Law and Order: SVU and the UnSTABLER Side of Myself

I’m quiet you know. You make a first impression.
I’ve found I’m scared to know I’m always on your mind ♪ ♫

- Howie Day ~ Collide

 For those of you familiar with Law and Order: SVU, hopefully you’ll catch my drift when I say that Elliot Stabler and Olivia Benson BELONG TOGETHER. Being a huge fan of the series since…almost the beginning, I’ve watched the 11 season relationship grow and stand the trials and tribulations of a fictional NYPD unit that specifically deals with sex crimes and all the horrors that go along with it. Being partners, I think they were able to see and experience sides of each other that wouldn’t normally emerge in everyday interaction. It’s strange to even call it a relationship, as their many experiences have landed them into the all too well known “grey area”. Considering that Stabler has a wife and a family, I doubt a full out relationship with Olivia would be written in. (Although, Stabler did divorce his wife in season 8, but they quicly rekindled) There then comes the question of “What are they, exactly?” The more I think about the answer the more complicated it gets. I guess when it comes down to it, if you were to ask if their relationship has crossed the line far enough that Stabler would be considered cheating on his wife? my answer would be “No” But, has their relationship gone farther than being just partners who catch the bad guys? YES for sure! They may have not ventured into a physical/sexual attraction but there is definitely an emotional attachment between them, as it becomes quite obvious in many of the recent seasons, the presence and the abscence of either one of them has a deep effect on the other. Perhaps this is that new phenomena gaining popularity they call “emotional cheating”.

This then got me thinking, at what point does emotional attachment cross that forbidden boundary. Is it wrong to feel strongly attached to someone so much that their prescence or abscence has an effect on you? And I ain’t talking about the family kind of attachment. (Though I find it quite ironic that the word ‘kuya’ comes to mind) At what point does friendship and caring suddenly become ‘like’ or, dare I say it, “love”? Trying to find such an answer, through my own experience has lead me to a lump of complex and conflicted emotions that I would rather stow away in the corner in my mind than sort out and face. Perhaps it’s because the answer may not be one I would like to hear, or perhaps I’m just really lazy. 

To further humour myself with this, perhaps my interest in the Stabler/Olivia relationship was not really about them, but about the interest in my own ‘grey area’ dilemma.  Talk about your classic case of emotional projection.

awwh so cute!

All in all, the main lesson I’ve taken away from this situation can be easily expressed with a quote by Albus Dumbledore:

“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” 

And for your enjoyment, the awesomest video you will ever see: Link