Encanto: Why can’t we talk about Bruno?

I am breaking all the rules. I’m going to talk about Bruno. Gasp! I know it its taboo, but honestly, he was such a good character, and I loved him. Plus, I think there is a message to his characterization, and I want to talk about my interpretation. So, without further ado, let’s talk about Bruno.

We didn’t know much about him before receiving his gift, but I assume he was loved as much as his sisters. We know he grew up without his father, Pablo, which significantly shaped his and his family’s lives as they tried to navigate the world and help others. I imagine that he also found it difficult to adjust to when he was bestowed his gift, much like his sisters. After all, they had no one to explain what exactly it was. I imagine even Abuela was confused. Of course, this is all speculation. Once he was given his talent, I can say that he was outcasted after a while.

His family associated him with bad omens because he could perceive future events – hence the song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.” We can gather that, from the sing, he had good intentions. Bruno just wanted to inform others of what was coming to be prepared. In the case of his sister Pepa, she caused it to rain at her wedding; he didn’t predict that. It seems that Pepa could have circumvented those events if she had better control of her power (maybe we should banish her, ha). I feel it’s safe to assume he let her know that her fish would die out of kindness for the woman with the pet fish.

I make these assumptions because he seems to be a kind soul after meeting Bruno in the film. He’s just awkward and doesn’t know how to express himself with the grace that others in his family possess. I can only imagine trying to help people using the gift of foresight and informing them of news that people may not want to hear. I’m sure he tried his best to follow his mother’s advice of “help others” to the best of his abilities, but you can’t help people who refuse to hear things that may be unpleasant. News cannot be good all the time.

Remarkably, he was still willing to help Mirabel, even after not using his gift for years. He wants to help others even though he’s afraid of the news his perceptions will reveal. Just the fact that he was still willing to support his family, after they were, at least in part, the reason he left in the first place, shows he’s a fantastic and complex character. Even though he felt outcasted by his family, he stuck around and looked out for them when they couldn’t see it.

It’s kind of sad to think that he self-banished because he felt people were better off without him even though he still tried to help his family from afar. It’s truly a testament to his character. The message of Bruno as a character is simple: help others, and forgive those who do not fully understand or do not wish to. Keep doing your best (even if you feel underappreciated at times). Honestly, his message is to forgive, be quirky and keep moving forward.