Encanto finally solves a Disney villain formula problem

Disney’s villain has died. It is long live the Disney villain.

Over the past decade, Walt Disney Animation Studios has slowly been evolving the types of stories it tells, and while that might mean more compelling heroes’ journeys and family stories, it also means that the need for the traditional villain has slowly declined. Disney animation films have always featured stories about stalwart heroes fighting off nefarious antagonists. However, as Disney has invested more in complex and nuanced characters, and their relationships have become more dynamic with each other, there is little room for similarly nuanced villains that can be created within the short time frame of an animated film. Perhaps the age of Disney’s classic villain has passed. They are now a quaint, if not a pathetic, cast with a host of slapstick songs and obviously evil motives.

But shedding such a quintessential part of the Disney Brand isn’t a simple feat. Moana, Frozen 2, Ralph breaks the InternetPlease see the following: Raya, the Last DragonAll of these movies ditch the Disney villain archetype in favor of other types of danger. In each of these movies, the heroes confront a danger that’s more of a concept or internal barrier than a specific baddie. In each of these movies, the heroes learn from their mistakes and become better people.

Each movie rushes to the end without a villain. Although the heroes win in the end, they don’t take the time to consider the consequences of previous errors. By making some small, yet very key tweaks, though, Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Charise Castro Smith, the filmmakers behind Disney’s EncantoFinally, we are able to make a Disney movie without any villains.

[Ed. note: This essay contains major spoilers for Encanto.]

Walt Disney Animation Studios

Disney spent most of its 80-year history focusing on theatrical villains. The disappearance of this Disney villain signifies a new wave in stories that explore different themes and deeper characters. The last traditional baddie was Mother Gothel in 2010’s Get TangledAlthough there were a handful of sequel movies that explored late-reveal villains such as the scheming Prince Hans, not many films followed. FrozenMayor Bellwether, Zootopia. Disney began to explore metaphorical threats in its new age of storytelling. Moana, where the volcanic threat to the ocean and Moana’s island is actually a life goddess who needs her heart restored. She’s a stand-in for the forces of nature, which need to be understood more than they need to be defeated.

With the restless spirit of nature, this trend continues. Frozen 2, the insecurity-replicating virus in Ralph breaks the InternetThe shapeless and shadowy Druun is also in Raya, the Last Dragon. None of these threats are the work of a cackling villain — they’re all reflections of human failings, and the characters ultimately have to turn inward to defeat them. The In Frozen 2, princesses Anna and Elsa discover their grandfather’s wrongdoings and work to acknowledge the cruelty of Arendelle’s secret past. In Ralph breaks the Internet, Ralph’s insecurities turn into a literal monster he has to understand to defeat. In Raya, the Last DragonRaya the warrior realizes the inequalities and common humanity of Kumandra citizens and joins forces to fight the Druun.

These movies deal with complex topics in child-friendly ways. They also feature memorable characters and fascinating relationships. However, they all face the same challenge in delineating what victory over a concept actually brings to the story. How does it help characters confront past mistakes or their weaknesses? The writers on each of these films answer that question by letting the heroes save something physical and tangible — the city of Arendelle, the land of Kumandra, the internet itself. Each of these films shows that what is broken can be fixed quickly, leaving the viewers to question how deep the heroes have learned their lessons and the implications for the future. The good guys must win in a Disney film. If they lost, and their homes were destroyed, their heroic journeys wouldn’t feel as triumphant.

Photo: Disney

Here’s the thing: Howard, Bush, Castro Smith and Castro Smith Encanto succeed. Younger viewers will find the stakes lower and the problems more relatable. The characters are able to make mistakes. Even if they do fail, they are able to pick themselves back up and continue learning.

Encanto’s central character, Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz), realizes that her family’s magical house, the symbol of their power and prestige in the community, is beginning to fall apart. She is determined to save her family’s magical house. The house bestows magical gifts onto her family, and as it crumbles, so do the family’s abilities.

As the movie goes on, it becomes evident that their home is more than just a magical gift-giving building: It’s also a symbol of the family’s relationships. Generational differences and stifled family roles have caused the family’s connections to fracture, which start to physically manifest in the house itself. Just like the main characters of “The Help”, so too. Frozen 2, RayaPlease see the following: Ralph wrecks the Internet, Mirabel isn’t initially sure of the stakes — she sees the damage, but doesn’t know what it means. A good part of her journey involves figuring out what she’s trying to save, and what she’s battling against. Mirabel is a failure, unlike other heroes.

This is a small but powerful distinction. Encanto: Mirabel realizes what’s wrong with the house, but she doesn’t have the power to stop the disaster all on her own. The house falls apart. The house crumbles around her, and she attempts to save it. It fully collapses, and unlike with other Disney Deaths, the damage isn’t instantly reversed. It’s up to the Madrigals and their friends to determine what happened. because they didn’t listen to Mirabel and didn’t save what they saw as their family’s most valuable possession. The protagonists in other films often learn their lessons right before the crucial moments occur. They are given a reward for their efforts, though they have no time to reflect on what made them successful.

Image: Disney

Encanto It still ends with a happy ending where both the family and the local community unite to repair the house. This ending is more powerful because it allows the characters to reflect on their past mistakes and make amends before attempting to repair them. The house isn’t abruptly rebuilt by magic — the Madrigals need to build it up from scratch, creating a new foundation to echo the words they sing about rebuilding their family.

The movie’s one-song soundtrack is all that it takes to bring back normalcy. But it’s clear that it takes time and effort for the family to literally rebuild their house and figuratively rebuild their understanding of each other. When the magic does return, Mirabel isn’t randomly granted magical powers, either. But because the family can finally see each other past their fixed roles and abilities, the audience knows she’s going to be okay. After the dust settles, but not immediately before, Madrigals find their way to understanding and learn from their failings instead of trying to avoid them. Encanto succeeds where the other villain-less Disney movies struggle, and that success is found in Mirabel’s failure. Disney’s previous movies without a bad guy never quite reach their full potential, but Howard, Bush, and Castro Smith have finally made a film that steps out of Disney’s villain-laden past and into a new direction.

Encanto It’s available now in cinemas