The midseason finale of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit was a wild ride from beginning to end. Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) revealed that after many years in the SVU, she’s leaving for a teaching position. And that’s not her only big news: She and Sonny Carisi (Peter Scanavino) also tied the knot!
Season 24, Episode 9’s “And a Trauma in a Pear Tree” began with Carisi asking Captain Benson (Mariska Hargitay), Sgt. Odafin (Ice T), and Joe Velasco (Octavio Pisano) to meet him at the courthouse. Keep in mind, Carisi was tasked with bringing down a serial rapist later that day, so the SVU members assume Carisi is prepping them for the trial.
The SVU gathers at the courthouse to find a judge already present. Carisi seems much less polished for court than usual; a little frazzled, one might say. The strangeness of the situation begins to make sense as soon as Carisi and the SVU see Rollins arrive in a wedding dress. Cue the room-wide jaw-drop.
“Carisi and I were talking,” Rollins says while joining Carisi’s side. “And we realized that marriage is a lot like a crime. We have a motive, opportunity…”
“I figured all we needed were the witnesses,” Carisi tells his SVU pals.
“We didn’t want to do this without any of you here,” Rollins tells them, at which point Benson immediately starts tearing up.
“You going to start crying already, Liv?” Fin asks while the group gathers for the ceremony. Then, in front of the court and surrounded by their closest SVU loved ones, Rollins and Carisi said, “I do!” in a casual yet romantic ceremony that will go down in SVU history books forever.
Later at the reception, Rollins and Carisi are cheered on by the entire precinct. Rollins explains that she and Carisi will also have a ceremony on Staten Island but wanted to spare their work friends from the “ice sculpture” by throwing something smaller first. While Rollins and Carisi are able to tie the knot without a hitch, breaking the news of her new position to Benson proves to be more difficult. After 12 years in the SVU, giving notice would be hard for anyone, but to give notice to BFF Benson? Oof!
By the episode’s closing moments, Rollins comes clean about her new teaching position, which Benson takes hard but ultimately understands. If anyone knows what Rollins has been through during Season 24, it’s Benson. In a powerful send-off that only she could receive, Rollins bids farewell to the SVU while earning a standing ovation from her colleagues.
We’ll miss you, Rollins!
Law & Order: SVU returns Thursday, January 5. Watch on NBC Thursdays at 9/8c and next day on Peacock.
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