LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME Recap: Elliot is Dealt a Catastrophic Blow in ‘Off the Books’

[Warning: This post contains spoilers for the Thursday, June 5 episode of LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME.]

A week after the Stabler family worried they were about to lose Bernie (Ellen Burstyn) after her health took a turn—she, thankfully, has recovered and is now out of the hospital—they were dealt a brutal blow on the Thursday, June 5 episode of LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME: Joe Jr. (Michael Trotter) was killed.

Joe Jr. knew his death was coming, warning Elliot (Christopher Meloni), “I don’t have long,” in an ominous phone call in last week’s “Fail Safe.”

“Listen, no matter what happens, and it’s going to happen soon now, Elliot,” Joe Jr. said in the hour. “Know that I love you and I made my own choices.” 

Things came to a head this week in “Off the Books,” as Emery (Tom Payne) made moves in New York to try and secure his fortune, while utilizing Joe Jr.’s ties to Elliot as a way to divert the cops away from their plans.

Joe Jr. for his part, tried to play both sides: He left a clue for Elliot at a crime scene, but also made a call to his big brother, on Emery’s behalf, with a fake tip.

Randall (Dean Norris), meanwhile, was getting increasingly nervous about his youngest brother’s well-being. After Elliot refused to take his calls, Randall showed up at OCCB’s office, insisting something bad was going to happen to Joe Jr.—he had been getting premonitions. Elliot, for his part, admitted that Joe Jr. was officially back in New York City, but he was unsure what side he was actually on. Later, Randall took a call from Joe Jr. and the youngest Stabler brother gave Randall a message for Elliot: To meet him in an hour. 

Elliot and Joe Jr. reunited, with Joe Jr. making it clear to his brother that he had been clean for six months. He also had information to share: There was a big operation happening on Staten Island. Elliot had Joe Jr. swear on Bernie’s life he was telling the truth, which Joe Jr. did…even though viewers had already seen Emery tell Joe Jr. to deliver this intel to throw the NYPD away from their real plans at Bay Ridge.

Elliot appeared satisfied by Joe Jr.’s promise, and gave his brother a gift from Bernie—a St. Christopher’s medal. (The necklace actually originally came into Elliot’s possession in “Dante’s Inferno,” after he lost Bunny.)

“Make sure she knows I’m clean,” Joe Jr. requested to Elliot.

Elliot, however, said Bernie never knew he was using. “Come home,” Elliot pleaded to his brother. “When it’s over with, come home.”

But things took a turn when Emery and Joe Jr. were on their way to their meet-up in Bay Ridge and realized they were not alone…and there was a tracker in Joe Jr.’s new necklace. Emery used Joe Jr. as a human shield and they got away in a car, with Elliot hot on their heels.

Emery and Joe Jr. then abandoned their car and disappeared into a building; Elliot frantically tried to find them, but paused when he got a call from Emery. The crime boss now had his own demands: Elliot remove the APB on him or Joe Jr. would die. Elliot begged for his brother’s life, saying he’d work on holding off the APB—but approaching NYPD backup spooked Emery, who hung up the phone. A horrified and helpless Elliot heard a gunshot.

Elliot found a dying Joe Jr., and he begged his brother to “breathe and stay awake.”

“Tell her I was clean,” Joe Jr. rasped out before he died. 

Tanner (Olivia Thirlby), who had been working the case with Elliot, got to the scene and encouraged Elliot to go home to his family. However, Elliot’s old friend, McKenna (Jason Patric) had an alternate idea: McKenna grabbed Emery’s enforcer during the raid and offered Elliot a chance to get some revenge…which Elliot accepted. 

LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME, Thursdays, Peacock.

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