[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 Episode 9 “Off the Books.”]
Regulation & Order: Organized Crime delivers a devastating blow to the Stabler household within the penultimate episode of Season 5 — and it units Stabler (Christopher Meloni) on a darkish path.
His brother, Joe Jr. (Michael Trotter), has made his means into the inside circle of crime boss Julian Emery (Tom Payne), and because of a name, Stabler now is aware of he’s in New York. However Emery tells Joe he is aware of his secret then brings him to see an indication of what occurs to those that break his belief: They get killed.
Emery’s been taking hits currently, and it appears he’s again within the States to reestablish himself and get a giant payday with a brand new drug, captagon, a extremely addictive psychoactive stimulant. Stabler does ultimately inform Tanner (Olivia Thirlby) that his brother is his CI and insists he trusts him. However is that the proper name? The subsequent time Joe reaches out and tells him the place Emery can be closing a deal, the crime boss is watching. He guarantees it is going to be price it. And so when the raid goes down, Emery’s nowhere to be discovered. Actually, he apparently used the NYPD to take his competitors off the board. As he tells Joe, he’s not going to see his son once more since they’ll must disappear after the deal, although they are going to be very rich.
Randall (Dean Norris) ambushes Stabler at work upon listening to from Kathleen (Allison Siko) that Joe known as. “That is our household,” he says. Moreover, he’s been having premonitions. “It’s actually darkish. One thing dangerous’s going to occur to Joe,” he insists. Stabler admits he doesn’t know the place Joe will land and he’s making nonsensical strikes. Randall, as the massive brother, feels he wants to assist, so Stabler has him sit on their mom’s cellphone in case Joe reaches out to her once more. That works, with Joe telling Randall to inform their brother to fulfill him of their spot.
In the course of the meet, Joe does as Emery instructed, sending Stabler to Staten Island to allow them to conduct their enterprise in Bay Ridge. (He claims Emery bought spooked, which is why he wasn’t on the earlier deal, however he guarantees he’s not compromised.) He additionally tells his brother that Emery sees him as a confidant and the crime boss used the nerve fuel he had to purchase his means in with Syrian suppliers. Stabler remarks that he seems to be like he’s settling into his position, and Joe thinks he nonetheless sees him as a “f**k-up,” arguing he’s the one who’s put his life on the road and he’s about to offer all of it to him. Stabler apologizes and provides him a necklace from their mom. Joe desires him to verify she is aware of he’s clear, and Stabler tells him that she by no means knew he was utilizing. As they hug, Stabler tells him to come back house when it’s over.
However then all the pieces goes sideways. The necklace from Bernie — St. Christopher medal — is a tracker, as Emery discovers as soon as his muscle studies that the police are on their technique to their location. A shootout ensues, and Emery makes use of Joe as a protect earlier than they depart in a automobile. Stabler follows, finds the place they’ve stopped, and begins looking the realm. Emery then calls him and gives a deal: take away the APB on him so he can depart city, or Joe dies. However with helicopters within the air, it’s too late, and Stabler can solely observe the gunshot … to the place he finds Joe, shot within the chest, bleeding out. He instantly requires an ambulance, but it surely’s too late, and all he can do is maintain his brother and beg him to stick with him as he dies.
It’s whereas Stabler’s sitting on the crime scene after that Bell’s (Danielle Moné Truitt) absence is admittedly felt. Tanner sits with him and tells him to go be along with his household, however the second can be extra poignant if it was somebody he hadn’t simply met with him,
Stabler then should inform his household, although we don’t hear what he says. We solely see Randall’s response, then Kathleen’s.
The episode ends with Stabler assembly McKenna (Jason Patric). His previous buddy introduced him a present: Emery’s muscle. He caught him fleeing the shootout and was going to e book him, then heard about Joe. They will take him in or go for a trip. “Let’s go for a trip,” Stabler says.
Had been you shocked by Joe’s loss of life? What do you assume Stabler’s going to do within the finale? Tell us within the feedback part under.
Regulation & Order: Organized Crime, Season 5 Finale, Thursday, June 12, Peacock