Written by John Edward Betancourt LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT -- "Let Me Bring Pardon" Episode 26016 -- Pictured: Mariska Hargitay as Capt. Olivia Benson -- (Photo by: Peter Kramer/NBC)
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 2616 of ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’. To revisit the previous episode, click here. This article also contains discussions regarding sexual assault, which may be triggering to some individuals.
Truly, we like to believe that the bad men of the world who do bad things to others, have a certain look about them and are a certain type of person. Someone for instance… who just looks evil, complete with those shifty eyes that see beyond a person’s soul, and they should cloak themselves in clothing that makes them look menacing and twisted. To the point where you want to avoid them at all costs, because that all informs a person… they’re evil and should be avoided. But alas, that belief is just a stereotype derived from popular media that we hide behind. For in reality, evil comes in all shapes and sizes. Which is why we are always shocked when we see it on display from someone that doesn’t fit our mental mode, and well… the shock of that and the reality of the matter is top of mind today, because it was all put on display during this week’s episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on NBC. A feat that ‘Let Me Bring Pardon’ accomplished by having us revisit another case from this season in a very unsettling manner. For Ellie, the influencer who was beaten and assaulted by her boyfriend Chris in ‘Rorschach’, was back in Captain Benson’s orbit because of a surprise. For the hospital came to learn that she was pregnant and at first, that seemed to be no big deal, since there was a chance that the child could belong to Chris no problem. But there were real concerns with the timeline regarding that, as though there was a chance that perhaps… she was assaulted in her coma. So, to be sure… the team pulled DNA samples from the baby and Chris and found out, he was not the father. Which prompted a wide net to be cast, where more samples were taken and where little information arrived for the team. Which infuriated Captain Benson to no end. Because nothing made sense about this. Especially since Ellie’s mother was constantly by her side, making it seem to be damn near impossible that someone could sneak in. Not to mention, the chances this was just random was low, since men that often commit such an act tend to covet. But as always is the case in crimes such as these, the devil is always in the details, and thanks to the fussy nature of Ellie’s neurosurgeon, it became clear that there was a person of interest in this case. A pastor that helped Ellie’s mom find her faith and find her way through the pain of seeing her daughter in such a state, and well… when the opportunity presented itself, he chose to violate Ellie. To make matters worse, he was unrepentant in the matter, citing the nature of God Himself as to why such an act might happen and how it drove him to commit. Because that’s the kind of monster he was, and truly… he was not what we expected. Since the pastor was also a husband, a father and well… clearly… all of that was nothing short of a cloak he wore to hide the ugly underneath. All of which brought forth a unique episode for certain. One that served as a sequel and was filled with that all-important lesson about monsters in disguise. Yet, it still offered us so much more, since it also spent time refreshing the audience about Captain Benson’s past and how it drives her in these cases and how there’s a chance, she may never heal from it. Not to mention, it reminded us of how this team supports her quest. Making this a character study as well, and a powerful one at that. Since that journey teaches us that heroes come about in all shapes and sizes as well, and that allows for a sometimes-hidden battle between good and evil to play out, as we go about our lives. Until next time. Watch ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’
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