(Author's Note: Hello my readers, and welcome to a new short story of mine.
A while back, I realized how many headcanons I had about Encanto…and decided to make it into a little story (especially while I work on other ones).
Hope you guys enjoy:)
Alma
-Although she was always strict as a parent, Alma considerably mellowed out when she became a grandmother. It was only the night when Mirabel didn't get a Gift and Bruno disappeared that Alma went into "overdrive" with her role as the Encanto's leader who needs to have all the answers.
-In her youth, her personality was like that of a combination of Mirabel and Julieta (bubbly yet responsible).
-She's kept every gift given to her by her children and grandchildren throughout the years in her room (in her "weaker" moments after Bruno's disappearance, she would hold the items from his box as she cried).
-One of Alma's greatest wishes is for her children and grandchildren to find the same type of love that she and Pedro had. Although she and Señora Guzmán had set up Isabela and Mariano's first date, Alma ONLY allowed the relationship to continue because she truly believed that Isabela wanted to be with Mariano. Had she known how her eldest granddaughter truly felt, she would have put a stop to it immediately (1).
-She made a grave for Pedro in the backyard of Casita. It was months before she reached a point where she didn't have to visit it every day just to keep herself "stable".
Julieta
-She was the original "Golden Child" (since her Gift was the only one at the time with no negative repercussions), which led to a period in her youth where she had difficulty relating to her siblings.
-When worked into a genuine rage, her unleashed temper is FAR worse than either of her siblings. Anyone who thinks that she's just some "meek creampuff" hasn't seen her fury unleashed. And those who have? Let's just say that it's an experience they NEVER want to repeat.
-Despite the "We Don't Talk About Bruno" rule, Julieta was always willing to talk about her brother if any of the children asked.
-As a child, Julieta faced a scenario where dozens of people in the Encanto had been injured…and she didn't have enough food to give them all (having to prioritize those with the most serious of injuries AND having to break up the food into pieces at that). After that day, Julieta began becoming "obsessed" with cooking throughout the day to make sure that a scenario like that would never repeat itself.
Pepa
-She wasn't ACTUALLY still upset about her wedding in the modern day but, rather, was just focusing on the last "big thing" she was angry at Bruno for so that she wouldn't have to focus on the sad truth that her baby brother was gone.
-Her insistence on enforcing the "We Don't Talk About Bruno" rule caused her relationship with Julieta (who always hated the idea of being demanded to just forget about their brother) to deteriorate over the last decade. Not enough to be noticeable to an outside source (and certainly not to the level of Isabela and Mirabel), but enough to be clear to them and those who've known them since their childhoods.
-Although her husband's ability to keep her "stable" is a good thing, Pepa often feels guilty at how necessary Felix's presence has become in her life (hating herself for being "too emotional"). This mostly stopped when they got married but Felix has been able to recognize when his wife has those thoughts (to which he promptly takes her into his arms and back to their room, cuddling and telling her how much he loves her and to not worry).
-Ever since they were kids, Pepa loved playing matchmaker with her siblings (a trait she passed down to her daughter).
Bruno
-Bruno doesn't have a favorite sibling, but he's DEFINITELY the favorite of both of his sisters.
-He was far more mischievous in his youth, playing pranks with/on his sisters and generally being (in their words) "a little shit". When he finally left the walls, it became a running joke within the family about him being the "Original Camilo".
-Throughout the decades, Bruno has learned to deal with any insults or mistreatment thrown his way. But the moment that anyone goes after any of his family…that's a source of rage that you do NOT want to be on the receiving end of.
-Bruno's visions aren't "definite" to happen. Rather, he sees the most likely outcome with the future still able to be changed by any number of circumstances (with his tablets crumbling back into sand if that outcome is prevented).
-After his return to the family, they refused to let him go anywhere without being accompanied by at least one of them (Bruno pretended to complain, but was so touched that he could barely keep himself from crying).
-Bruno has given a personal nickname to each of his sisters' children (which the other adults agreed should "go away" after his disappearance, only to become all he called the children for the first week after his return).
Isabela: Mi Luz ("My Light")
Dolores: Mi Ratoncito ("My Little Mouse")
Luisa: Mi Campeona ("My Champion")
Camilo: Mi Pequeño Tramposo ("My Little Trickster")
Mirabel: Mi Tesoro ("My Treasure")
Antonio: Mi Pequeño Bola De Fuego ("My Little Fireball")
-Even though the stairs in his room didn't completely vanish when he returned to his family, his room was fashioned with an "elevator" (a large rock slab with a rope pulley system) for easy access to his vision cave. (2)
-Sometimes, he'll have involuntary visions of only a few moments in the future…where his body would promptly move/react on its own (almost as if he has some sort of "sixth sense").
-After his reputation had deteriorated into something fearful, he eventually learned how to use that to his advantage whenever he wanted to look intimidating (prime examples being when Felix and Agustin began courting his sisters).
-After the restoration of Casita, Dolores and Mirabel convinced him to perform his telenovelas. First, it was only for the family, and then it escalated to him performing a whole show for the village every other week (all of his sobrinas and sobrinos insisted on helping him and refused to take "No" for an answer).
-If Bruno were to achieve his full magical potential, he'd be the most powerful member of his family.
Felix
-He always knew that Pepa was more sad than angry at her brother's disappearance. He tried to get her to be honest with herself for a while afterward, but he was never successful (primarily due to Alma's influence on her middle child). After a certain point, Felix began playing along only so that his wife wouldn't feel like he was "against her" (but apologized to Bruno when he returned to the family upon finding out that he heard everything).
-No matter how angry Pepa gets, Felix can have her turned into a blushing pile of mush in seconds.
-Whenever Felix sees ANY of his family feeling upset, he makes it his mission to cheer them up (with Camilo having seen this "trait" in action during his childhood and copied his father).
Agustin
-He was actually decently coordinated as a (small) child. But he had a growth spurt when he hit puberty and has been tripping over himself ever since.
-As much as Agustin loves his daughters (which is with every last trace of his being), there's a small part of him that always wanted a son. Because of this fact, he's very close to his sobrinos.
-Because Alma was opposed to his relationship with Julieta as opposed to Felix and Pepa's, Agustin became more willing to go against their mother-in-law than Felix would.
Isabela
-Isabela began dating women after breaking off her engagement to Mariano, positive that she was gay (how could she not be, she thought, if she didn't want to be with the "best man" in the Encanto?). As it turns out, however, she discovered that she wasn't gay…but bisexual.
-The majority of Isabel's reason for her cruelty to Mirabel is because she was jealous of how "free" her youngest sister was due to not having the pressures of a Gift (while SHE had to be "perfect", unable to do or say what she wanted to).
-After the events of the movie, Isabela became VERY determined to be a better sister to Mirabel and Luisa. At least once a week, she claims the both of them for a "Madrigal Sisters Day".
-Isabela became a far more "chaotic" individual after the collapse and reconstruction of Casita, rivaling even Camilo in that regard (letting out the energy and enjoyment that she had to bury for years).
-She started calling Dolores her "melliza" when they were three and would throw legitimate temper tantrums when people tried to claim that they weren't.
Dolores
-She's a TOTAL "Daddy's Girl" (partially because she and her mother's Gifts made it…difficult for them to connect in the same way), and still has him wrapped around her finger even as an adult.
-Although she's become very "well-trained" in her Gift, there are some days when all the sounds become too much for Dolores. On these days (when she has to live with a near-constant migraine), she holds up in her room and won't come out until SHE chooses to (this being the only occasion, before Casita's collapse, where she'd flat-out defy Alma).
-She would visit Bruno whenever she could during his "exile", bringing him supplies and just talking to him about anything.
-Ever since Bruno's return, Dolores never went more than a few hours without hugging him, linking her arm with his, kissing him on the cheek, or just poking him for the fun of it (overjoyed at the fact that she can touch her tio without needing to hide).
Luisa
-She has a teddy bear that her parents gave her on her fifth birthday. Throughout fourteen years of wear and tear, it remains the only thing that can immediately calm her down no matter what (as well as, to her embarrassment, being the thing that she needed to have a truly restful slumber).
-Luisa's Gift forces her to consume a LOT of food each day. This led to her being the first to realize that Camilo's Gift put him in the same situation. Because of this fact, she always made sure to sneak him some extra food whenever she could (knowing that no one would question if she asked for more food). After Casita's collapse, she and her primo would take time to sit down and just eat together in peace (which he has dubbed "Camilo and Luisa's Snack Hour").
-She's been a total "Daddy's Girl" since the day she was born.
-She's a cuddler, and nothing helps her with her daily problems more than someone willing to sit with her and hold her.
-She likes to pick up her sisters and cousins and simply hold them in her arms (she enjoys holding them close to her while they enjoy her gentle and relaxing hold).
-She's definitely the kind of person who tries to "power through" bouts of sickness.
-Before she got her Gift, she was a chubby kid. However, even after fourteen years of being the biggest and most muscular person in the family (if not the entire Encanto), that hasn't stopped her parents from lovingly calling her "Mi Niña Gordita" (to her absolute embarrassment).
-Unbeknownst to Luisa, she has a small group of admirers (guys and girls alike) in the village who're drawn to her strength, confidence, and kind-hearted nature.
Camilo
-Because of how often he uses his Gift daily, his biggest fear is that he'll one day forget what he truly looks like. Dolores heard his fear (because of course she did) and gave him a locket with his picture in it so that he'll always have a reminder to keep with him.
-He's the one who started saying that he and Mirabel are twins because they're "the same age, DUH!".
-Because they're both younger than him, Camilo is VERY protective of Mirabel and Antonio.
-He's definitely the kind of person who's a HUMONGOUS flirt…but will turn into a blushing, stuttering mess if said person actually flirts back.
-Was straight since beginning puberty, but found himself attracted to men as well in his teen years. The first person in his family he revealed this to was Isabela (who recently came out as bisexual herself), who always gives him an ear to listen to when he needs it. (3)
Mirabel
-The reason that Mirabel didn't receive a Gift is because she's meant to be Alma's successor as Head of the Madrigals, Leader of the Encanto, and Holder of the Miracle itself.
-Because of her lack of a Gift, Mirabel learned many skills throughout her life to try and compensate (unbeknownst to her, most of the villagers refer to her as the "Jack-Of-All-Trades" because of this).
-Along with Julieta's appearance and compassion, Mirabel also inherited her mother's temperament. It may take a while for her to get TRULY angry…but the result is something catastrophic.
-In most instances, Mirabel refuses to curse where people can hear her. When she gets really angry? She cusses like a sailor (her mother hates it, while her tia couldn't be more proud).
-On more than one occasion, Mirabel has considered running away. Seeing the cracks in Casita prevented that from becoming a reality (as Mirabel wouldn't have left if Antonio didn't get a Gift, knowing that she'd need to protect him).
-Although Mirabel has had to deal with bullies and jerks throughout the ten years since her ceremony, she's actually loved by the majority of the Encanto's citizens (who couldn't help but find themselves drawn to her cheery and kind-hearted nature).
Antonio
-At some point in the future, Antonio will try to go vegetarian/vegan out of his love and respect for all animals. Although the family tried to get him to stop when he began hardly eating anything, it was actually Parce who was successful when he explained to Antonio that animals eating each other are nature's way and that it isn't something that he should be horrified by. (4)
-Although he has a MASSIVE room and lots of friends, Antonio still sneaks out to sleep with Mirabel from time to time (he says it still feels "weird to sleep without his favorite prima").
-Although he's more lively with his family and animal friends, he's much shyer around humans he's not related to and doesn't know. When surrounded by a lot of people (and not on Parce), he either grabs the hand of the nearest family member in a death grip or hides behind their legs.
Casita
-She is NOT actually Pedro nor his soul reincarnated into a new form. She's a magical entity who was born the night that the "Miracle" came into being.
-She TOTALLY used to help Agustin and Felix sneak into the girls' rooms when they were teenagers and didn't stop no matter how angry Alma got (only caring that the boys made Julieta and Pepa happy).
-Across the generations, she always helps the children play in manners that give their parents heart attacks. As long as she knows that she can keep them safe, there's almost nothing that she won't let them do.
-Before Mirabel, Bruno was her favorite (since she felt very protective of the smallest and shyest triplet).
-Being the ones at the center of her creation, she views Pedro and Alma as her father and mother.
-Although she can't interact with the magic rooms, she can "sense" what goes on in there and is aware of the ongoing events.
-Although the rooms themselves each exist in their own pocket dimensions, there are a finite number of doors that can fit within Casita's current confines. As time goes on, and the family continues to expand, Casita will grow into a larger structure.
Pedro
-If he had survived, he would have been the "Fun Parent" to Alma's "Stern Parent". (5)
-Pedro is where the triplets get their tempers from, with his fully unleashed anger being even worse than the likes of Alma.
Madrigal Family (as a whole)
-Those with Gifts still haven't reached the full potential of their respective powers.
Julieta: will be able to heal people through her hands alone
Pepa: can freely summon and manipulate any weather phenomena without needing to feel the corresponding emotion
Bruno: can manipulate both sand and the weather itself
Isabela: can grow edible fruits and vegetables, as well as create living/sentient plants
Camilo: can shapeshift into animals
-During moments of intense anger or when utilizing the full extent of their magic, the "Gifted Madrigals'" eyes will glow gold.
-Because of how similar Isabela and Dolores were to their respective tias, it became a running joke within the family that it was as if Julieta and Pepa had given birth to each other's daughters.
The Miracle
-Before the events of the movie, the Candle's magic meant that its flame couldn't just be extinguished as long as the family's bond was strong.
-The "Miracle" is a living entity in itself; separate from Casita. Although its sense of "morality" isn't the same as that of humans or even Casita, it truly loves each Madrigal and their protection is its top priority (which is why it grants them their powers).
Mariano Guzmán
-His father died when he was a toddler (to the point where he only has about two real memories of the man), whereas his mother fell ill during his childhood to the point where she could barely leave their family home anymore.
-After he started dating Dolores, he was the butt of a LOT of jokes from the Madrigal grandchildren about "jumping" from Isabela to Dolores (started by Camilo and Mirabel, of course).
-Although Dolores was lying about the whole "five babies" thing, Mariano has always wanted a big family (at least three children).
Villagers
-Every child in the village absolutely ADORES Mirabel, and (secretly) thinks of her as a "big sister". Because of this fact, the kids are VERY protective of her (and can become quite…"aggressive" when they see someone being mean to her).
-Once his disappearance became known by everyone, the villagers were actually the ones who (officially) created the "We Don't Talk About Bruno" rule because they saw how upset mentioning him made the Madrigals (especially Pepa).
-Juancho, Cecila, and Alexandra were Antonio's first friends (whom he wasn't related to), introduced during a playdate set up by Mirabel.
-Osvaldo is known for not thinking before he speaks. Although most know that he's not actually malicious (actually being one of the nicer people in the Encanto), this trait has gotten him into more than a few…"confrontations" in the past.
-Osma's fascination with fish caused her to be labeled as a "weird kid" growing up, which caused her to spark up a friendship with fellow weird kid Bruno. Said friendship went through a "rough patch" when she misunderstood Bruno's advice on caring for her pet…but they recovered, with everyone noticing how their friendship became more "snarky" than when they first met (with Osma loving to bring that event up as a "joke" between them). (6)
-Osvaldo is a married man of almost thirty years. Although his wife loves him, she DOES get annoyed with having to always course correct when her husband puts his foot in his mouth.
(Author's Note: Annnnnnnnd scene!
(1): This is a headcanon that I will defend with all of my might. Given how much she loved Pedro (to the point where she not only never re-married, but still grieves just as hard half a century later as she did that night), I honestly don't believe that she would push any of her children or grandchildren into a relationship that they truly don't want.
I know that "Word of God" stated that Alma wasn't too keen on Julieta being with Agustin at first and I WHOLEHEARTEDLY believe that she would have given Isabela grief for not wanting to be with Mariano…but I honestly don't believe that she would push anyone into a romantic "entanglement" unless she believed that they wanted to be there.
(2): I've been seeing this used in a lot of stories lately, and I just loved the idea so much that it "converted" me.
(3): I believe that Camilo is bisexual. I really can't explain WHY…it's just kind of a feeling, I guess:/
(4): I'm not trying to insult vegetarianism or veganism (one of my brothers is actually vegan), but I see Antonio's attempt at such a young age being more…"concerning" because he nearly stops eating entirely (because he wouldn't know of what to eat outside of fruits and vegetables). It's not the lifestyle itself that concerns the Madrigals, but the fact that he's not "knowledgeable" enough to do so in a healthy way for his young body. If any vegans or vegetarians reading this felt offended by that, that was not my intention and I apologize.
(5): Think of the relationship between Hal and Lois from "Malcolm in the Middle", only Pedro wouldn't be AS silly as Hal and Alma wouldn't be AS "demanding" as Lois.
(6): I love the idea of their relationship being a sort of friendship version of that of Raymond Holt and Madeline Wuntch from "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (read chapter seven of "Encanto: Journeys into the Multiverse" for an example of this).
-I suspect that someone may ask about my beliefs on the Madrigals' "power upgrades", so I'll explain a bit here just in case.
*Julieta: It's not actually the food itself that heals people, but the fact that it was made by Julieta. It's about her touching the ingredients, so the "healing magic" must come from her hands. With that in mind, I don't think it's unreasonable to believe that she has the potential to heal someone through her hands/will alone (think Dende from "Dragonball").
*Pepa: Even if it's through her emotions, Pepa can still manipulate the weather…so it just makes sense that she'd be able to control it consciously. We see the beginning stages happen at the end of the movie. We see hail falling when she is dancing with Felix, looking happier than she ever has (even though "snowy-like weather" seemed to be connected to feelings of fear/anxiety previously). With the freedom to feel her emotions to the fullest and use her magic the way she pleases, it's reasonable that she would be able to have full control over the weather (like Storm from "Marvel").
*Bruno: During the movie, we actually see Bruno's magic directly manipulate both the sand and the weather during his visions through the movie. His tablets are formed from the manipulated sand and we got an extra long shot of Bruno's magic darkening the sky outside of Casita (which I think was totally intentional). I feel like these are elements of his Gift that he's never been able to explore (or even be aware of).
In the past, I also theorized that Bruno had a "heat-based" ability (since I thought that his tablets were glass, and how do you get glass from sand?)…but I saw online that Bruno's vision tablets are emerald. And I don't know if emeralds from sand need heat. I'm also decently sure that there is some room for growth in Bruno's foresight itself, but I haven't thought of anything yet (that seems to make sense, anyway).
Isabela: With plant life under her control, I fail to see why Isabela couldn't grow fruits and vegetables.
As for the living plants? Well…I've seen that done in other fanfics and I don't see why she couldn't do that either.
Camilo: It would make NO SENSE if Camilo couldn't turn into animals, especially since he can turn into people who don't technically exist (aka, his "Villain Bruno" form).
I couldn't think of any "upgrades" for Dolores, Luisa, or Antonio…at least, none that I could genuinely see them having like the others. A lot of people have given Dolores a "Sonic Scream" ability, but I don't think that she can control sound outright (though…maybe she could learn how to use her Gift in an "Echolocation" sort of way?). PERHAPS Antonio might have an empathetic link to his animals to where they feel each other's emotions, but I'm not sure if that's the same as his initial power. I HAVE debated with myself if Luisa's magically enhanced body would mean that she heals at a faster rate than a normal human (with her not being aware of it since she's been all but indestructible since she was five), though.
-So…what do we think? I just had these in mind and wanted something to put out while I plan behind the scenes, so I thought that it could at least be entertaining for you guys to see a different way of how I view these characters and this universe. Let me know what you think of these headcanons and what kind of headcanons you guys have (just be respectful to me and one another, please).
Constructive criticism ONLY…no flames, please.
Review, Favorite, Follow, and I'll see you guys in the next story:)