#and singing mateo being like 'i'm fucking great actually! look at all this cool stuff I can do!'

[dittomander]

Mateo is literally never more self-assured than when he's singing. his songs in order, paraphrased:

"I'm hot shit and I can teach you magic!"

"I'm gonna be the hottest shit!"

"I'm hot enough shit to take care of myself, Mom!"

"I'm hotter shit than Gabe!"

"I'm gonna be the hottest shit take 2! feat. Abuelo"

like he really listened to Elena sing "The Magic Within You" and went "I see, so confidence is stored in the musical number" and then he just rolled with that for the entire rest of the show

#elena of avalor #eoa #mateo de alva #and then he gets the rug ripped out from under him immediately after every single song #like no wonder his self-esteem is such a mess #but no seriously the contrast between regular mateo being like 'oh no i'll never be a good enough wizard' #and singing mateo being like 'i'm fucking great actually! look at all this cool stuff I can do!' #is just so funny to me #of course there's the argument that this isn't actually confidence but gross overcompensation for his insecurities #in a 'fake it til you make it' kind of way #(as I'm pretty sure is the case in at least In Charge) #(and is also suggested by the fact that he doesn't actually get any more 'I'm the greatest person alive actually' songs #*after* the end of his arc in Spirit of a Wizard) #but that's an essay for another day