

[@mbfrank7997]

I have a theory that Delores lied about the number of children Mariano wanted. If you look at her face as she told Else the news that is a little victory she scored on her cousin.

[@sierralovat5498]

That was sort of confirmed by the director i think

[@mbfrank7997]

@@sierralovat5498 I will have to look at that, I have some other theories on the family interactions as well.

[@playvoii4528]

Lmao true

[@shineecrystal]

Isabella is the opposite of me. My mom had so many expectations when i was born, since i was her first child and her first girl. She sees the world in an old fashioned way, so everything i did (my clothes, my likes, my music, literally everything), she hated it. She was very abusive verbally with me because of this. So instead of trying to be perfect, i expect people to dislike me...

[@od3910]

It's like the other side of the same coin. I'm sorry your mum treated you like that. Children are there own people, they have no obligation to reflect any of their parents' wishes. I hope you know that you have worth in just being you

[@shineecrystal]

@@od3910 Thank you so much for your comment. I'm still recovering but i think i'm doing good :)!

[@maelynnwolertz4398]

It is weird when you find that people can like you for being you. Like someone else says about other side of the coin: you started with cactus and Isabella learned she could handle cactus! Whether or not anyone approves-what feels right, what feels real, what feels YOU? Overall everyone in the movie has to learn how to be genuine/imperfect and be ok with that. And…the peeps expecting perfection learn they need a chill pill. Be the version of you that *you* admire & believe to be true-not anyone else’s. Everyone else has opinions and many of them are contradictory! So the people to gather around are the ones who are ok with who you *are.*

[@camilleroblin5005]

You don't have to meet your mother's expectations. Like you, I'm the eldest and I've never been the perfect girl for my mother, understand: to dress like a princess, to like trendy music, to prefer reading instead of going to parties... She has finally understood I would never be that girl and that my imperfect self is as lovable as the daughter of her dreams. I hope you and your mother will get along better. And if not, that you will still be happy.

[@shineecrystal]

@@camilleroblin5005 Thank you for sharing your experience 🙏🏻

[@Stella-km1oq]

I actually had a relationship similar to Isabella and Mirabelle with my cousin minus the entire reconciliation arc. I’m widely considered in my family as the talented one, the perfect child and people kept comparing my cousin to me. I didn’t understand as a child that for every time I did something right, my cousin would suffer from not being able to follow my rythme. I was too afraid of mistakes and failing to meet up to expectations. We had a fallout at one point and she told me to my face “you know I hate people like you. People who have it so easy it sickens me”. Considering I grew up with her and considered her my sister it hurt to be told that and I tried to show her that I wasn’t as perfect as she thought, that she didn’t need to compare herself to the me that ppl saw because that perfection didn’t exist. But then she took my vulnerability and turned it against me. I’m glad that Isabella and Mirabelle could make up because that’s impossible for me and it sucks to lose someone when all you wanted was not to disappoint anyone

[@BGTitanAvatar]

Throughout the entire movie every time the engagement or her would be fiancé are brought up, Isa has the fakest most pained smile on her face. Especially during the proposal attempt, the smile is so forced it looks painful. When Dolores says that Mariano wants five babies flowers pop up in her hair, all pink except for one white one that Abuela casually removes from Isa because it’s out of place. And then Isa looks so uncomfortable as Abuela continues to talk about it. I’m so glad you mentioned Isa’s look when Abuela shows up after her big song. As soon as she and Mirabel sit up Isa’s smile is gone and her eyes flick down to her powder covered dress because she’s so concerned about her grandmother’s reaction. It’s insane the amount of small little details this movie has because it can’t spend an exceptional amount of time on anyone outside of Mirabel so they have to have all these quick little things that most people are going to overlook because we’re so firmly in Mirabel’s perspective. I’m really looking forward to when/if you do Pepa because she’s one of the family members that I would have loved to have gotten a little more time with (outside of Camilo and others who actually got more focus).

[@Newfiecat]

I thought it was really clever how on first watch, it's easy to assume that Isabel's incredibly fake, painful smile during the proposal is just because Mirabel is messing it up. But on second watch it's so obvious that Isabel really, really doesn't WANT this proposal (although she also doesn't want Mirabel to mess it up, lol) Also really hoping there's a video on Pepa!

[@BGTitanAvatar]

Not to mention, there’s also the literal blink and you’ll miss it moment right before Mirabel sneaks into Bruno’s room. We see Abuela and Isa walking together and Abuela is like “it’s a perfect match everything is going to be perfect” and Isa basically repeats it. And another thing I forgot to mention in the OP was that in We Don’t Talk About Bruno, when everyone starts dancing around Mirabel singing their sections of the song, you can hear Isa singing “I’m fine” repeatedly with an expression on her face that I would not call “fine.”

[@lunabeekhuizen8858]

The one who prevented me from being in Isabela's place is my mother. She's famous in our neighbourhood for the quote: "When I grow old, don't let robots take care of me. I would hate that. They're never grumpy or impatient at all." She's the only one I ever heard openly admit she prefers it when something or someone is imperfect, and that's how I dared to show my flaws around her, and eventually others too.

[@houseofbehr9983]

"He told me that the life of my dreams would be promised and someday be mine" And now she's genuine and free This is the life of her dreams

[@GeorgiaDow]

Yes gave me chills

[@misstake1282]

so i know this is really subtle but did anyone else notice that when isabela is pretending to be perfect, she's the only one not wearing the colours of her side of the family ( example: pepa's side of the family all wear yellow and all of julieta's side of family wear blue) but at the very end of the film when isabela embraces being imperfect she's wearing blue. just a little thing to show that she's truly part of the family when she's being herself :)

[@iammatt3174]

fun fact in the book version tale of three sisters, its said that shes jealous of Mirabel for having no gift, meaning she doesnt have all that pressure on herself

[@GeorgiaDow]

I can see that also

[@snowblack2263]

Will you do Pepa next? I think she's THE family member that needs to see a doctor or therapist.

[@alondrita3107]

During the time Abuela plucked the white flower, you can see Isa's chest rise and fall back very quickly even while she is calmly smiling. Abuela made her anxious and stressed, there was so much fear.

[@belindaheleria1686]

Oh, je n'avais pas remarqué ! 😯

[@davidoneal6157]

Isabella... I was hoping you'd do one on her. She started the movie as almost a caricature. In many ways, the entire Family Madrigal did. But like the family, Isabella gave hints of something beneath the mask. Just enough to be interesting. Then, at the moment when Mariano was proposing to her, I looked at her face and said, "This is NOT the happiest moment in her life!" When the mask slipped, when she started being a person instead of perfect, was when she became interesting! In What Else Can I Do, there comes a point when Mirabel, who's been singing her own part during this song, finally realizes what's happening with Isabella and suddenly, the two of them are singing a duet as Mirabel gets behind her sister's transformation! During the song when she was kicking around the multi-colored pollen, it was probably the first time she'd gotten her perfect pink dress dirty and she was loving it! I've seen a few people finally open up like that and it's a rare delight! I'm glad you took a look at this beautifully realized character.

[@nosoynadaoriginal]

I love how when Mirabel calls her selfish she is so offended cause it's completely ridiculous to Isabella. How could SHE be called selfish when she is doing so much for the family

[@DandelionDream09]

It really hit hard... I saw myself in this a lot. My mother tried to explain to me that it's ok not to be perfect, but then I always saw what my brother did wrong and what trouble he made. So I tried to be "perfect". And my mother understood that I was angry and in a bad mood a lot, because I wanted things to go perfect... I actually still like having plans, but I do understand it doesn't have to work out perfectly. I'm still sometimes catching me being angry if it's not working out. Or doing things that I just do to make people around me happy. Breaking out of that pattern is really hard.

[@GeorgiaDow]

it is we are very attached to our habits they feel safe even if not

[@jaysenstoudt7610]

I haven't seen any content creators talk about this and was curious if it would show up in your video, but it didn't, so here's a theory I have. The adjectives that Isabella uses in "What Else Can I Do" are very negative. "What could I do if I just grew what I was feeling in the moment?" is then followed when she actually starts growing different things by "A HURRICANE of Jacarandas, STRANGLING figs, HANGING vines". I don't think those word choices are accidental, I think that's what she was "feeling in the moment". I think Isabella was depressed and possibly suicidal. I think hurricane is meant to represent how unsure she is about being herself and what that would do to the family. I think strangling is meant to show how trapped she feels and how she doesn't see a happy future for herself. And I think hanging shows what she thought the solution was. And I think these combined with her "And I'm fine" when she clearly isn't fine at the end of "We Don't Talk About Bruno" are all there to point to it without being overt, just like depression and suicide aren't always overt. But the next line "Palma de cera fills the air as I climb and I PUSH THROUGH" I think symbolizes that, with Mirabel's help in learning it's OK to stray from the path she's been told she should be on that she doesn't even want, she's able to push through that and start to find who it is she wants to be. Maybe I'm reading into it too far, but once I've pointed this out to others who watched the movie in my circles, they all agreed it was very likely so I figured I'd share.

[@naolucillerandom5280]

Wow. I don't know if it was intentional, but that interpretation makes it way darker... she would have been one of those people who people say "I don't get it, they had everything".

[@jaysenstoudt7610]

@@naolucillerandom5280 Yeah, it feels intentional, and that's exactly what I thought about.

[@fermio]

Well, shit. That actually make sense.

[@Jplays23]

Late to this, but I can imagine that being the first few thoughts in what would (if she had gone through with the marriage and everything) become the thoughts of escaping through suicide or something.

[@collardcow4183]

I really loved this video, Isabela was my favorite character in the movie, it was great to see her start to be true to herself and I thought the scene of her and Mirabel dancing on the roof spraying colors everywhere was really fun to watch, especially because I thought the colors were a great way to show that she didn’t want to have to be “perfect”, she just wanted to have fun :)

[@johniversen1539]

People who act perfect, and mask don't always do it for their own ego. When I learned to put up a mask, people looked down on our family because of me because I am autistic, and because the people outside our house looked down on me for being autistic, when I slipped up, and did something autistic, I would be corrected. It's like the mom in this movie taking off that white flower because it wasn't perfect. If we are not perfect, than society will, and will continue to correct us to be perfect unless they learn, and we learn that it is ok to be our true selves. Even the people who give autistic people counseling tell us to hide behind a mask to be accepted by the outside world, and to be just like everyone else so that we can be accepted.

[@leahtheanimationfan40]

Everything you just said describes my childhood. I'm on the autism spectrum and I always tried to be normal. I'm so good at acting that most people don't know I'm autistic. But it came at the expense of my energy and mental health, as I also have depression and anxiety. It wasn't until after I graduated high school, and wasn't in that rigid social environment, that I felt like I could fully embrace who I am.

[@johniversen1539]

@@leahtheanimationfan40 Thank you for your experience on this. It takes courage to be able to tell the world who you really are when your exitance defies what is accepted by society, but it is also the only way that we can teach the world to be more accepting of people like us. I am glad that you are free to embrace who you truly are, and that you are free from the social environment that held you captive trying to act perfect. I hope that one day I will be able to say the same, but for now, I need to hold up a mask because the people I live with are intolerant of people who are autistic, but one day I hope to take off my mask too.

[@johniversen1539]

@@leahtheanimationfan40 I also have other mental health problems as well. I don't know for sure what they are as I have been experiencing new things happen with my mind that I have not received a diagnostic for, but I will find out on the tenth when I see PDD.

[@leahtheanimationfan40]

@@johniversen1539 good luck with your appointment. It's important for everyone to be healthy, including mentally

[@johniversen1539]

@@leahtheanimationfan40 Yes it is, and thank you for wishing me good luck.

[@hiitscupid3504]

I think its interesting how isabela's gift is technically chlorokinesis, but because of her being the golden child, everyone just refers to her power as being perfect

[@amarilismelendez7878]

I saw myself a lot in Isabella. I tried to vouch for my brothers to have the same chance I got. But they often dismissed them and gave reasons on why not. I couldn't push them I just had the power to suggest but not make it happen. My siblings often resent me and I dont like to be pushed to grow and given a chance when my siblings are struggling. I was able to push them but the whole negativity my parents has placed on them made them lose the chance when I gave it and it kinda frustrated me too. But still its a fight that must go on. People don't stop growing physically but mentally and emotionally do. We are bound to fail. But there's a posibility to make it even if it takes a big 180. Things must be in motion.

[@kharnthebetrayer8251]

Something I always think of with perfection, is a quote from Fulgrim in warhammer 40k "Perfection is achieved, not when there's nothing left to add, but when there's nothing left to take away' He means it encouraging. That you don't get perfect by learning all the skills and perfecting everything. But by working on your flaws. But I always read it another way. That the only thing that can be perfect, is a perfect vacuum. Nothing, is the only thing that can be perfecg

[@Asami0303]

isabelas character was literally the opposite of what she seemed to be and i LOVED it so much. she automatically stood out to me because it seemed like she had something to hide and when i finally seen what she was hiding deep down i was drawn to her character more than any other. she’s flawed but she’s still a a great character and disney was bold with all the character growth in this movie!

[@romycaverly4087]

this was so accurate! I had never noticed abuela picking the imperfect flower from her hair and throwing it out. Thank you for another great analysis!

[@GeorgiaDow]

welcome =)

[@BrieyaSilverweb]

I noticed in her 'What else can I do?' song, a line no one seems to take heed to - 'They will let me be!' - Telling me she has no privacy or time for herself due to this 'perfection' idol set up.

[@Cheezbuckets]

Something I noticed that contributes to the divide between Isabela and Mirabel is their perception of “perfection.” To Mirabel, Isabela’s “perfection” is something natural and effortless, she just waltzes through life and everything is naturally perfect because it’s Isabela. For Isabela, “perfection” is something that takes work, constantly monitoring and suppressing her own emotions and desires, constantly keeping track of everyone’s expectations for her and adapting to fit them. And this goes into personal theory town, but I feel like this may contribute to why Isabela is resentful towards Mirabel. Of course, there is the element of Mirabel representing imperfection, a stumbling block in her “perfect” life, but also Mirabel has the option to not be perfect. Mirabel has no direct external expectations placed on her, and what does she do with that freedom? Get in the way trying to make Abuela happy. “If you weren’t always trying so hard, you wouldn’t get in the way,” could be interpreted as “You could be doing anything you want, and you chose to be here. Why are you choosing this and spitting on the freedom that I don’t even have?”

[@LookingForLoo]

Honestly I've always thought that the relationship between Isabela and Mirabel is one of the most interesting and also kinda tragic in the movie, given that they both seem to be manifestations of each other's desires and insecurities, which of course paired with the stress everyone is under just leads to animosity. Mirabel wishes she was perfect and had a great gift and everyone(but mostly Abuela's) attention and approval just like Isabela does, meanwhile Isabela wishes she could be imperfect and messy and her true self while out of the spotlight like Mirabel is. So they're already stressed out by their own situations, plus they're jealous of each other, which again just makes them both angry, and they don't have good outlets for that anger so they attack each other, and then on top of that yeah Isabela is probably subconciously trying to seek more of Abuela's approval by blaming Mirabel for everything just like Abuela does, which makes it all worse. It's such an interesting dynamic that perfectly shows how much the generational trauma in the family is hurting everyone, just so brilliant.

[@TiredHumanBeing]

Yes, it's really hard to be empathetic towards each other when you're pitted against each other, whether intentionally or not.

[@rachelroth3141]

'Anger is there as a protective emotion' ... OMG THANK YOU!!! so everytime someone tells you to not be angry, it could translate to: let down your guard. This explains SO much going on in my whole life

[@GeorgiaDow]

Welcome ! Happy I helped : )

[@M44Pumpkin]

Oh man. I was sympathetic to Isabella through the whole movie and genuinely happy for her freedom. I felt I related more to being scapegoated in the way Maribel and Bruno have been, but then looking back at my own familial disfunction I realize I'm a lot more like Isa. Everything you mention about the exhaust and pushing away of oneself to maintain that image reminded me.. and I wonder if it's not a pattern too,at times, for people who maintain that image to feel scapegoated on the inside even if on the outside everyone approves of the facade. I always related to characters that were "hated" in fiction even if I received positive attention in my family for performing because I knew my actual interests were going to only get me shame. And I didn't realize that familiar weight when I saw Isabella's character but I really feel for her now. It actually does horrible things for our self esteem not to be free and to feel our true self would be only negatively scruntized like that. Whew. Thanks for the analysis!

[@platinum_noelle]

I kinda wish the Madrigals had been given friends in the village, it would've been nice to see who they may have chosen to spend their spare time with, who would've ended up with protective friends that would've tried to get them to take it easy on themselves, if they'd have sought out friends who reinforce their image, etc.

[@vivvy_0]

then we would've had a different movie

[@bluebird1914]

As cool as that'd be, I think half the point of the movie is how Abuela put Soo much pressure on her family that they didn't really have time to develop interpersonal relationships. We even see how everyday they do chores right up until dinner, so they spend all day doing stuff for the town. Hell, Pepa and Julieta probably only got married because their husbands made the first move. Felix probably hung around Pepa because he liked her personality, and overtime got closer to her, and Agustin was probably a regular for Julieta's stand, and they got closer overtime.

[@ReyReylmao]

I would also like to point out that when she talks to mirabel about the proposal she never said "I was happy" she always said Abuela and The family not herself.

[@miapan.inc12]

I identify a lot with Isabella and I couldn't wait for this video!! Thank you for your amazing content !!!🥰🥰

[@ennasy7997]

isabela*

[@heidiveerle]

Me too!!

[@RawrWifMeNAOW11]

Something I JUST noticed yesterday in “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” when everyone is singing together and dancing around Mirabel as she’s piecing together the prophecy, Isabela is singing “And I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine” and you can see how anxious she is as well! I was surprised I hadn’t caught it before 😭

[@valeub25]

This one really hit close to home. I grew up with the pressure from my family to be the perfect child, the perfect student, the perfect everything. I grew up thinking nothing I did was good enough and it's honestly exhausting cause as you said, perfection is imposible. I felt so much joy while watching Isabella sing What else can I do while discovering her gift goes beyond making beautiful flowers. 💚🌺

[@KrisBailey]

I love these videos so much haha. Seeing the psychological depths of these fictional characters and how well they may apply to real world struggles just makes me appreciate the narrative so much more. 😄

[@GeorgiaDow]

Glad you like them!

[@wtimmins]

I don't think 'What Else Can I Do?' is as strong a song, technically, as some of the others, but the message and context is SO powerful. It's part of the wonderful themes of the burden and even torment of expectations.

[@Hel7100]

What you said about perfection making people discomfortable seems to apply to kindness, too. When someone is very kind and nice, frequently other people resent because she/he makes them look bad. It is easier to shun who makes you uncomfortable than trying to improve.

[@redhead0122]

as someone who identifies with this character I was so glad to see an actual good representation of this where the perfect one isn't the antagonist. a lot of movies just go with the perfect mean girl trope as the villain. After seeing some movie reactions + comment sections I was really disappointed that people still seem to not understand this struggle or maybe won't understand it because she is mean to Mirabel at the beginning. So I am really glad that you explained it so well. Hopefully it will open some eyes.

[@Katylou1230]

The worst lies we ever tell are the ones we tell ourselves. Like fitting into the role others make for us is okay for us when it hurts and crushes dreams.

[@unihorn458]

This song holds at lot of meaning to me and it's really my favorite from Encanto; I personally like to voice my thoughts and emotions through songs.. And I can relate a lot with both "What else can I do?" And "Waiting on a miracle" But talking about Isabela's song.. For me it's the representation of looking outside the box, an idea I like to follow frequently. I found out a lot of things about me through these last few years.. My favorite colour doesn't _have_ to be just one, I like a lot of colours. I don't _have_ to always hide when it's raining, I like to exercise and walk in it(safely). I don't _have_ to fit just as a bottom, I might actually be versatile. I don't _have_ to follow the stereotype of romantic relationships, if what I want is totally different that's also fine. I don't _have_ to study deeply only one subject, I can study more. Leaving a past relationship that wasn't working I realized that I didn't _have_ to stay with him just because we liked each other, there are other people out there. What could I do if I just knew I have other options? What could I do if I just knew it didn't need to be perfect, it just needed to be, and they let me be? This song voices perfectly this sentiment, I don't have to grow only flowers that other people expect from everyone, there are so many other options out there 🌱

[@nallash905]

That was a wonderful analysis. I haven't even watched the movie yet (thanks Disney+ for not being available in my country) but I really like how relatable and well-written the characters are. Also, your videos are helping me to view the world and people's emotions from a different perspective, and to understand feelings better, either mine or someone else's. So thank you very much for that. Keep improving the world

[@od3910]

Steal it

[@dianabialaskahansen2972]

I got the idea that Isabela was probably lesbian or LGBT+ in general. When she reveals her feelings to Mirabel and they sing the song, she explodes into all the colors of the rainbow. And being lesbian could very well be the secret she could never tell, especially not after seeing the family's treatment of Bruno who is also an outsider, thus she struggles to be who she is expected to be.

[@sierralovat5498]

Isabella reminded me to much of my sis. Isabella as the eldest and the first grandkid and golden child, had that latino (I'm latin) expectation to keep the family reputation up and be the sobresaliente (outstanding) child. That slowly kills the person inside and it was so cool to see that reflected in the movie, everyone had a reputation to keep up and a behavior to control, that is so typical in latin families. It was great to see that in the end its ok to let go, not be perfect or keep up some image. It was nice to see and finally get how someone who is "perfect" can have flaws and understand that it is ok.

[@ganseytheiiird]

This is such a lovely analysis of Isabella's character! Thanks to you, I feel like I have a deeper appreciation for her. There's so much about the "perfect" character archetype that isn't explored as well as it could be. Thank you for spending so much time to flesh out her character in this video!

[@GeorgiaDow]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@DavyEddyBenny]

After watching this movie many times it was in this video I just noticed how that bed of flowers started to vanish the moment Abuela enter the house, almost withering. Like Isabela was feeling like dying because she couldn't be herself anymore.

[@paularodriguez5200]

Isabella's power is to grow plants, not perfection. When Mirabel presents the family, she references Luisa's stregth and Isabella's perfection and beauty

[@inukaiya1509]

When you showed the family madrigal scene. I noticed that when Isabella saw her "boyfriend" she looked the other way and pretend she didn't see him. Instead of waving or smiling like most couples.

[@takkycat]

I noticed how Abuela goes on and how good Isabela's wedding will be for the miracle but never how it will be good for Isabela or even make her happy.

[@alfonczarnowski971]

I have recently started to not want to hang out with any friends and I didn’t really know why, but when you said the part about us sometimes not having the energy to put on the mask I realized that was exactly what I was feeling. I have always put on different acts for different groups of people and I’m tired of doing it. At least I know what I need to work on now.

[@emeraldsea28]

Can we also talk about how she lashes out at anyone who could trip her up and make her look imperfect? Like when she bumps into Mirabel, she’s trying so hard to keep up this facade that when she gets startled she yells at Mirabel. Was any harm done? No but it could have exposed a flaw in Isabel that she was working so hard to keep hidden.

[@GeorgiaDow]

well said

[@zoesumra9152]

I think also that Isabela is performing a rehearsed "perfect action" in those moments, particularly in the scene getting ready for Antonio's ceremony, and doesn't take account of Mirabel being in the way.

[@deenaprice1524]

Yay, I've been waiting for this one! What I really can't understand is why Mirabel, Isabela, and Luisa carry so much burden among the grandkids when they have 2 of the chillest parents in Julieta and Agustin. But Pepa, as stressed out as she is, her kids are more free to be themselves. They have way less pressure by a mile! How?!?!?!

[@bluebird1914]

I'd say it's probably to do with the parents. Yeah Agustin and Julieta are sweethearts, but think about it, Julieta's gift is healing. And it's implied that she gets up early every. Single. Day to make a mountain of food for the entire village AND her family. Hell, even though they're the same age Julieta is the only triplet with grey hair, showing just how stressed she actually is. Plus because of her gift, it's her natural response to try and remedy things. Such as how the second she notices Agustin hurt, she instantly heals him without a moments hesitation. Not to mention how not once does Julieta actually tell her mom to stop putting so much pressure on the family, it's always Agustin. And while he's slightly more confrontational than his wife, we still see him chopping wood and trying to help out which proves to always hurt him. Which shows us that while he does try to stand up to Abuela, ultimately he doesn't do it all the way for it to really mean something. So while they're both absolute sweeties, Julieta and Agustin have accidentally been setting an example since the time Isabella was born, that instead of doing what you want, you should be helping your family and thinking about them first, even if it hurts you. Which as we see, manifests itself in the three girls in different ways. Isabella is forced to be a perfect human being. Luisa feels like she cannot show any signs of weakness or struggle. Mirabel feels like she has to go the extra mile to just be accepted by her family. And then you look at Pepa and Felix who are the complete opposite. Pepa, probably due to previously being in the same role as Isabella, is just straight up unable to control her emotions. She is by default unfit for that perfect mold like her sister and nieces are. More so, unlike her sister we see quite a bit of her talking back to Abuela, something which she does for her own sake and not the family's sake. And then with Felix, he's very encouraging of Pepa, and encourages her to feel her emotions. He also stands up for her, as we do once see him tell of Abuela for invalidating Pepa's emotions. So together, Pepa and Felix are subconsciously showing their kids that it's okay to be yourself. Something which we do see in each kid. Dolores has no problem being a gossip, even though as seen at the dinner table scene it's not something that Abuela or the family really likes, and is quite possibly something that has caused the family a lot of issues. However, it's also a display of how Dolores isn't afraid of communicating things even though they're unpleasant. Camilo has no problem expressing his emotions, as we see him constantly making jokes, having fun, and even making a jab when the Casita falls down. Antonio is a bit more subtle, but just the fact that he's not only okay with telling Mirabel at his special day that he's scared, and talking to her about it. But he also was okay with having her walk with him, something which couldn't be a more obvious "I'm nervous" sign.

[@coffeebean8790]

I read somewhere that Julieta, their mother, is the oldest of the triplets. I’ve also heard that Isabela is the oldest grandchild. She’s a few months older than Dolores. The oldest children in families getting the most attention does seem commonplace in some cultures.

[@maelynnwolertz4398]

I wouldn’t say Camillo and Dolores are ok. Camillo shapeshifts which in a way can resemble Isabella appearing a certain way to bring peace. There is a scene where he is calming his mom. And, Dolores has the extremely quiet voice, which can *both* reflect how noises can affect her & her fear of rocking the boat. Monkey see, monkey do. Juliette’s reverence to her mom would have encouraged her kids to give reverence to grandma. Also, Grandma is a formidable presence. She is *the* dominant presence. Grandma radiates needs that need to be met probably because of the unhealed trauma. Pepa? I agree that Pepa echoes Isabella. Right now Isabella can keep up the facade other than slipping out her angst with her plants that bonk Mariano in the face…. After a while, how easy would it be to hide her upset? Stress makes it hard to hide things…. When Abuela can’t pretend to be blind then the complaints can come “Pepa, you have a cloud!” This was bound to start happening to Isabella at some point. I have heard a description of “Western individualism” vs “Asian community mindset.” Though the Madrigals are not Asian, there is that community mindset. (Note: I am half Asian and when told that as issue is because I come from an “Asian community mindset” it gets me to ponder how this manifests for me.) And…when cultures bump into each other, which one is right…? I would say that keeping respect for the whole while respecting the individual is the best blend of the two worlds. Louisa growing up from this without Mirabel’s assistance? Ooph! I can’t imagine. An easy turn is to project stuff outwards and become tyrannical, but with having Julietta & Augustine as parents that should help prevent that as a result. Abuela is not as brutal as an insecure person who is in pain can get…. There is so much that can be taken as fuel for passing on trauma. A good chunk of people carrying Abuela’s legacy of hurting, but never healing could have been perpetually repeated if it wasn’t for Mirabel.

[@MrudulaSatarkar]

I'm in tears watching this video! I feel so connected to Isabela's character. While watching the movie, until the song What Else Can I do?, she seemed like an entitled princess, just as Mirabel says right before the song. Even Isabel is unaware that she is being perceived that way until Mirabel says it. When Georgia talked about the party where if you think white table clothes might have been better, for me it is what about the next event? It has to be just as good as this or even better. The thought comes in as soon as the first event is over. It's ridiculously stressful when you do this to yourself and I can see what Isabela is going through. It's ok to make mistakes. It's ok to not be perfect.

[@unfortunatelyevil1767]

There is also a second take, where Isabela has nothing to do with perfection except as an analogy... As a trans person who spent most of their life in stealth mode, putting on the mask, and only recently having people I can explore being out with, Isabela's story is a direct 1 to 1 parallel. She knows she is masking to fit expectation, and never allows herself to even think of exploring the alternative. But when the situation is forced, the massive amount of euphoria that comes with even the tiniest expression is unimaginable. And then the flood gates are open and a whirlwind of finding other euphoria-activating things happen... until running into someone who disapproves of the "in between" stage, and there is massive shame, but it doesn't hook into the soul as much as feared, and is clearly an outside force (though it does take processing time). The look of pure joy on her face as she is planting with her sisters and her true self is being accepted by them is one of the most heartwarming and identifiable scenes in the movie to me.

[@janaviselva2476]

You and Cinematherapy are the dream team

[@michellegiacalone1079]

I love Isabella basically saying "To heck with this Disney Princess thing!"

[@kerstinschwarz5222]

I think one often under appreciated lyric is the part "and they let me be" Like even if we can have the energy to break out of the mold, if we know we're going to be cut down for it, we can't sustain it without help. Self-preservation and habit kicks in.

[@dejaypage1575]

I kinda noticed that during their duet, it legitimately felt like after they realized that without the fake perfection? Mirabel and Isabella could try and make up for their lost decade. Like these two have been cross with each other the whole time. But without the dumb barriers? Mirabel and Isabela could be *sisters* again.

[@crazcraz8908]

An interesting thing I thought about is that I don't think Isabela's magic power is perfection. I believe Abuela labeled her as being a perfect child at a young age because of her physical appearence. I think Isabela's power is to simply grow any plants she wants. She might have grown pretty flowers as a child when she first got her powers and Abuela labeled the flowers as "Perfect, just like Isabela." (I can hear her voice in my heading saying it). But in reality, Isabela can grow anything, whether or not it's perfect or pretty. Abuela made her think from a young age that she should only grow the pretty & perfect flowers and also BE pretty & perfect at all times. But her real power is to grow any plants.

[@mitriarts1100]

I like how this came right after the video “are you a perfectionist?” cause it seems to fit VERY well

[@EnzoAngel0990]

I honeslty feel bad for saying "how does it feel to be gods favorite" to people who look like they have everything. Its very sad that Isabella only acts perfect for her family

[@vevomaster2]

It’s always nice to hear that reminder that we don’t need to be perfect. Sometimes I need that

[@GeorgiaDow]

you are enough as you