The most recent addition to the Descendants franchise, Descendants: Rise of Red, is the first live-action movie from this world of stories since Cameron Boyce's sudden death in 2019.
Boyce played Carlos in the first three Descendants films, being part of the original four main characters when the Disney Channel original movie premiered in 2015. Interestingly, his other three original fellow Villain Kids (VKs) did not appear in 2024's Descendants 4 either.
Still, while the other three's absences are addressed with excuses about what the characters are doing elsewhere during the events of the movie, Carlos' is somewhat different.
Carlos Reference In Descendants: Rise of Red Explained
As was established in the Descendants: The Royal Wedding animated television special, Carlos is already dead before the events of Descendants: Rise of Red.
This is never explicitly stated aloud, it is alluded to in both the animated Descendants special and the fourth live-action Descendants movie.
The only mention in Descendants: Rise of Red is right at the beginning, during a conversation between Uma (who just became the Principal of Auradon Prep) and the former-head Fairy Godmother.
When Fairy Godmother is concerned about opening Auradon Prep to all VKs, meaning including those from Wonderland, Uma, looking at a photo of Cameron Boyce's character, reminds her that "It's what Carlos would have wanted."
She adds, "So don't do it for me. Do it in honor of him." And that seals the deal.
How Did Carlos Die in Descendants?
While Carlos' death is alluded to (though not explicitly mentioned), the cause of death is not discussed at all.
Boyce himself died in 2019 of a seizure in his sleep. This was tragic, particularly given the actor's young age. However, his character's death remains unaddressed.
Perhaps this has to do with the movie's young target audience.
By keeping the tragedy vague, referring to Carlos in past tense and wishing he could be there, the movie lets older audiences catch on to what is being implied, without needing to necessarily explain the tragedy to a younger demographic.
It is heartwarming, though, to see the tribute to the late actor in Descendants: Rise of Red — a reminder that this series would not have been possible without him.
Descendants: Rise of Red is now available to stream on Disney+.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
