Isabela Madrigal became her own person during Disney's Isabela Madrigal (Diane Guerrero). In Encanto, Isabela has the power to create flowers and wants nothing more than to be the perfect Madrigal that Abuela Alma (María Cecilia Botero) wants her to be. However, that pressure takes its toll. Isabela would even marry Mariano (Maluma) against her wishes to adhere to her family's expectations. Though Mariano appears to be a stand-up guy, that doesn't mean Isabela wants marriage.
Abuela's family pressure doesn't stop at Isabela. Luisa (Jessica Darrow) has super-strength, and she constantly pushes herself to take on more burdens than she can bear. Additionally, Mirabel is the only Madrigal grandchild without a superpower, and she's endlessly trying to prove herself and make her family proud. Mirabel's struggle to prove herself to Abuela finally boils over when she confronts her grandmother right before their magical house collapses. "I will never be good enough for you. Will I?" Mirabel says. The comments help Abuela realize she's been putting too much pressure on everyone.
Encanto cut a potential love interest for Isabela, and the decision was the right choice for the character's journey. In Encanto, Isabela had another suitor besides Mariano. Disney's Art of Encanto reveals the suitor's name was Bubo, and the character would come from the city and have a dorky personality. However, he didn't make the final cut of the film. Yvett Merino, a producer on Encanto, explains, "In the end, Isabela's journey is not defined by a guy." Encanto's decision to cut Bubo was undoubtedly a good one.
Isabela needs space to figure out who she is. In Encanto, Isabel has a big musical number with Mirabel called "What Else Can I Do?" In the song, she finally rejects being labeled perfect and goes wild with her plant creations. Her clothes change, and her creative personality finally shines through. In Art of Encanto, Story Artist Samantha Vilfort explained that Isabela wasn't rejecting her gender expression, femininity, or even her makeup. She was just doing it all on her own and discovering who she wanted to be. A love interest would just distract from her journey. Living up to Abuela's expectations is hard for Isabela, and she deserves time to put herself first.
Though the Bubo cut was the right decision, the character could've provided some comedy. Art of Encanto reveals Bubo was a "true fish out of water." From Bubo's city life and dorky personality, it's clear Abuela Alma would disapprove, providing Isabela with another way to rebel from the perfect life her family laid out for her. Of course, perhaps Bubo or another love interest could appear down the line for Isabela. But first, she is going to take some time to find herself. And as Mirabel sings in Encanto, there's nothing she can't do.
