In the 2021 Disney animated film Encanto, the Madrigal family lives in a magical house in the mountains of Colombia. At the beginning of the film, the village below is shown being destroyed in a fire as the young Madrigals flee to safety in their new magical home. The cause of the fire that burned down the village is initially mysterious, leaving viewers to wonder who or what was responsible for the destruction. In this article, we’ll examine the evidence to determine who likely burned the village in Encanto.
What happened to the village?
The movie opens with Alma Madrigal desperately trying to escape from the village with her triplets. Behind them, the village is engulfed in flames, buildings are collapsing, and people are running away. Alma’s husband Pedro saves them by holding back a crumbling pathway just long enough for Alma and the babies to cross to safety. This suggests the fire was extremely powerful and destructive, ravaging the village and everything in its path. Pedro tragically dies from injuries caused by the debris from the burning village, leaving Alma a widow responsible for the three children.
The Madrigal family would go on to build their Casita magical house on the mountain above the charred remains of the village. For many years afterwards, they could still see evidence of the destruction from the fire below. It clearly was a massive and devastating event for the village and its people.
Who had the motives to burn down the village?
So who would do such a thing and why? Let’s consider some possibilities of groups or individuals who may have had potential motives:
1. Enemy army
During this era, warfare and conflicts between armies were common in Colombia. An invading enemy army could potentially have had strategic reasons to burn the village, such as routing any defending soldiers or sowing fear and instability in the region. However, there is no mention of any army involvement in Encanto, making this less likely.
2. Local criminals
Criminals sometimes commit arson as an act of destruction or intimidation. However, it seems unlikely that common criminals would have the means or motive to burn down an entire village. There is no evidence of criminal involvement in the movie plot.
3. Accidental fire
It’s possible the fire could have started by accident, such as an untended campfire or candle tipping over. But for the blaze to spread so quickly and widely, the dry conditions would have needed to be extreme, which is not indicated in the movie. Some type of accelerant would likely have been required.
4. Alma Madrigal
Could Alma herself have been responsible for burning the village? This seems highly unlikely, given that she nearly died herself trying to escape with her babies. There is no character motivation established for why she would have done this deliberately. She appears just as shocked as anyone at the unfolding events.
Clues the fire was caused by magic
Perhaps the biggest clues come from the magical nature of the events. Here are some key points:
– The village fire coincided with the miracle
The fire happened simultaneously with Pedro saving his family and the magic of the Encanto being created. This supernatural intervention implies mystical forces were at work.
– The candles
Alma is shown clutching three candlesticks representing each of her children as she flees the burning village. Later, her triplet children each create their own magical gifts, represented by the candle motifs. This suggests the origin of the magic involved fire and candles.
– No natural explanation
If the blaze spread so rapidly and powerfully that it destroyed the entire village, it implies a supernatural force was fueling it, beyond any normal fire behavior. There are no logical natural explanations provided in the events shown.
The most likely cause
Taking all the available evidence into account, magic provides the most plausible explanation for how the massive fire was started in Encanto. Though the exact details are not shown, here is a likely theory:
The miracle that granted magical gifts to the Madrigal family was intrinsically connected to the fire. The fire itself was started and spread using magic, seemingly originating from the triplet’s candles when their powers were unlocked. This supernatural force amplified the blaze into an unstoppable inferno that quickly demolished the town.
Whether the fire and magic were intentional or accidental is unclear. But the mystical origin meant the flames could not be controlled or extinguished through natural means. The town was sadly doomed to destruction so the new magic could be born from its ashes.
Why was magic involved in the village’s destruction?
If magic caused the tragedy, the next question is why? Several speculative reasons could help explain this:
– To protect the Encanto and Madrigals
The magic may have acted to eliminate any witnesses or evidence of the miracle occurring, essentially removing traces of magic to keep it secret.
– To fuel the magic itself
Powerful magic sometimes requires sacrifice and destruction. Annihilating the village may have been the cost of activating such strong gifts.
– To allow a fresh start
Burning the village to the ground enabled the Madrigal family to start over with new purpose, unencumbered by the past.
Unresolved mystery
While the circumstantial evidence points to mystical forces igniting the fatal blaze, the movie leaves the exact cause and motivations unresolved. This allows the village fire to remain a mysterious tragedy in Encanto’s backstory. The remnants still visible underline the fragility of even magical gifts.
The true origins of the fire may be left ambiguous for creative reasons. Its unexplained nature arguably makes it more eerie and ominous. The unsolved mystery adds depth to the new beginning created for the Madrigals rising from the ashes.
Conclusion
In Encanto, circumstantial evidence strongly implies that magic caused the fire which destroyed the village at the beginning. Arson by any individual seems unlikely, since no one had clear motives or means to accomplish such massive destruction. A supernatural blaze catalyzed the birth of the Madrigal family’s gifts, though its exact origins are left unconfirmed. While the cause remains a mystery, the outcome was a clean slate that allowed the Madrigals to craft a new future and destiny. The tragedy and rebirth shaped the family and Encanto into what viewers discover in the film.