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#please STOP vilainizing Abuela and take 3 seconds to understand everything she went through
jajanvm-imbi · 2 years
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When are we gonna talk about this specific scene in Dos Orugitas?
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Abuela: "Ive never been able to come back here. This river...is where we were, given our miracle."
Mirabel: "Where...Abuelo Pedro....?:
This entire scene, Dos Orugitas, is so powerful all together, but the RIVER. The river is so important to the context of their family and the theme of generational trauma.
At this point we all know what Abuela's trauma is and how it affected everyone in the family, hence "generational trauma" part of the story.
Abuela Alma, while holding her 3 newborn babies, watched the love of her life be slaughtered right in front of her eyes in that river that night.
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At the very beginning of the movie we can see that Abuelo Pedro was standing in the river when he was murdered.
Once again, like we have already seen, Abuela put her own feelings about her trauma aside, and puts on a brave face to comfort Mirabel. But like she says to Mirabel, she had never been able to come back to that river herself, she was only there for Mirabel.
Finding Mirabel sitting at the river, the same place her husband was brutally murdered, must have been very triggering and painful. She was staring at the very spot she watched her husband be murdered.
But here's what's interesting about how the scene continues.
While Dos Orugitas plays, the story of what happened to Abuelo Pedro is shown in detail (at least more detail then when Abuela tells the story at the beginning)
We see Mirabel observing the scene for herself, implying that Abuela is telling the story to Mirabel in great detail, and Mirabel is finally understanding the pain Abuela experienced in that very spot.
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Abuela then apologizes saying, "I am so sorry. You never hurt our family Mirabel. We are broken, because of me"
Now, after understanding why Abuela acted the way she did towards everyone, seeing the pain she is still holding on to after all those years, Mirabel looks out and sees:
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The scene from Bruno's vision.
At first she didn't know where that scene was, but it was when she looked out into the river that she saw what the vision was showing.
Now in Bruno's vision it was very unclear who Mirabel was meant to hug in order to save the miracle for a long time, and it ended up being Isabela. BUT, Bruno's vision had two different outcomes, one when Casita fell down, and one where Casita didn't. How I'm choosing to interpret this is that, in the outcome where Casita didn't fall Mirabel would have to hug Isabela, which is what the vision ended up choosing to display, but in the outcome where Casita did fall, Mirabel would have to hug someone else, which is why the vision was so confusing for Bruno.
Now Casita obviously fell, which means the only way the miracle would be saved is if Mirabel hugged someone else. And because of that scene in Bruno's vision, Mirabel realized:
It was Abuela she needed to help
This is exactly why I think its a bunch of bs when people claim that Abuela was "forgiven too easily"
Mirabel saw Abuela's silent suffering, she saw how much pain was still in her heart from what happened that night, and how much trauma Abuela experienced. She understood why Abuela acted the way she did, and instead of getting angry, Mirabel sees that she is meant to help Abuela, and in turn, help everyone else.
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THIS!!! ^^^^^^^^^ THIS VERY SCENE RIGHT HERE!!! THIS IS SO INSANELY IMPORTANT!!!!
This river was the place where the most traumatic thing that ever happened to any of them occurred. The source of the family's generational trauma took place at this river. And Abuela herself admitted that ever since that night, she had never been able to go back.
Abuela had to cross the river too, to flee from the bandits (or whoever they are)
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But after she saw Pedro be murdered, she never stepped foot in that river again.
BUT MIRABEL LED HER INTO THE RIVER, HOLDING HER HANDS, GUIDING HER BACK THROUGH THE RIVER LIKE PEDRO DID.
Mirabel understanding Abuela's trauma, and Abuela finally going back into the river after 50 years, you wanna know what this scene is symbolizing????
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THEIR HEALING
THIS RIGHT HERE, IS THE START OF THEIR HEALING FROM THEIR TRAUMA, ESPECIALLY ABUELA
After 50 years, Abuela was not only able to go back to see the river, but go into the river. WITH THE HELP OF MIRABEL.
Together, they walk into the river, finally understanding one another, and they both decide together that their healing starts HERE. The rest of the family can't heal before Abuela can heal, and Mirabel UNDERSTANDS THIS. So what does she do????? SHE HELPS ABUELA HEAL.
This entire scene is so important in understanding the entire movie, but the DAMN RIVER IS WHAT STOOD OUT TO ME.
I didn't get why they had to walk into the river in order for this scene to continue, but then it HIT ME LIKE A BUS.
Casita being rebuilt symbolizes the family healing as a whole, but the river symbolizes Abuela's trauma. Therefore, walking into the river symbolizes addressing and HEALING from that trauma.
God this movie is so beautiful and powerful and important.
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