Why Does Dolores Keep Bruno a Secret? Disney's Encanto Theory | The Fangirl

We don't talk about Bruno, but Dolores can't keep a secret - so why doesn't she tell everyone that Bruno is in the walls?! Let's discuss how Abuela is the root cause!
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#disney #encanto #delores #mirabelmadrigal #wedonttalkaboutbruno #bruno #TheFangirl

[@box0choco593]

She wanted to protect him. From her verse in we don't talk about bruno, I feel she relates to his power because the pitfall is "knowing too much"

[@hannahlarocco4699]

Why

[@box0choco593]

@@hannahlarocco4699 I explained why

[@5kamon]

She obviously knows way more than she lets on. She grew up fearing her uncle but in the end understood he was being slandered and would learn to keep to herself to not get in trouble with the family. In the end she'd rather manipulate Mirabel into pursuing the family secret so she's not implicated.

[@healgoth]

@@hannahlarocco4699 it doesn’t matter why, she DOES protect him canonically (she pulls Mirabel away from Bruno IN the song, rewind and watch it slower, in the background Bruno is moving throughout the casita and Dolores pulls Mirabel away from that direction and redirects her attention) she knew where he was and steered her sister away from that knowledge, she protected Bruno then so it makes sense that she’s been doing that same song and dance (literally) for years

[@WillowTheDragon]

@@healgoth Dolores isnt Mirabel's sister. She is her cousin and Antonio's and Camilo's Sister, as they are all Félix and Pepa's Children, I dont feel the need to say this but I will anyway, this has to be the case as Bruno isnt married and doesnt have children.

[@bitterflywing]

I assumed she was protecting him. There's a little hint in her whisper part of the song. She's speaking in present tense while the others are speaking past tense.

[@Cewdipie]

I think so to, she would probably rather Bruno be there still but in secret then to have him be outcasted and looked as a parasite in public.

[@ZeldaWolf2000]

I agree. I have a bachelors in English, so I pay attention to this kind of stuff, and I noticed this too. I think Dolores was protecting Bruno, probably begrudgingly, but still. I think either she didn't feel it was her place, as she was 12 when he vanished, or she just couldn't convince him to come out. She most certainly also sympathized with him as you said.

[@shaymurphy9072]

Dolores whispers

[@Nightman221k]

I think Dolores was scared of him from her line in the song, "Grew to live in fear of Bruno stuttering or stumbling" implying she gradually got more and more scared of him before he left. If for nothing else, because Dolores thinks he GRANTS mischievous prophecies and thought that Bruno made it so she wouldn't ever fall in love. However, I think Pepa's open resentment caused the thought process in Dolores. All the headcanons of Dolores being into Bruno's mice novelas and sympathizing with him are too cheery for me to buy. I blame Pepa. Dolores and Camilo view Bruno as reflections on how Pepa herself sees the brother she scapegoats. Pepa ruined her own wedding and blamed Bruno for 20+ years afterward, and for TEN of those years he was still interacting with the family. Never once did Pepa admit that he wasn't at fault. Even Abuela isn't acting out of malice toward Bruno like Pepa does. Abuela seemed hurt/saddened by him leaving and took it as him not caring about how his leaving hurt those who loved him... PEPA on the other-hand sings a ballad about him being an evil, villainous creature. She even gets angry when people interrupt her singing about how he's bad cause she wants full control of the narrative and has her husband and 2 oldest kids in perfect lockstep with her image of Bruno. I also think her view spread across the town cause she pulls the "We don't talk about Bruno... BUT" thing a lot. She's a toxic sibling.

[@burmessafox3939]

Wow, didnt even think about most of those

[@mina_invers]

My personal head cannon is that she genuinely believed the rats in the walls were talking and to save face at the end she was like yeah I knew he was there the whole time

[@bexniccals3686]

She Never Told Anyone In Her Family That She Truly Deeply Loved Mariano

[@braylin5003]

I like to think... That in someway she was trying to avoid Isabela and Mariano from getting engaged.

[@box0choco593]

Correction She was deeply infatuated with Mariano

[@jwhaler82]

Because Abuela said that Mariano was rightfully Isabella’s, and you never question Abuela’s judgement.

[@4BeYouTiful4]

I think this is spot on! Bruno's where-abouts were absolutely a family secret that could not be aired-out. I even think that more Madrigal family members kinda knew but didn't say anything about it. I think this was one of the burdens that Luisa was talking about, but didn't want to explicitly tell Mirabel. It is so common in many families to know about something but not talk about it.

[@tayloredwards4968]

Personally I always thought she knew that he was there. But because of his reputation she decided not to say anything

[@kylapeden9923]

I saw a theory from MatPat about how she wanted to rid the powers because how much she hated her powers to hear things.

[@BBMacsWorld]

I think Deloris tried to tell her family that Bruno was in the walls, but they dismissed her and told her she was being silly. Kinda like how Ebuela was with Mirabel when she first noticed the walls cracking. Since they were denying Bruno was ever part of their family in the first place. It would make sense they wouldn't listen to her. Which is why she looks so smug at the end

[@TheFangirlWatches]

That is such an interesting point! Because Delores should have also heard the casita cracking apart, yet she kept her mouth shut on that too.

[@mrcucombre_]

Ok, did nobody pay close attention to her first lyrics in we don't talk about Bruno? She says she can hear him muttering and mumbling through the walls and his rats. Istg this hapens every time.

[@jonbilgutay2]

I assumed Dolores was rather dim, give the line 'the rats talking in the walls.'

[@maddimuffincake5596]

I love this theory! I personally think in the song "we don't talk about Bruno" she is singing to maribel about how she can hear Bruno. And like everyone else in the movie who trusts her with their secrets and how they really feel. I think this was her telling maribel that Bruno was still close enough for her to hear. And that is why she asks if she understands because she is trying to help her in the sense of maybe telling maribel that Bruno is still around is enough to get her to stop trying to find the vision and I think that is why she is so shocked when she finds out she actually went and found the vision. But I think this point along with your theory is perfect! Because although yea it's just her sisters who confess how they really feel I think you can find that everyone tells her a secret at some point. Even when maribels mom is healing her wound she is talking about Bruno and saying he lost his way not that she was upset with him and when he came back she was just happy to see him and wasn't mad at him like her Pepa. And even Antonio tells maribel he is scared he won't get a gift like her and the pressure is to much to handle...

[@5kamon]

I think that might have been a feigned shock on Dolores part and she already knew what the vision was about. She needed some plausible deniability to not let anyone in on how powerfull her gift actually is, so she does not end up another scapegoat for the family and town + there's an added benefit of "ruining" the engagement dinner.

[@johnhayward998]

Well delores super good hearing can be a useful thing to have but she has a lot of gossip but I think it's pretty much a burden for anyone to handle like you been sleeping then you heard a volcano erupted from hundreds of miles away

[@belladonna1950]

film theory has an episode about this were he lays out some evidence on how Dolores may have pushed some of the steps to the miracle fading away because of Bruno's prophecy about her love life. one piece of evidence is in we don't talk about Bruno were they repeat their verse she says something different.

[@tayloredwards4968]

Please make a video on Bruno 💚

[@TheFangirlWatches]

I'm sure I will get to him soon! He's got a lot to unpack about his behaviors!

[@SassyGirl822006]

🎶We don't talk about Bruno, no, no, no🎶

[@owskie19]

I still like The theory that Deloris is nice but secretly wants The Gift to end because it a curse to her and her Mom Pepa.

[@ABtheButterfly]

Abuela was surprised when she saw Bruno at the end of Encanto so I don't think she knew her son was in the walls

[@Simplyjeaniek]

The queen is back and she brought encanto. also, you make some really good points that I never thought of in the million times I've watched the movie

[@JuliaLeigh2]

Dorles is actually the villain.Dorles is the one who cracked the house so mirabelle will get done with but it didn’t happen.Dorles told mirabelle that she heard Luisa’s eye twiching all night and that is very very very very very creepy.Dorles is peppa’s daughter and that is crazy because Dorles is actually the villain like very very very bad

[@cristyflaherty4902]

If Abuela knew I think she would have done something or at least told everyone. There's another theory that Juliette also knew and was the one slipping him food. Dolores was probably protecting him, it could be that keeping a secret that big for that long is why she has trouble keeping other secrets.

[@Nightman221k]

I don’t think anyone knew Bruno was in the house. Dolores might have had an inclination that Bruno was there but either she was scared of him thinking he was bad or that his voice was an apparition. Julieta was so heartbroken when she mentioned Bruno leaving and her “we’re just happy that you’re here okay” was her relief and elation.

[@TheMimiSard]

On the point about tip-toeing around a name to avoid explosions, the movie in fact has an example of that in the final argument between Abuela and Mirabel. Abuela goes declaring Bruno didn't care about the family. Yes, it is mild compared to what we can imagine such an explosion can really be, but I think it was Disney's soft version of one.

[@annageorge8406]

My grandpa George before he died never wanted to be in my life so I acted like he was dead to protect myself growing up. "He doesn't want me so I don't want him" kind of thing.

[@aniflowers1998]

Abuela knowing of Bruno and forcing Dolores to keep quiet doesn't make sense, for one verry speciffic reason: the vision. Abuela BEGGED Bruno to have a vision to protect the family. Bruno ran away before telling anyone about the vision. As soon as she would have figured out where Bruno was hiding, she would have dragged him out simply to get to know what his vision was. She puts the safety of her family over all, after all. So Bruno beeing the only one who possibly knew what danger the family was in or how to protect the family would have made it impossible for Abuela to just "leave him be till he stops sulking" if she had know where he was. (Also, he was in the walls for ten years. Do you really think it would have been logical for her to ignore he is in the walls for TEN YEARS, under the simple asumption that he will "eventually come out"?!) For me, it's much more likely that the family eather asumed he was dead, or that he managed to leave Encanto after they searched everywhere and couldn't find him. (Becouse the mountains aren't unpassable. It's just hard to do so, and since the town is a little paradise, there is literally no reason for anyone to take that long journey.) And Dolores probably did tell the family right at the beginning, but her beeing a child they probably didn't believe her and blamed what she was hearing on the rats and her grieve, making things up so to say. After that, she probably keept her mouth shut. (Though, even then not really. She isn't that secretive about thing going on in the walls. She literally tells Mirabel that the only other person worried about the magic, is the "rats" in the walls and repeatedly says "I can hear him" in the song.)

[@sonofhestia8234]

I’ve always thought that Dolores knew the tragedy Bruno faced (seeing as she can hear everything) and so Dolores felt bad for Bruno and didn’t tell anyone where he was, knowing he wanted to be left alone.

[@starfish44fairygirl42]

Would you please do a video about if king Frederick (Rapunzel's father) in the tangled series has narcissistic traits and if King Triton is a narcissist especially with his anger issues. In Ariel's beginning Triton acted very abusive and he wasn't their for the girls after their mothers death regardless even though he was grieving it wasn't an excuse to neglect and treat them that bad and banning music and locking people up is an abuse of power. Also in the little mermaid 2 he gave Melody the choice to live with him in Atlantica without discussing it with her parents first when keeping in mind she's only 12 and is the next Queen of Eric's kingdom.

[@crazypinkwerewolf]

I thought it was so she could listen to his rat operas...

[@channelrandom2225]

I always though she just didn't have the courage to tell Abuela she is shown to be influential even Luisa and Isabella cowered in her anger so I always thought Dolores was afraid to tell anyone

[@robert2135]

I agree, after all, when Brono was reviled to the whole family Dolores spoke up right away.

[@poisonivystar4]

I think Delores *did* talk about Bruno. I just think that no one was listening. She says, three times, during the song "We Don't Talk About Bruno" that she "can hear him now." And, as always, great to hear you sing!

[@CreativaArtly]

Adassa got with Or30 and gave us the Dolores fan song “Turn It Down” if you’re interested btw.

[@denisejeffries2675]

I enjoyed this theory! I had not thought about Abuela having a connection to it 👍

[@amaliapursell]

I think that is a better explanation than Dolores being a villain, which is another theory I have heard. I also think it's possible that Dolores actually kept it from Abuela to protect Bruno. She did not tell anyone she was in love with Mariano. Other people say she can't keep a secret but that doesn't make it true. Perhaps Abuela just thought they were better off without Bruno and honestly did not care where he was. I buy the narcissist theory but some parents with this problem specifically pick a child to hate and abuse. Before Mirabel, that chosen target might have been Bruno.

[@shakilamuhammad5503]

I like how this doesn't make her evil like all the other theorys

[@magagguie]

If all the adults knew and didn't speak out of fear of being out casted by Alma.. That ads another layer of meaning to why they don't talk about Bruno (but). They talk about Bruno, but just about what fits the dominant narrative.

[@PinkWytchBytch]

Because how else would she have written a hit Disney single lol but for real though, my family also has memebers who’ve done actually bad things that we refuse to mention unless it’s a total sh!tshow and we HAVE to. I want to be clear these people did very bad things that should’ve landed them in a life sentence but they weaseled out of it. So to me I get the feeling of not wanting to even acknowledge a tainted relatives existence, especially when the rest of your family’s been treated badly for THEIR literal crime

[@purehyper124]

1:24 I've been wondering about that ever sent I saw the movie.

[@ethenallen1388]

By the time Brono had disappeared, he was a pariah to the entire community. Anything that went wrong was immediately blamed on him. I doubt Abula cared what happened to him as long as he was out of the picture. Before Mirabel left, she and Abula had had an argument ending the building coming crashing down around them. Mirabel then risked her life to save the candle, which went out anyway, the Casita helped her while pushing everyone else to safety, then used the last of its life to shield her from falling debris. In the aftermath, Abula was forced to look at the ruins of her home and realize that it was entirely her fault, so of course she went looking for Mirabel. Don't try to apply the events of Mirabel's disappearance to Brono's.

[@skylermccoy5082]

IM A MCCOY!! WHEN THE FIGHT😤

[@Eleanore.Rigbyy]

I feel like Abuela would be the only one who would be able to control Delores enough to keep her quiet

[@beowulf_oakura994]

Yeah Dalorus knew because she wanted to be with Marcos, she lied about him wanting to have 5 kids to scare her sister she knew Bruno was in the walls because she hears everything for miles and one of the secret tunnels was literally next her room, and she was trying to cause chaos to get what she wants which was to be with Marcos it's not to tell their grandma shit

[@alanfernandez4521]

Girl it's Dolores.

[@CreativaArtly]

It definitely fits

[@YellowBear-kx1ff]

Do you think Luisa should be the 1st muscular Disney Princess?

[@rachdiva]

Heck Yes 😝 !!!!! I would love that

[@emmaoof3335]

i genuinely despite people trying to make anyone the villain encanto doesn't have a villain its about a family of color dealing with trauma the magic and the gifts are metaphors for trauma abuela brought it to the madrigals and passed to her children and grandchildren but mirabel is the one kid who refuses to fall into this cycle of generational trauma and actively tries to help her relatives with their trauma which changes the order of things in the house which upsets abuela because abuela wants things to stay as they've always been the casita is symbolic of Pedro and Mirabel trying to change things around it comes off as trying to change Pedro's legacy

[@williamswonderland3636]

My head cannon is she donset want to lose hearing the rat 🐭🐀 tellanavellas so she just kept her mouth shut and tellanevsa have the same drama as gossip at least in my experience lol 🤣

[@immystery3946]

I thought the reason she talked about Mirabel in the vision and not about Bruno is because in the vision the family is in danger and the magic is dying, Bruno hurt everyone's heart but his disappearance didn't do more than that, she both kept quiet and spoke up for her family, just like everyone else does everything they can for the family, tho ruining Mariano's proposal was probably a bonus for her ngl

[@jonathank4278]

Someone is taking care of Him .

[@Krylovix]

Loved this theory

[@antisocialmuffin6496]

That is exactly what I thought when I saw the movie

[@TheFangirlWatches]

Right? Grandma has to be pulling the strings here!

[@EM-Ree]

I love these videos but the lighting adds a grey tint to ur face - all it needs is warm lighting in the back so we can see all the cool stuff in the background

[@digimonalvatrax2738]

Great singing

[@TheFangirlWatches]

Thank you so much! 💕

[@sophialeemirandaakaprincess]

I agreee

[@BillieB.]

Nice 🥰

[@a.t.m873]

great theory. you're probably right

[@LovesArt23]

I dont think Delores heard Bruno in the walls the night of mirables ceremony its possible he did leave to see if he could go past the mountains I mean how would they know they couldn't leave if no one ever said anything Bruno could have been in forest for a good while before coming back he could have snuck in at night and the house probably made the hole for him to hide in which would have alerted Bruno to the cracks in the wall

[@Stardust_7273]

**SPOILERS FOR ENCANTO** When Bruno shows up and starts giving this speech to Abuela, cutting off at "Well if you're to stubborn to-" And then she just hugs him tight with this loving smile and simply says, "Brunito" omg... tears. She just wanted her son back after she had her realization with Mirabel.

[@cattiefogelsong6399]

Delores is definetly my least favorite madrigal. The fandom trying to head canon her as neuro diverse does not help. The plot holes around her are very frustrating.

[@edwintovar1505]

The real villain

[@emmaoof3335]

she can easily be seen as neurodivergent being sensitive to stimuli is a common autism trait and her name is DOLORES

[@cattiefogelsong6399]

@@emmaoof3335 yea i got that part. Im autistic. Actually Both hyper sensitivity and Hypo sensitivity is common by the way. Also this is the Only trait she demonstrates. Nothing else. So she has a quirk.

[@emmaoof3335]

@@cattiefogelsong6399 im also autistic and hyposensitivity if people see themselves in dolores and her sensitivity the they can headcannon her as such a headcannon doesnt need to have any basis in cannon i could headcannon a character I liked as autistic just because i like them or i see myself in them to claim dolores is coded as autistic or neurodivergent is wrong because she doesn't show any other traits except hypersensitivity but hcing her as such isn't

[@sighingsaichania7033]

I made it to the end!😄

[@queenofdonut9168]

I made it to the end

[@featherguardian6023]

Dolores like Camillo is my least favorite Character,She can't be Trusted and even though the Rats could trick her Abilities,it's no excuse to be a Snitch and Honest 24/7,especially how Sensitive Mirabel is.

[@Nightman221k]

Pepa is the character I like least. She slanders Bruno, her own triplet, for 20+ years and pins all the blame onto him for HER own hurricane. Then she sings a song painting him like he’s a cruel villain. She has her husband and kids go along with it. Even when Felix adds his own verses to the song Pepa gets angry until he acquiesces and lets her spread her version of Bruno. She let Camilo and Dolores think of their uncle as a creepy monster. Think about it, Pepa never corrects Camilo for calling Bruno a 7 tf. tall monster who eats nightmares. Oh and she scapegoats Mirabel too. After Pepa causes a storm at Isabela’s failed proposal Pepa yells, “What did you do?!” at Mirabel. Why add fuel to the fire when Isabela and Alma were already angry at Mirabel? Pepa wanted them to blame Mirabel so no one would say it was Pepa’s daughter Dolores who caused the issues. Pepa is the relative who poisons people against other family members because it makes her look better by comparison.

[@Tropical_Jamaican1]

*dolores*

[@Andy-kw4ch]

why are people calling her Delores?

[@PamperedPetz]

I made it to the end‼️

[@aidee4186]

Hey! It's spelled Dolores

[@TheFangirlWatches]

Thank you, fixed!

[@aidee4186]

@@TheFangirlWatches No prob! loved the video 💖💖

[@its-actually-ash496]

It's spelled *DOLORES *. Sorry but I just don't like the misspelling

[@TheFangirlWatches]

Whoops! Fixed it, thank you for pointing that out!

[@its-actually-ash496]

@@TheFangirlWatches, no problem. Sorry if I sounded annoyed or rude. I just see this mistake too often that it becomes annoying

[@diegocruz6227]

Dolores**

[@anabely4567]

I came to look for this comment 😂

[@mypanexogamouslineage965]

Her name is spelled Dolores and pronounced Doe-low-ris.

[@TheFangirlWatches]

Thank you, fixed!