Grab them tissues, for this Tearjerker episode of Mahabharata is the one in which Abhimanyu dies a most brutal horrific death.
The episode begins with Duryodhan gloating about his manipulation of Dronacharya and Susharma to Dushasan and then gloating to Bhishma that he will have the war won by tomorrow. Dhritharashtra visits Vidhur only to be told that he sucks.
The next morning on Day Thirteen, two armies rush at each other and clash. But didn’t Dronacharya order his troops into a special formation? Turns out these are soldiers accompanying Arjun and Susharma. Soon those two start trading arrows. But Susharma does his job and lures Arjun a long way away. When Arjun is far enough away, Dronacharya orders the Chakravyuh formation.
In the Kauravas camp however, the spy who was captured last night is shown suspended from his arms tied to a beam. He does a pull-up, gnaws his ropes off to free himself, then ducks under a tent flap and escapes. He tries to run to Yudhistir but catches an arrow. Bleeding, he staggers over and delivers a one word message before dying - “Chakravyuh”!
A shocked Yudhistir realizes the predicament they are in. Arjun and Krishna are the only ones who can penetrate the formation, but they are far away. However, Abhimanyu walks up to Yudhistir and informs him of his ability to infiltrate the Chakravyuh. When Abhimanyu states that he is unable to exfiltrate the Chakravyuh, Bhim reassures him that all remaining Pandavas and their allies will infiltrate the Chakravyuh with him and then Hold the Line until sunset. Abhimanyu rides off to reconnoiter the enemy formation and find a vulnerability to attack.
Once Abhimanyu finds a vulnerability in the Chakravyuh and attacks it, he creates a gap in the formation and rides into it. However, when the Pandavas try to follow him in, Jayadrath shows up and obstructs them. One by one, he defeats all four Pandavas. Abhimanyu drives deeper and deeper into the Chakravyuh, but any gaps he creates close behind him. Abhimanyu ends up stranded in the middle of the formation, surrounded by enemies.
At first, Abhimanyu duels all Kauravas and their allies one at a time - and defeats them. Although he kills a few more unnamed Kauravas, he is unable to kill Karna, Dronacharya, Kripacharya, Shalya and Kritvarma. He spares Duryodhan and Dushasan for Bhim. After being shot one too many times, Duryodhan orders everyone to gang up on Abhimanyu. When they do so, Abhimanyu protests about them all violating the Rules Of Engagement. Duryodhan however brushes it off.
Abhimanyu shames them all for their cowardice, while Yudhistir despairs about Abhimanyu’s fate. When even at many to one odds archery fights can’t stop Abhimanyu, Karna shoots Abhimanyu’s chariot’s wheel off, dismounting the young warrior. When he draws his sword, expecting a sword fight, Dronacharya shoots the sword out of Abhimanyu’s hand. Abhimanyu then grabs a chariot wheel to defend himself. But eventually, a few sword thrusts get through and fell him. Finally, Abhimanyu screams in agony as all remaining Kaurava princes, Karna and Shakuni dogpile on and repeatedly stab Abhimanyu while he is lying helpless.
And then a sad dirge plays.
Tropes found here are
- Alpha Strike: Only a pre-classical version of this with arrows and swords ultimately takes Abhimanyu down.
- Blasting It Out of Their Hands: Dronacharya shoots the sword out of Abhimanyu’s hands.
- Dangerous 16th Birthday: Abhimanyu is sixteen years old when he dies.
- Determinator: The spy shrugs off an arrow to his chest, staggers over to Yudhistir and warns him of the Chakravyuh.
- You Are Too Late: However, the spy gets there only after Arjun has run off after Susharma.
- Draw Aggro: Susharma draws Arjun’s aggression to lure him away. Abhimanyu ends up drawing enough aggro for the entire day to completely foil Dronacharya’s plan.
- Evil Gloating: Duryodhan and his buddies yell, cross their swords together and dance around Abhimanyu’s corpse.
- Heel Realization: Dronacharya’s look as Abhimanyu screams at him for cowardice is nothing but pure shame.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Abhimanyu’s death inside the Chakravyuh ensured that Yudhistir wasn’t captured - and thereby total defeat was averted.
- Hold the Line: A rare villainous example - Jayadrath holds against four Pandavas.
- Implacable Man: Jayadrath - only for today.
- Improvised Weapon: A chariot wheel. It doesn’t do Abhimanyu any good against a dozen swordsmen rushing him.
- Stab Him While He Is Down: Abhimanyu is repeatedly stabbed while lying wounded and helpless on the ground. The stabbing only stops when he is dead.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Abhimanyu lets Dronacharya have it for being among the many who ganged up on Abhimanyu.
- Spin Attack: Realistically depicted. Abhimanyu tries one with a chariot wheel. Eventually a few enemy blades get through and pierce him.
- You Have No Chance to Survive: Duryodhan yells this at Abhimanyu.
