LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT: What Does Fin Know About Elliot’s Return?

After nearly ten years away from the LAW & ORDER universe, Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) returns to the franchise with the April 1 episode of SVU—that helps lead into the launch of his own series, ORGANIZED CRIME. And while much of the focus has understandably been on Elliot’s reunion with his former partner (and now the SVU squad’s boss) Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), it’s another squad member who may hold the key to at least some answers.

Though NBC has kept nearly everything about the upcoming crossover event under lock and key, the only real new footage we’ve gotten of Elliot has been with Fin (Ice-T), as the duo discussed Elliot’s departure and a bit of what has transpired in Olivia’s personal life over the years.

Elliot opting to open up to Fin after all of this time is an interesting twist given the duo’s history. Though they worked together for 11 years, things were certainly strained for a number of years in the middle of their tenure—starting when Fin’s son was a suspect in a crime and escalating to the point of Fin asking to transfer out of the unit after they disagreed about Elliot’s approach when they thought a fellow member of the squad might be dirty. But in Elliot’s final years at SVU, they seemed to settle into a relatively easy peace.

Fin was also the one who tried to justify Elliot’s silence to Olivia in the immediate aftermath of the shooting that, seemingly, prompted Elliot to turn in his papers nearly a decade ago. “Elliot’s probably afraid to talk to you, Liv,” he told her in the season 13 premiere. “[He] doesn’t want you to try and talk him out of it…he shot a teenage girl. He may not ever want to put a gun on again.”

But Fin was also by Olivia’s side for all of these years—he saw what Elliot’s absence did to her and how she did have to adjust to that loss. He saw her survive a vicious attack. He saw her have personal and professional highs.

And while Fin is the only person, outside of Olivia, Elliot would know at present-day SVU, does he know that? In the most recent clip from the crossover, it was clear Elliot didn’t know Olivia had a son, so would he know that Munch (Richard Belzer) and Cragen (Dann Florek) retired? Going to Fin, certainly, feels like a risk, even if it’s just to gauge whether Olivia might be open to having him in her life again.

(A possible twist: We also don’t know when the above scene took place. Though SVU doesn’t normally tell stories in a non-linear fashion, Fin’s note of one solid relationship could either be him minimizing one of the serious relationships she had over the past decade or it could be a key to when the conversation actually took place. Because Fin also didn’t mention the recent loss of her brother, which does feel relevant to her personal life…)

If, somehow, it turns out that Fin knew about Elliot’s return for a bit of time, what will this do to his relationship with Olivia? Fin certainly heavily implied at the end of the last episode that someone unexpected (to her) might show up if she accepted the NYPD honor she was dragging her feet about receiving. And he was a little too interested in her conversation with the Italian police in an episode earlier this season. (And, based on the title of the ORGANIZED CRIME series premiere, it certainly seems like Elliot had something going on in Italy.)

On paper, it would feel like Fin’s loyalty would automatically be toward Olivia. So if he didn’t immediately turn around and tell her Elliot is back, what the heck stopped him? Or is there way more to this than meets the eye?

LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT, Thursdays, 9/8c, NBC

LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME, Series Premiere, Thursday, April 1, 10/9c, NBC

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