The SVU power couple has been kicking criminal butt and stealing hearts for over a decade.
The elite squad of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has long been hailed for its steadfast detectives and larger-than-life lawyers, but few team-ups can compare to SVU power couple Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) and Sonny Carisi (Peter Scanavino).
For years, Rollins and Carisi stole hearts with their tight-knit bond as partners, but they were always destined for more. After Carisi chose to transfer to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office from the SVU, Rollins realized how much she missed her cherished partner, leading the duo to eventually admit that their steel-tight friendship was actually forged in the fires of romance. But “Rollisi” has been making viewers swoon for over a decade, thanks to their dedication to each other as friends, lovers, and squad members.
Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) has watched Rollins and Carisi navigate euphoric highs and survive jaw-dropping challenges, rooting for her dear friends every second of the way. Check out some of the times SVU fans were cheering for Rollins and Carisi, below.
When Amanda Rollins and Sonny Carisi first met in SVU Season 16
Dominick “Sonny” Carisi (Peter Scanavino) and Sgt. Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) appear in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 16 Episode 1.
Photo: Michael Parmelee/NBC
The day everything changed for Rollins and Carisi forever: Sonny’s first day at the SVU. After being recruited by Benson in Season 16’s premiere, Rollins was eager to meet the “experienced, empathetic detective” replacing her former partner Nick Amaro (Danny Pino). Carisi made a glimmering first impression on his squad mates — bringing the unit pastries on his (notably mustachioed) first shift. The best part? You can tell Rollins is smitten from the very start.
Whenever Carisi supported Rollins when others didn’t
Carisi soon settled into his new post at the SVU, forming a close-knit connection with Rollins thanks to their preternatural chemistry during investigations. Amid all of the criminal butt-kicking of Season 17, Rollins was also navigating a doozy of a first pregnancy after a hook-up with Declan Murphy (Donal Logue). While Murphy was off working an undercover case, Rollins was left to fend for herself, but Carisi didn’t let that fly, often lending moral support whenever Rollins found herself concerned.
Carisi’s compassion was echoed in Season 20 of SVU during Rollins second pregnancy during her relationship with Al Pollack (George Newbern), a philanderous doctor who treated Rollins horrendously. Aside from being non-committal and initially suggesting Rollins get an abortion, Pollack was a deadbeat during the entire pregnancy. Again on her own, Carisi stepped up to help Rollins with various errands and tasks every step of the way and was even there to rush her to the hospital when she went into labor. Rollins broke up with Pollack at the hospital and was grateful to have Carisi at her side.
When Rollins and Carisi had their first big fight
While it might seem odd to include a conflict within a round-up of romantic moments between Rollisi, their explosive fight in Season 21 of SVU is what cemented their deep feelings for each other. Partners for years, Rollins was secretly heartbroken after Carisi decided to pivot from being an SVU detective to being an Assistant District Attorney. Carisi still worked closely with the squad while representing them in court, but Rollins found herself feeling quite abandoned in the weeks following Carisi’s leaving the squad.
Amid a high-stakes investigation in SVU‘s “At Midnight in Manhattan,” Rollins confronted Carisi on leaving her high and dry, tearfully confessing that she’d be OK if he was still right beside her, but he walked out on her.
“You said you were happy for me!” Carisi said, heartbroken by Rollins’ sudden vulnerability.
“And you believed me?” Rollins said helplessly. “How stupid are you?”
Captain Olivia Benson had to break it up as Rollins remained jilted by Carisi’s new role within the justice system. Fortunately, with time, Rollins became one of Carisi’s biggest champions in the courtroom.
When Rollins and Carisi shared their first kiss
After years of will-they-won’t-they tension and swoon-worthy beats between the two friends, SVU fans finally saw Rollins and Carisi share their first kiss during the Season 22 finale (“Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing”). After Fin (Ice T) and his fiancée, Phoebe, amicably called off their wedding and remained blissfully engaged, Carisi found himself with a prepared speech and no audience. Rollins encouraged Rollins to share it with her, hearing an endearing tribute to partnership and companionship. Rollins was moved by Carisi’s words, tearfully kissing him and sending them both to cloud nine.
When Rollins and Carisi made their love known
After the swoon-worthy kiss, Rollisi stans were perched to check in on the couple and were delightfully surprised to learn that Rollisi had been secretly dating for nine months by Season 23 of SVU. While their romance was initially kept behind closed doors for fear of how it would complicate their squad room harmony, Carisi soon felt frustrated with keeping his affections hidden, meanwhile known as “Uncle Sonny” to the Rollins’ kids. Rollins had also grown annoyed with not meeting Carisi’s family, putting them at a romantic crossroads as they realized their secret couldn’t stay hidden for long. After all, their ride-or-die bestie Benson had no idea.
Rollins and Carisi eventually reported their relationship to their mutual supervisors, leading to a heartwarming exchange between them and Benson, who wasn’t too shocked by the romantic revelation. By the end of Season 23, Rollins and Carisi were fully in love, and SVU fans couldn’t be happier.
When Rollins and Carisi got married surrounded by their SVU friends
Despite Rollins’ longtime unlucky-in-love streak and the pair’s many hurdles, Carisi and Rollins were downright destined for wedding bells, tying the knot during SVU Season 24’s midseason finale (“And a Trauma in a Pear Tree”). After several members of the SVU were pinged to meet Carisi at the courthouse, they were shocked to discover Rollins in a wedding dress and Carisi beaming from ear to ear.
“Carisi and I were talking, and we realized that marriage is a lot like a crime. We have a motive, opportunity…” Rollins explained, adding that they needed witnesses to seal the deal. In front of their SVU loved ones, Carisi and Rollins became husband and wife, with not a dry eye in the house. Carisi and Rollins later explained they’d have another extravagant ceremony with the Carisi crew in Staten Island, but wanted to have something more low-key with their elite squad first.
When Rollins and Carisi became parents together
Not long after the wedding bells, Benson was delighted to learn from a pseudo psyched-out Carisi that he and Rollins were expecting a baby on the way. While it was Rollins’ third pregnancy, it was Carisi’s first time welcoming a baby to the world, so he needed some moral support from his cherished Captain. In the Season 25 premiere, godmother Benson assisted in the baptism of Rollins and Carisi’s newborn son, Nicky, and celebrated his arrival at a bar afterward. Rollins and Carisi were positively glowing amid their son’s arrival, excited for their next chapter together.
When Rollins and Carisi celebrated their 2nd anniversary
SVU fans got a heartfelt check-in on Rollins and Carisi during Season 27’s “Career Psychopath” when the couple met at a restaurant to enjoy a romantic dinner together. It was Rollins and Carisi’s second anniversary, and Carisi made sure to pull out all of the stops, congratulating Rollins for finding happiness upon returning to the SVU recently. With the kids at Sonny’s parents’ house, the couple was eager to get home and enjoy a nice night together. While the chaos of the latest SVU case soon threw a wrench in their date night itinerary, it was still nice to raise a glass to Rollisi’s romance.
