Law & Order: SVU – Why is Elliot Stabler so prone to act on whim? Possible reasons, explored
Elliot Stabler served as the co-lead of Law & Order: SVU for 12 seasons. The NBC police procedural drama revolves around the Special Victims Unit of the New York City Police Department, which investigates sexual offenses.
At the center of the narrative are officers Olivia Benson, played by Mariska Hargitay, and Elliot Stabler, played by Christopher Meloni, who lead the team. However, Stabler has displayed behavior that many have deemed inappropriate for a police officer.
He has a tendency to act impulsively and cannot stop himself from beating suspects and showcasing his rage and anger. Elliot Stabler is prone to act on a whim in Law & Order: SVU due to a mix of personal trauma, professional passion, and the complicated cases he works on.
Elliot Stabler’s trauma and drive for justice results in his impulsive behavior in Law & Order: SVU
Elliot Stabler’s tendency to act on a whim in Law & Order: SVU stems from a combination of factors. Firstly, his traumatic childhood is partly responsible for his problematic actions. He grew up with an abusive father who hurt him both physically and emotionally.
This caused Stabler to develop anger issues, which he carries into adulthood. Since he does not deal with these emotions by talking about them or seeking help, he breaks down and the emotions burst out when he is under the stress of working on cases.
As a father himself, Stabler is very protective of his family. He often connects with victims of crimes, especially kids, because he imagines his own children in their place. This emotional tie makes it hard for him to stay calm.
For example, when he deals with cases regarding children, his anger sometimes gets the best of him, and he ends up being violent with the suspects. Additionally, Stabler’s commitment to his job is one of his strongest personality traits; however, it also gets him into trouble.
Working in the Special Victims Unit means he handles disturbing cases that often trigger his emotions and push him to act out of passion instead of reason. He feels a deep responsibility to protect victims and get justice for them.
That is why he has been known to use excessive force on suspects or lash out when he feels the system is not doing enough. On the other hand, his partner, Olivia Benson, often steps in to calm him down. She acts as a balancing force opposite Stabler.
The officer also goes through a moral struggle as he sees the world in black and white, and is not able to comprehend the morally gray areas his job often comes up with. When he feels like someone has crossed a moral line, he takes matters into his own hands, even if it means breaking the rules.
Law & Order: SVU season 11 episode 5 is an example, where he attacks a suspect who had a photo of his young daughter. He beats up the man almost to his death and risks his job.
Elliot Stabler’s character grows over time
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Despite his flaws, Elliot Stabler does grow as a character over time. After leaving Law & Order: SVU after the 12th season and retiring from the job, Stabler returns to the franchise in Law & Order: Organized Crime.
He then begins to reflect on his past actions and tries to change. Meanwhile, he deals with the tragic loss of his wife and struggles with PTSD. At this point, his impulsive behavior causes him pain but also pushes him to try to become a better person.
Stabler then begins the process of healing by connecting with his mother and becoming an active part of his children’s life. Hence, the Stabler seen in Law & Order: Organized Crime is much less impulsive and reckless than the one seen in Law & Order: SVU.
