This episode of Mahabharata begins with Krishna, Vidhur, Satyaki and Kritvarma emerging from Vidhur’s house. As they make preparations for the journey back to Mathsya, Karna comes up to them.
Krishna decides to play one last card. After riding with Karna for a while, Krishna takes Karna into the woods for a private talk. After giving Karna a You Are Better Than You Think You Are speech, Krishna demands to know why Karna has such Undying Loyalty towards Duryodhan. Karna replies it is because Duryodhan was the only one who proclaimed Karna to be a Warrior when Karna was rejected by all other warriors, who laughed at his heritage. Krishna acknowledges that this is a difficult debt to get out of, but not impossible. Karna however, states his unwillingness to do so, even if it means fighting on the side of evil.
Krishna then asks Karna if he ever wondered who his real parents were. Karna speculates for a bit, but then loses interest. Krishna reveals the truth - that Karna is the son of Kunti and the Sun God, thereby making him the eldest Pandava. A stunned Karna demands to know why Krishna sprung this on him now. Krishna replies that it was to prevent him from waging war on his own little brothers. Krishna offers to take Karna with him, reveal his true self to the Pandavas, thereby making all of them beholden to him, then making Karna the emperor of Indraprasth that Yudhistir was. Karna refuses, stating that his debt to Duryodhan would force him to hand Indraprasth to Duryodhan, which would be bad for Indraprasth as Karna thinks Duryodhan is unfit to be king.
Karna accepts that the right thing for him is to fight and perish in the upcoming war so that a deserving Yudhistir can become Emperor. After Krishna leaves, Karna goes on one hell of a rant against the Sun God.
Later on, Shakuni forces Duryodhan to request that Bhishma accept the title of General-in-Chief of the Kaurava army. Bhishma accepts on two conditions - that he will never kill the Pandavas, and that Karna cannot fight under his command. Karna accepts, but swears to rejoin Duryodhan’s forces the moment Bhishma dies.
Tropes found here are
- Achilles in His Tent: One condition for Bhishma agreeing to command Duryodhan’s armies is that Karna must sit this war out. Karna agrees, but declares that he will rejoin Duryodhan’s forces after Bhishma dies.
- All the Other Reindeer: All the other warrior princes derided Karna as “the charioteer’s son”, implying that he is unworthy of being among them. This really affected Karna deeply.
- Because You Were Nice to Me: Karna admits that he follows Duryodhan because the latter was the only one who has treated him with respect and dignity all this time.
- Every Man Has His Price: Krishna counters that Duryodhan deliberately bought Karna’s loyalty so that he can be used as a weapon against the Pandavas. Karna states that even if this were true, a debt is still a debt, so he is still sticking with Duryodhan.
- Blue-and-Orange Morality: Karna follows Duryodhan because he considers Duryodhan’s niceness and friendship as a debt that must be repaid. Karna’s thought process therefore, is that were he crowned Emperor of Indraprasth, he would be obligated to abdicate and repay his debt to Duryodhan by appointing the latter as Emperor instead. Karna thinks Duryodhan is unworthy of that position, so he must decline the crown of Indraprasth.
- Death Seeker: Karna May not have been this earlier, but he is one now. Karna thinks that Duryodhan must be defeated but because of his own debt of gratitude towards Duryodhan, Karna must fight alongside Duryodhan and die for him. Karna is now willing to accept this.
- Declining Promotion: Krishna offers Karna the position of Emperor of Indraprasth, the year “promoting” him from king of a minor vassal state to Emperor. Karna declines it out of indebtedness to Duryodhan.
- Dragon Their Feet: Bhishma intends to act like this, proclaiming that he absolutely will not kill any Pandava.
- Heritage Face Turn: By revealing Karna’s parentage as a Pandava, Krishna hopes to induce this.
- Karna, She Is Your Mother: Krishna reveals that Kunti is Karna’s mother.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Shakuni is immensely rattled after witnessing a display of Krishna's power, and wonders how many potential allies will be swayed from the Kaurava cause after seeing a Physical God in their presence admonishing their cause.
- Rage Against the Heavens / Calling the Old Man Out: Karna goes on a rage filled rant against the gods, particularly Surya the Sun God, his father.
- Really Royalty Reveal: Krishna tells Karna that as Kunti’s eldest son, he should be emperor of Indraprasth.
- Realpolitik: Shakuni reasons that the Kaurava army can be strong only if Bhishma is appointed to command it - and thereby bringing in all the allies he has accumulated over the many decades of his life. Otherwise, they sit out this war, or worse, join the Pandavas.
- Redemption Rejection / Trapped in Villainy : Karna feels that it is too late for him to turn on Duryodhan, as he values that debt of gratitude much more than virtue and morality.
- Secret-Keeper: Karna forces Krishna to keep Karna’s parentage and sibling relationship to the Pandavas, a secret. This secret must be revealed to the Pandavas only after he is dead.
- Then Let Me Be Evil: Played with. Karna was happy, wallowing in hatred of the Pandavas. But by informing Karna of his true heritage, Krishna has effectively neutered that hatred, so all Karna has left is self-pity and Duryodhan’s friendship. Karna calls out Krishna for doing this to him.
- Unfit for Greatness: Karna flat out states that Duryodhan is unfit to rule Hastinapur or Indraprasth and therefore, must be defeated in battle.
- Who's Your Daddy?: Krishna answers this question, stating that Karna’s father is the same Sun God whom he venerates every day at noon.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Krishna says that Karna has Yudhistir’s virtue, compassion and intelligence, Arjun’s skill as an archer, Nakul’s handsomeness and Sahadev’s endurance. He is therefore even more qualified than Yudhistir to be emperor of Indraprasth.
- You Fool!: Shakuni again calls Duryodhan this, for completely throwing pragmatic Realpolitik out the window and appointing Karna as his General-in-Chief.
