#eli stabler

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First off I just gotta say, rest in peace, Kathy Stabler 🫡😭. They NEVER made me hate you, babe 🥺. You deserved SO much better. WHAT THE FUCK IS THE DEAL WITH KATHY GETTING INTO CAR-RELATED TRAGEDIES, SERIOUSLY?!

Can we talk about how THE VERY FIRST THING she said to Liv once she was conscious was something to the effect of "I'm sorry I ruined your big night"????

KATHYYYY, SWEETIE- 😭.

And then she also said something like "this is just like old times, you two together again" to Elliot and Liv?!?!?! And the whole reason she tried to get back in the car again was because she was worried they were gonna be late for Liv's ceremony- DAMN IT, SHE'S JUST TOO WHOLESOME I WANNA CRY AGAIN.

ALSO, KATHLEEN AND DICKIE ARE HERE!?! KATHLEEN LOOKS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS I REMEMBER, BUT DICKIE FUCKING HAS A BEARD??? OH MY GOD. NO WAY THE STABLER KIDS ARE IN THEIR 20S/30S NOW 😭😭.

Where's Maureen and Elizabeth and Eli though??

ALSO HOLY SHIT, ELI IS PROBABLY LIKE 14. THAT LITTLE BABY THAT OLIVIA HELPED KATHY DELIVER IN THAT CAR CRASH IS 14?? I REFUSE THAT NOTION ENTIRELY 🤯

Okay Bensler's reunion moment at the start of the episode. Elliot called her "Liv" and not her full name!!! After. Ten. Yearssssss. And the EMOTIONS in Liv's eyes... gosh, I can't even imagine how she felt.

And also this:

"You were the single most important person in my life and you just disappeared"

"I was afraid if I heard your voice, I wouldn't have been able to leave"

HELLO??? I WANT TO CRYYYY???? BENSLER BACK IN THE DAY WERE SOOOO RIDE-OR-DIE LOYAL, IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY. THEY BOTH CARED FOR EACH OTHER TOO MUCH THAT STABLER KNEW HE COULDN'T FACE HER AGAIN 😭😭😭

Okay, Benson and Stabler back in an interrogation room again really excited me more than I was expecting. I miss the bullshit they pulled back as partners so much. I also vividly remember myself as I was watching the episode last night, when Elliot was asking Liv to let him interrogate the perp, and I just laughed and said "don't do it, he's gonna try and beat the shit outta the guy". Guess what? I was right. I mean c'mon... it's ELLIOT.

Fin knew Elliot was gonna be there!! NOW I GET WHY HE WAS BEING ALL OMINOUS AND "YOU NEVER KNOW WHO IS GONNA SHOW UP" TO OLIVIA IN THAT OTHER EP. And he told Elliot about Noah!! The way Elliot immediately got all defensive over who the father is made me cackle. The shock he's in for when he finds out...

Amanda talking to Liv about how when she joined the squad, she could tell how close Olivia was with Stabler because she refused to clear his desk... it was really sweet of her. Once again, I have zero recollection of when the fuck Liv stopped being so spiteful towards Amanda but regardless, I ADORE how genuinely close they've become.

Okay, when Kathy died and Bensler just SUNKKKK into each other for a hug... man, it reminded me of the ending of "Paternity" from season 9.

And here's a deeply tragic parallel i just realised: back then, they hugged because Kathy survived. This time, it's because Kathy died 😭😭

Anyways, I wonder if the picked up on this BEFORE S12 of SVU or like ... if its something the picked up on with Eli while he was in Europe and they got him into special schools or something. Because for him to be off at college at like 14 is like ????

Kathleen Stabler being an excellent big sister and daughter.

But Eli and his sibs are what’s bugging me because he and Liv are in the hospital room when Randall and Bernie get there. What doesn’t make sense is Ayanna called the Stabler house, where a party was happening and everyone was there. So if Eli (whom the party was for), Bernie and Randall and all the other Stabler’s were all at the same house, how did the kids get there before Bernie and Randall??

Obviously they would’ve taken multiple cars but it seems like the kids are there long before Bernie and Randall. So did they take a detour? Maybe Bernie revealed she knew where Joe Jr was and they went to get him? Maybe he didn’t want to come or they couldn’t find him? I’m just so confused at the timing here.

My other theory is that when the crash happened the party was winding down so the kids had already left. Maybe Eli was at work or something and Olivia picked him up when she heard, she called Kathleen, Dickie and Maureen and Ayanna called Randall and Bernie. BUT this can be disproven by Randall answering the phone “Party central!” Like the party is still happening?

My other other theory is Ayanna found out from tracking Elliot, she called the ambulance, etc. Then she called Olivia and they met at the hospital (I feel like there’s a cut scene somewhere with Ayanna greeting Liv and telling her he’s gone into surgery or smth). Then Ayanna calls Stabler HQ and the kids decide to come together to the hospital and Randall brings Bernie. ~Something~ holds those two up and when they get to the hospital we get this scene where Liv is planted firmly by his bedside like she’s been there for hours (though if he was in surgery it would have to have been hours later by now), Eli’s there, (this could’ve been another beautiful interaction between Liv and Eli if only tptb weren’t so cruel) and finally enter Bernie and Randall.

That was quite some opening. At least I was prepared for the explosion, thanks to promos and trailers. 

Elliot definitely seems to be having some sort of PTSD. He should not be living alone! 

When his gaze rested on the bin/trash can with the doll dressed in a police uniform used to prank/haze Eli felt very symbolic and significant as a metaphor for Eli’s very brief police career ( I really can’t see him continuing in that career whatever the outcome to the investigation following the shooting is, and my gut is telling me it’s going to be bad).

He’s such a good dad, bringing Eli and Becky breakfast and helping out however he can, unlike Eli, who just seems totally out of it and doesn’t seem to be helping with household chores, the baby or anything that is important to Becky. He was also really rude to his dad, barely said hello to him and was dismissive ( « We’re not using that ») regarding all the baby things Bernie used with Elliot and his siblings. There were so many other ways he could have said he didn’t like/want it ( « Say thanks to Grandma, but we already have one/I don’t think it will match the colour scheme or theme for the nursery »). 

Nice little callback to Elliot watching the news of the explosion that nearly killed him a couple of eps ago and Eli standing the exact same way. 

Towards the end of the episode, when Elliot was holding baby Owen, I got flashbacks to S9 of SVU, Paternity, when Elliot holds baby Eli ( who also has a blue hat and a white/cream blanket round him), which was a sweet parallel. 

Also, dude, stop pushing your dad ( that you allegedly love) away. He’s trying to help you! 

Not a fan of the new baby’s name, as it reminds me of a character I really cannot stand on Grey’s Anatomy, especially as he shares a surname with Eli’s FTO, who is equally awful!

He should be recommending therapists/counselors to Eli, not dragging him out to get completely drunk ( also, how is Eli 21? I had him at 20 tops!), Also blowing off dinner with Becky’s parents is just immature and rude. I did love seeing Protectelliot/Papa Bear Elliot chew Hunt out for what he did, though I’m not sure Eli deserved to be defended as he was really bratty to his dad. 

I get that Eli is probably depressed/has PTSD/is traumatised by what he went through, but he has so much love and support to help him get through it. Becky saying she wants her soft and sensitive/kind and gentle boyfriend back was very telling, as those are not words I would use to describe a member of the police force! 

Poor Becky, at least she has Elliot to confide in, but he had so much going on already:worrying about his mum, Randall’s actions ( we have to get that convo next episode, it’s going to be explosive! I think Vargas will get some of the heat too.), his deep concern about Eli and his own health issues are not conducive to s happy, healthy Elliot. 

I did love that he referred to Randall as « his Randall » which felt very protective and big brotherly of him, though he is the younger brother. 

And I think Bernie actually saw Joe Jr, as usually when she has her memory lapses, she seems to ignore the other people’s response but this seemed like a real conversation, 

Elliot had spent so long being the reliable, responsible son and father that I understand why Bernie suggests Joe Jr seek him out, but Elliot really needs a break from fixing everyone’s problems!

I liked seeing more of Vargas, but really missed Bell and Reyes ( did he go to Italy with her?).