I’ve seen a few people saying that they were upset that Isabela didn’t give Mirabel a more direct apology in Encanto (which is fair), but honestly, as someone with siblings, the saying “actions speak louder than words” is absolutely true. I know it might not be this way for all siblings, but with me and my brother, if we seriously upset each other, we don’t usually directly come out and say sorry. We show it in our behavior towards each other. Same thing goes with me and my cousins. Even if we do say sorry, we don’t just say it with words, we say it with actions.

I understand Isabela. She’s under all this pressure to be perfect, with a gift that only re-enforces her role as the beautiful, ideal picture of what a Madrigal is supposed to be. She’s the oldest Madrigal grandchild, of course her family wanted her life to be as perfect as possible. So naturally, even though Mirabel doesn’t have a gift, I think she envies Mirabel a little bit. Mirabel doesn’t have a gift, but she also doesn’t have the same expectations pushed on her. That’s not to say Mirabel doesn’t have her own problems (because we all know she does), but I think Isabela is jealous of how Mirabel has more freedom than her, in a way. Isabela is expected to be the example, the role model, the one you look up to. She’s expected to get married, she’s expected to have the perfect husband, she’s expected to have children, to bring a new generation of magic. Mirabel is the youngest of her siblings, and the second youngest Madrigal grandchild. She has pressures and expectations of her own, but she’s not expected to be perfect the way Isabela is. Really, I think they’re both probably a little jealous of each other.

For me, I see Isabela’s song as the start of her apology. It’s her confessing to Mirabel why she acts the way she does. Her hugging Mirabel, to me, feels like her saying “thank you. Thank you for accepting me as I am, and thank you for helping me accept myself as I am. You don’t just ruin my life. You also make it better.” As they rebuild the house, the family rebuilds their relationships with each other, Isabela and Mirabel included. We see them having fun planting cacti and helping Luisa with the build. We see them celebrating together as Mariano and Dolores finally become a couple. They haven’t always been the best of siblings to each other, but they still love each other, and they want to be friends again! And they get there, in the end!

Again, still totally fair if you think she should’ve given Mirabel a better apology. Honestly, I kind of think so, too. But as a sibling, I get her. I’ll stop rambling now