Luisa: People-pleasing (and basing her worth around this)
Camilo: Chameleon effect
Mirabel: (apparently lacking in magic) Imposter syndrome. Also elements of wounded healer.
Theories about why Antonio’s gift doesn’t fit in here.
The candle doesn’t just give the gift. It’s symbolic of Alma passing on her trauma (unintentionally, but still harmful). When Mirabel brushed her hands against her dress, this was supposed to symbolise her “brushing off” the trauma. She’d be the one to break the cycle.
Mirabel’s empathy towards Antonio, and her willingness to break the rules to support him lessened his fear. He felt supported, so the trauma was lessened. Thus his gift wasn’t a trauma-formed one, but pure magic.
He also drew power from Mirabel. Mirabel was able to listen to her family members with more empathy than other members demonstrated; Antonio inherited that power differently. He could hear the animals instead. The innocence in his power is supposed to highlight that the trauma doesn’t reach him too.
Can we please take a moment to realize Pepa and Félix are without question THE most affectionate Disney couple?
Let’s think about this for a second. The main romances are never together until the last scene, and their touches are limited to one or two kisses, and a short happily ever after montage where maybe he has his arm around her waist as they ride off into the sunset (every single Disney princess sans Nala and Belle). They’ll talk and laugh but they won’t ever actually touch or if they do it’s limited to maybe brushing hair back or touching them only when necessary to save them but that’s it. Every physical touch is all big grand romantic gestures that stand out and help move the plot along.
Belle and Beast, she ‘didn’t shudder as she touched his paw’ and then they have one romantic dance where her resting her head on his chest was the most physicality any Disney couple had in a while but again, it was a big romantic gesture designed to be noticed and move the plot along. They don’t touch just to touch. And even Nala almost every touch she had with Simba was deliberate and meant to be noticed and to move the romantic plot along (I don’t know about you but I think Pepa and Félix might have take the spot away from Nala and Simba for best Disney sex eyes)
The rare times there’s more than once romance in a movie it’s limited to what Augustin and Julieta have. A gentle simmering of sweet romance and that’s it. We hear they’re married, they may hold one another close at the end of the movie but again, very little actual physical affection.
Now let’s look at Pepa and Félix. There very first intro she’s literally grabbing him, yanking him close and lifting him up off his feet to kiss him
Then his hand is around her waist and stays that way the entire time they walk up the stairs after their first scene. No big grand gesture, no plot development, just a background note you might not even catch. Then with Antonio’s gift ceremony he takes her by the shoulders and doesn’t let go, and when they’re waiting at the door they’re completely wrapped around one another and when he gets his gift again, just a background moment, but he misses her hand and she looks at him with sheer relief and adoration
And let’s not forget the ‘fuck me’ eyes she gives him at breakfast when he gets her to calm down about the chair
During the Bruno song I can’t even count how many times his hand is around her waist and the calling card to all Pepa/Félix shippers that is ‘I’m sorry Mi Vida go onnnn!’ Where he’s singing right into her ear and neck and she’s got *that* kind of smile on her face as she dies which is as close as Disney will ever get to a couple necking
While I mentioned Disney romances only touching eachother to save the other I think theirs should count bc again, it’s just a background moment, not plot development, but when the house shakes and she falls he’s right there to catch her and help her. No plot, no big gesture, it’s not the focus of the scene… it’s just there
And then during the end song…. My god. When Bruno whips her around his hand is right there to catch her and then he pulls her close where once again , she gives him bedroom eyes, his hand is on her waist and hers is on his chest.
Also what’s even more miraculous and remarkable about it is this isn’t the star, this isn’t some 18 year old Disney princess, this is a 50 year old woman with three kids whose oldest is an adult herself, and Félix is a dark skinned Black man who is affectionate and loving and adoring, something you very rarely see in mainstream media. And what’s more is none of these moments are played for laughs. It’s straight and serious and romantic and physical and so amazing. Disney really broke the mold with them and I’m so grateful to them for it
~ HHHHHH Yes so. It’s easier to hide behind anger to not let true feelings flooding, especially when you have emotions and communication issues… And Pepa didn’t allow herself to think about Bruno much, the grief was too intense and a possible threat for the villageweather-talking.Love you Pepa ( + Julieta being a comforting angel as often )
