We all know how it works. Certain TV characters have plot armor. They are so crucial to the structure of a given series that killing them off would alienate pretty much everybody who tunes in. This is the case with Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni). He's one of the most beloved characters in Law & Order history, and as such, he has more protection than his peers.
That doesn't mean we're not concerned, though. Stabler is on thin ice heading into season 5 of Law & Order: Organized Crime, and the trailer makes it clear that he's going to be put through the ringer. He is more plugged in to his family than ever, and as such, he's more vulnerable. The promo literally sees the perpetually grumpy Stabler laid up in the hospital after a near death experience.
Stabler ends up hospitalized in season 5 promo
Stabler can be seen getting smashed by an oncoming car toward the end of the promo, followed by a sharp cut to the detective in a hospital bed. We then see the return of his mother (Ellen Burstyn), who demands that she not outlive him. "Don't make me bury you," she asserts, before the title credits roll. This ties in directly with the opening moments of the promo, in which Stabler confesses his sins to a priest.
The veteran detective admits to failing those he has promised to save. He also vows to take down those who have preyed on the innocent, and comments that "prideful defiance" should be added to his list of transgressions. It's worth noting that the priest looks deeply uncomfortable listening to the supremely calm lawman.
The extremely somber and mortality-driven tone of the promo is compounded by Stabler's scenes with his son, Eli. The latter has become a uniformed officer in recent seasons of Organized Crime, and Stabler makes it clear that he's proud of his son. It's a sweet scene, but one gets the sense this is the calm before the inevitable storm of bullets and close calls.
The veteran detective is forced undercover
The season 5 promo reveals that Stabler is asked to go undercover with an outfit that doesn't follow rules. There's a twinge of discomfort in the detective's eyes when asked, but he assures his superior officers that he will do what "needs to be done" in order to enact justice. Hopefully the sacrifice isn't too great.
Organized Crime will be the first Law & Order series to be released exclusively on Peacock instead of NBC, but the promo makes it clear that the show has lost none of its edge or intensity. We cannot wait for it to return on April 17.