Tonight on NBC Emmy Award-winning producer Dick Wolf’s crime drama, Law & Order: SVU continues with a new episode called, “Spring Awakening.” On tonight’s episode, in the 15th-season finale, Amaro lands in trouble with the Internal Affairs Bureau again, so he turns to Munch for advice. Meanwhile, several male tourists get robbed and raped after replying to an escort ad online, and Benson has a shocking connection to a suspect in a case.
On the last episode a child was caught in the middle of a famous couple’s nasty divorce Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Murphy (guest starred Donal Logue) question renowned television producer Frank Maddox (guest starred Bradley Whitford) when he was accused of molesting his 8 year-old daughter Chelsea (guest starred Clare Foley). Maddox’s estranged wife, actress Catherine Summers (guest starred Samantha Mathis), wanted justice for her daughter but refused to cooperate, leading the cops to suspect the accusation was a ploy to win the public’s favor. With Catherine’s young sister Rose (guest starred Emma Bell) engaged to Maddox and accusations flying back and forth in the media, Benson strived to help a child by discovering the truth. Did you watch last week’s episode? If you missed it we have a full and detailed recap, right here for you.
On tonight’s episode Amaro’s (Danny Pino) recklessness once again makes him the target of Internal Affairs, and he has no choice but to face the consequences. With his professional and personal life at risk, he looks to his friend John Munch (Belzer) for advice. Meanwhile, an online ad for escorts leads to the rape and robbery of several male tourists, and one of the suspects has a surprising connection to Sergeant Benson (Mariska Hargitay) that may change her life forever. Also starring Ice-T (Det. Odafin Tutuola) and Kelli Giddish (Det. Amanda Rollins). Also guest starring Donal Logue (Lt. Declan Murphy), Emma Greenwell (Ellie Porter), Peter Hermann (Counselor Trevor Langan), Michael Potts (Sgt. Cole Draper), Jason Cerbone (Counselor Desappio) and Gavin-Keith Umeh (Little Tino).
Tonight’s finale episode looks like it is going to be great and you won’t want to miss it, so be sure to tune in for our live coverage of NBC’s Law & Order: SVU at 9:00 PM EST! While you wait for our recap hit the comments and let us know how excited you are about the new season?
Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page for Updates
Wilkes snaps photos of kids on the playground when Amaro attacks and beats the pervert to a pulp. He’s hauled away in cuffs and Wilkes on a stretcher. Benson is in court watching a case about Baby Boy Doe that needs a foster home. It’s his fourth foster home and the judge says he needs to go back to the facility while the social worker works to get it right.
Amaro is processed. Benson approaches Pippa and asks if she can visit Baby Doe. She tells her to see Chantall at Social Services who asks Benson what her interest is. Amaro gets his call. Amanda tells Amaro that IAD is on the way and a lwayer for him too. Benson and Murphy ask what he’s thinking. Amanda tells him Wilkes is alive and Murphy says they can charge him with attempted murder.
Murphy advises him to keep his mouth shut even if he thinks he did the right thing. The attorney maintains that Wilkes struck Amaro first. IAD says witnesses say that’s not how it happened. They say there will be charges and it will at least be assault two and says he better hope Wilkes pulls through. The charges end up as assault one and bail is set at $500,000 because he has a history of violence.
Wilkes’ wife is there and says – you people just won’t stop. Benson is outraged at the charges but Murphy says Wilkes was cleared of all charges and Amaro went Dirty Harry on him. They are working on a new case Fin says that Hans Erhard, a German tourist, was raped with a gun. He says he met a girl online who came to his room – he said she said her name was Lisette.
She ordered champagne then unzipped his pants and got down to business. A man came to the door – Latin and scary – that hit Lisette with the gun and demanded his passport and wallet and says the guy forced him onto the bed and raped him with the gun. Amanda asks where the girl was and he says she was in the corner crying and terrified. Amanda asks if room service ever came and Fin tells him it was a scam and the girl set him up.
Back at the station, Fin has the case on the board and tells the crew that Hans answered an ad on Craigslist for “company” and got rolled and raped. They show the surveillance photo and the ad. Instead of calling room service, she called her partner. Murphy asks about the doer and we see him hiding his face from the camera. Lisette snuck out and down the stairs after the attack.
Murphy says to expand the search to other area hotels around Times Square in that price range. Benson wonders about open cases with similar MOs. There have been four and all were foreign tourists. Murphy says they should answer the ad and he can pretend he’s a lonely Irish tourist. The girl is late to meet Murphy but Amanda finally sees Lisette in the lobby alone and she lets him know he’s on the way up.
Murphy says not to bust in until the pimp busts in with the weapon. Benson doesn’t want to risk it, but he says he can take care of himself. Lisette is there and Murphy tells her to come in. She pulls off her jacket and then starts to get frisky with him. She kisses him and then asks if she can order from room service. He tells her to be is guest and she makes a call.
We see a shady guy in the lobby and Amanda says the pimp is in the lobby. Fin says Murphy knows what he’s doing. Murphy gives Lisette some money and she kisses him. They watch on the camera as she tries to unzip him and he tries to get her to slow down. The pimp bursts in and demands cash. Murphy begs him not to hurt the girl. Fin and Benson burst in and knock the pimp over. Lisette goes for the gun and Benson says if she does, she’ll shoot her. They arrest the scam pair.
Back at the unit, Murphy asks if they’ve heard from Amaro and he’s doing okay. Fin tells him the pimp, aka Little Tino, has a good lawyer and Lisette is waiting on Legal Aid. A lawyer comes in and says he’s there for Ellie Porter. Trevor Lang comes in and Benson says he represents low lifes. He says he’s there to do a pro bono for Ellie. Benson introduces him to Murphy. He asks Benson if she’s okay and she uncomfortably says she’s fine.
He walks away and Amanda asks if they have a history but Benson says she doesn’t date lawyers. Amaro is told that Wilkes will have no permanent damage but the prosecutors are still going to pursue him. His lawyer says self defense is the best argument. He says if he ID’d himself and the guy swung his camera then he would act to protect himself. Amaro says he can’t go to trial and his lawyer says they can try for a plea bargain, but it won’t just go away.
Hans picks out three, Lisette (aka Ellie) in a line up. Trevor says Ellie is a victim and Benson says she’s a career criminal who went for a gun. Trevor says she needs rehab not jail time. Hans picks out number one in the line up. He picked the wrong guy. Murphy asks if they have any other evidence. Amanda says he has a history of domestics and other charges.
They are checking Tino’s gun for DNA on Erhard. Murphy says they need to flip Ellie onto Little Tino. Murphy says she can also testify to underage sex trafficking. Murphy tells Benson to talk to her lawyer. Ellie tells them that Little Tino is her daddy and will take care of her. Trevor advises her to work with them. Ellie says she loves him and Benson says he would give her up to save himself. Elli says there is nothing else to talk about. Benson gives her a candy bar and leaves.
Benson asks if she has ever gone through full withdrawal. She tells her she’s going to be puking in her cell soon, dirty and pathetic. Benson tells her she has a chance to break the cycle and get out of this. Ellie says she likes her life just the way it is. Benson says they will be sending her up for robbery and accomplice to rape. Trevor asks for a moment alone with his client but Benson says it won’t do any good.
Murphy says the DA will charge Little Tino with attempted robbery and rape. Benson says she did everything she could and Murphy questions whether she did or not. He asks her about Amaro and then says this could be the end for him. Benson says she knows that. Pippa comes into the unit and asks if they have Ellie Porter in holding. She says they just sent her to central booking. Baby Boy Doe is Ellie’s son. She asks Benson to set up a meeting.
Amanda comes to see Amaro who tells her they want the self defense plea. He tells her he went after the guy but she says not to say that. She says Wilkes is just looking to cash in for a lawsuit. Amanda says he has to fight it so Wilkes doesn’t end up with a major payday. She says there are a lot of people rooting for him. John Munch comes in and says he’s on his side too.
Munch says it’s a cry for help and they hug. Murphy tells Benson that they can’t talk to her without her lawyer and Murphy wants her to show Ellie the baby’s photo to try and get her to flip on Tino. Munch tells Amaro that Maria and his marriage can’t be saved and it’s over. Munch says he knows when a marriage is over and it’s over.
Amaro says the marriage is his whole life but Munch says he’ll always have Zara and he shouldn’t want her to see him in there. Munch says all the big boys care about is self-preservation. Munch calls him detective and says he went after Wilkes because he was a bad guy and his instincts were dead on. He tells Amaro that they’re getting him out out of there. Munch is bailing him out. Amaro is stunned.
Ellie is thrilled that her son is alive and Benson asks why she got rid of him. Ellie says she OD’d and when they got back, they told her Noah had died. Benson asks if Little Tino let her keep him and she says Tino’s mom watched him. Benson says that his mom gave Noah to a pornographer that filmed child rape videos. Ellie ID’d the guy as a long-haired guy in a wheelchair and says he does business with Tino.
Benson asks if she’ll testify and Ellie says he will kill her. Benson says he gave her son to a pornographer and she will go to jail and never see her son if she doesn’t give him up. They are outside Little Tino’s house where Ellie says they will find cash, drugs and weapons. The heavy guns break downt he doors and find kids and Tino’s mom getting violent. They scoop up all the little kids that are there and they look for Tino.
Tino jumps down off the roof and Amanda is after him. She pulls a gun but he keeps running. A squad car pulls up on him and he’s trapped between Amanda and the car. She asks who the kids are and he tries to say it’s a daycare. They arrest Little Tino.
Benson tells Murphy that the mom isn’t talking and blames her ex-husband for the stuff in the house and says she didn’t know about it. There are three udneraged girls that are being forced to work for Tino but they are all scared. Murphy tells Benson to let Ellie see her son so they can bond and then maybe she’ll turn.
Benson is frustrated because she’s been looking for Baby Doe’s mom and then arrested him. Benson comes to see Ellie at Rikers. They bring the baby with them. Ellie asks if she can hold him and picks up Noah and kisses him. She’s so happy to see him. Ellie thanks Benson for bringing him to see her.
Benson sees Amaro and asks how it went. He says his lawyer says they want him to do time. Benson says he’s had a bad run and his luck has to change. Amanda gets a text and says she has to go. She wishes Amaro well. Benson is surprised that Munch bailed him out and Amaro thanks her for having his back.
Amanda goes to see Mrs Wilkes and she says it’s about her husband’s online activities last night. The wife sends out the workers from the studio and tells Amanda that her partner is a bad guy. Amanda asks if his perversion is what she signed on for when she married him. Amanda shows her a chat history from last night. It’s a chat about him wanting someone torturing his wife. She says Wilkes asked her to send her dirty photos of boys and that as soon as he does, he’ll be in jail.
Amanda says that Wilkes needs help. She tells her that if her husband doesn’t say that he swing first and Amaro was only defending himself she will let him download those photos and will have him in jail by the end of the day and that he will die there. She leaves.
Little Tino’s lawyer says he was just visiting his mother and the young women were just friends of the family. He makes up some BS about everything. The DA says there is a witness that her son kidnapped her son and sold him. The judge lets Little Tino out on bail with an ankle monitor. She lets the mother go on her won recognizance. Benson has Ellie at a safe house and says she’ll be safe there until her testimony at the grand jury.
She asks if she’ll get Noah back as soon as she testifies but Benson tells her she has to get clean and work the program before she can have him. She tells Ellie to call her if she needs anything. Ellie says she’s going to do this and won’t let her son grow up in foster care like she did. Benson tells her that she will see her tomorrow and goes.
Wilkes’ attorney comes in and says that he doesn’t want to press charges and that he was the one who started the confrontation. Amaro says he hasn’t talked to Wilkes. The DA may or may not drop the charges and if she does, there will still be administrative charges. Amaro asks what’s going on and his lawyer says it will be dismissed or pled down. He says he’ll need to do some anger management and therapy but will keep his shield as long as he doesn’t make any misteps.
Murphy tells the unit that Amaro should be in the clear but they’re not sure if he’ll come back to SVU. Benson follows Murphy into his office and says she wants Amaro back. He says he won’t waste any favors on Amaro. They are interrupted because Ellie broke out of the halfway house and is gone. They wonder where she might score nearby and they head to a freight yard to look for her.
Fin says they traced Little Tino’s bracelet to there and they are searching. They have a body taht’s been burned up pretty bad and they think it’s Ellie and that Tino got to her. Fin and Amanda talk to some witnesses. One says a bunch of guys attacked her. Fin talks to a pro and asks if Little Tino gave the order. She says he doesn’t have that kind of juice. She won’t tell him who ordered it so she doesn’t get killed.
Benson talks to a pro who says Ellie was high. They look at the photos and she was gang raped, tortured and set on fire. She had alcohol, cocaine and heroine in her system. Benson says they didn’t do enough to protect her but Murphy says it was her choice. Benson goes in to see Tino and asks who gave the order to kill Ellie.
Tino says he did because she got what was coming to her. Benson says he still lives with his mom. Fin says he did it all himself but Fin says he didn’t green light it. Amanda tells Murphy there’s semen from six different women. There are witnesses but they are scared of someone higher up than Tino. Murphy is willing to let Tino do the time for it until later.
Benson asks what happens when Noah grows up and finds out that they let someone get away with his mom’s murder. Murphy says he’s going undercover and that Benson will be acting CO while he’s gone. He says to take back the office and tell everyone he wishes them Godspeed. Munch comes in and asks who that his referring to Murphy and Benson says it’s Mary Poppins.
They hug and she asks about him bailing out Amaro. She says that Amaro looks up to him and the guidance would come better from him. She asks if he ever regretted not having kids and he says it wasn’t in the cards. He tells Benson he has missed seeing her.
Pippa tells the judge about Baby Doe’s mom’s death. Trevor comes in and says that she had no idea who the father was and he is there to represent Baby Noah’s interests. The judge says they have to declare Noah an orphan and gives him to the State of New York in a facility. The judge asks Benson if she rescued him and asks if she wants to foster him since she’s the only one who has shown any interest in it. The judge says she has a feeling about it and wants to give him to her for a year and that if she still wants him after that, she can permanently adopt him. She asks Benson if she agrees.
Benson goes to pick up Noah at the shelter. She holds him and says he looks so healthy. Benson talks to the baby and holds him close and pats his back. She sits with him in a rocker and looks nervous, but content.
THE END!
