Encanto Director Reveals Limits To Pepa's Weather Control Powers
Pepa from Disney's Encanto might have the ability to control the weather around her, but the movie's director is hinting that she might not be as powerful as some have suspected. Since the movie hit theaters last November, audiences haven't been able to stop talking about Bruno, as well as the rest of the amazing Madrigal family. The animated film centers on the Latin family's dynamics and how their relationships correspond with their miraculous powers.
In addition to being blessed with a magical house, each member of the Madrigal family, with the exception of Mirabel, obtains a special gift. Shapeshifting, healing, and superhuman strength are among the skills possessed by the family members. Pepa's powers are showcased in multiple scenes, including the introductory portion of the "We Don't Talk About Bruno" number. Her emotions are reflected by the weather surrounding her, with happiness bringing sunshine and fear causing storms.
The limitations of each family member's powers, including Pepa's control over weather, have been a hot topic among Encanto fanatics. Many theories and questions have been posed as viewers delve deeper into the lore of the film. Luckily, Encanto's director, Jared Bush, addressed Pepa's limitations in an online Q&A session. One audience member asked if Pepa had the ability to turn away natural disasters like hurricanes. Read Bush's response to the inquiry below.
Bush's reply definitely reflects Pepa's forward and determined personality shown in the film and it also indicates that Pepa is only able to control the immediate weather around her. In the film, Pepa is shown multiple times with small rainclouds hovering over her head when in distress. These scenes definitely support Bush's commentary on the character's power limits, however, there is a scene where Pepa accidentally creates a hurricane on her wedding day which has caused several hardcore fanatics to believe she could possibly control more than it may initially seem.
Taking these new revelations into consideration, the best possible explanation would be that Pepa is only able to control the weather that she produces rather than the natural meteorological conditions. If this is the case, Pepa has one of the most useless gifts in the Madrigal family. Her powers are apparently nowhere near the abilities of Storm from the X-Men but at least she still has the ability to summon frizzy hair in an instant. Although it has yet to be confirmed, producers have implied that there is a very good chance a sequel to Encanto will be made, so it is possible the family's powers may be on display again in the future.
Source: Jared Bush