Stabler Finally Returned to Law & Order: SVU When Benson Needed Him Most
Stabler doesn't let anyone mess with Benson and get away with it.
There was no shortage of excitement during Law & Order: SVU's thrilling crossover with the OG Law & Order, but you can bet viewers were screaming and pointing at their TVs when the beloved Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) made a surprise appearance. And he came just in time to help his best friend, Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay).
Fans relish any moment Benson catches up with her former partner, but Stabler's latest return to SVU came under less-than-ideal circumstances. The Law & Order crossover explored the devastating murder of Maria Recinos, the little girl Benson saved in SVU's iconic "911" episode, who later grew up to become a detective just like her savior. As the two squads set out to find their perp, the detectives were led on a chaotic cat-and-mouse chase that led to several red herrings, murdered witnesses, and some gripping courtroom drama. In fact, it was so intense that Benson called Stabler for backup.
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While it wasn't technically a reunion among the SVU partners (Bensler doesn't meet face to face), Stabler's cameo served as a touching reminder of the hurdles he'll navigate for his cherished pal.
Benson's SVU teamed up with the 27th Precinct after a personal loss
After a cul-de-sac investigation and numerous dead witnesses surrounding Maria's death, Benson deduced that their suspect was close to the case, maybe too close. It was Maria's commanding officer, Lt. Paul Gomez, who leveraged his position within the NYPD to target and intimidate undocumented women into submission. Shortly after Benson and Brady visited Gomez to interrogate him about the case, he caught on to the detective's game and made some calls.
Later, while picking up her son Noah from school, Benson learned he'd been approached by a mysterious man who tried getting Noah inside his car. Gomez had sent someone to hurt Benson's son to make her ditch the case. Benson didn't back down, only gaining more traction as she gathered enough evidence and testimony to drag an overly confident Gomez to court.
A man entered the courtroom who seemed to rattle the witness on stand. Benson recognized him as the same man who harassed Noah. Distressed by this man's presence, the witness changed her story unexpectedly. A.D.A. Sonny Carisi (Peter Scanavino) smelled witness tampering from a mile away and promptly called a recess.
Meanwhile, Benson sent a few texts.
Stabler showed up to defend Benson with a brutal warning
As the trial continued, SVU cut to Gomez's goon inside a bathroom. Stabler (!) soon entered the room and strolled up next to the man at the urinals.
"Might not know me, but I know you," Stabler said casually. "And not in a vague kind of way."
"What the hell are you talking about?" the man asked.
"Your name is Mueller Hayes; you joined the Academy in '95, spent your first year on patrol," Stabler rattled off. "Speeding tickets for your friends quickly disappeared, little cash for courtesy, nothing major. Nothing worth making a fuss over. But I see the patterns in your life even if you don't."
"Fast-forward a few years, and, well, here you are, huh?" Stabler said before he crushed Hayes' arms behind his back and slammed him into the bathroom wall. "Head smashed up against the cold tile under the weight of all your bad decisions and a 600 FICO score, which is why Paul Gomez owns you," Stabler said.
"You and I are just gonna cut to the chase," Stabler snapped. "If you ever go anywhere near my friend or her son again, I won't take you down. I'll take you apart."
With that sinister promise, Stabler let Hayes go, strolling over the sinks to wash his hands with the same blasé attitude he entered the restroom. "Tell Gomez to watch his back," Stabler barked before leaving as soon as he came.
After Benson's investigation, Gomez was sent to prison. Maybe we didn't see Benson thank Stabler for his small part in closing the case, but viewers loved watching him appear to defend her!
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