How Stabler and Benson Reunited in 'Law & Order: SVU' 600th Episode

The 600th episode of Law & Order: SVU, shown on US TV on Thursday (12), marked the reunion of Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni), one of the most beloved duos in the series. But, after so much time apart, the former partners are not exactly on good terms.

Titled “Obedience,” the episode begins when Benson is approached by Gwen (J. Smith-Cameron), who asks for help reviewing an old case: the murder of Claire Sobel, a nun killed in 1998. The investigation was one of Olivia's first in her career at the Special Victims Unit, and the man convicted of the crime remains imprisoned, although he insists he is innocent. Since Stabler also participated in the case, Benson decides to contact him to try and discover if the two made a mistake in the past.

The reunion takes place at the boxing gym Elliot frequents, but the conversation begins with accusations. Benson says he misses his former partner, but complains that he doesn't answer his calls and has been isolating himself. Stabler, in turn, states that the two are not friends, which makes Olivia even more angry. Even so, he ends up changing his mind and joins the investigation.

During the trip to the prison where Charles, the convicted man, is being held, the two continue arguing and revisit decisions made at the beginning of their partnership. The situation becomes even more delicate when they discover that Stabler let slip important information during the original investigation and that Olivia didn't have the space to follow her own instincts.

A review of the case reveals a much darker story than the police imagined. The clues point to Father Anthony, who sexually abused young nuns and used religion to justify his crimes. Claire had tried to report the priest's behavior, but her accusations were ignored. The team also discovers that another woman connected to the convent has mysteriously disappeared.

With new evidence and DNA tests, investigators are able to identify the culprit, paving the way for the release of Charles, who spent decades unjustly imprisoned. The discovery, however, does not resolve the conflicts between Benson and Stabler. In a particularly tense conversation, Olivia says she spent 30 years trying to leave behind the feeling that she didn't do the right thing because she was a newcomer and trusted her former partner too much.

At the end of the episode, Stabler reveals that he received an invitation to return to the Organized Crime Unit, but decided not to accept. Instead, he plans to travel to Arizona to spend time with his children and invites Benson to accompany him. She declines the offer, but the two say goodbye with a tight hug and a kiss on the forehead from Elliot, who whispers, "Goodbye, Captain."

The scene concludes the reunion without defining the future of the relationship, leaving open the possibility of a reconciliation between the characters.