Law & Order: SVU season 25 episode 11 recap — Rollins returns to SVU, but is it for good?

Rollins gets a taste of what it’s like to work a case again.

In Law & Order: SVU season 25 episode 11, “Prima Nocta,” Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) returns to the squad room to help Olivia (Mariska Hargitay) and the SVU team catch a serial rapist who’s been targeting brides-to-be. Rollins’ insight is invaluable in the case, but is it enough to catch the suspect? Also, will dipping her toe back into detective work make her realize it’s time to return to the SVU team for good?

Here’s what happened.

A returning detective and a runaway bride

Amanda and Carisi (Peter Scanavino) talk about Amanda’s new unemployment status. She was offered a tenured position at Fordham, but turned it down citing boredom. Now she’s left trying to figure out what to do next.

Olivia instinctively calls Amanda and asks if she’s going crazy unemployed. Amanda jokingly asks if Olivia called to rub her face in it, but the SVU captain clarifies she was just wondering if Amanda wanted to meet for lunch.

Elsewhere, Jenna (Elizabeth Paige) is standing in her wedding dress in front of all her family and friends, and across from her future husband. As he looks at her with adoration, she starts crying and is clearly rattled. Before the minister even finishes the ceremony, she takes off running.

Back in Olivia’s office, she and Amanda are catching up when Bruno (Kevin Kane) interrupts and says they got a call about a runaway bride who locked herself in a room and requested to speak with SVU, which leaves Amanda especially puzzled. Olivia asks if Amanda wants to go with her to check things out, and Amanda doesn’t hesitate.

Olivia and Amanda privately meet with Jenna. The bride explains she was staying at her parents’ house the night before the wedding when at 3 am a man crawled into an open window and attacked her. Immediately, Olivia encourages Jenna to get a rape kit at the hospital. Jenna agrees.