SVU’s Olivia Benson Was Right to Not Forgive Barba, and We’re Ready for This Conversation

Not that he ever even said ‘sorry’.

Throughout the years on television, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has remained one of the most compelling procedural dramas on television. With a mix of the most horrific and twisted criminal cases and the strongest reactions from the show’s star, Olivia Benson, the team behind SVU managed to capture the hearts of many fans forever.

One of the best things about Olivia Benson, however, is the way she was never the image of a perfect human being. Being a flawed, yet determined to do the right thing, individual has brought her closer to the audience and made her relatable in some of the most unexpected ways.

Plus, considering all the trauma she’s endured over the course of more than two decades, she’s acted more sanely than any of us mere mortals would.

Did Benson Forgive Barba?

Although the two met for their final conversation over drinks, Olivia Benson only came to explain why she felt betrayed by him. The dialogue that she and Rafael ended up having was a revealing moment for many fans. While some just got another confirmation that he was the perfect man for Olivia, others stayed on her side.

The romance between the two came as a surprise to many viewers, not only because of the long “whatever” between Benson and her former partner Elliot Stabler, but also because her relationship with Barba had always been portrayed as friendly, almost sibling-like. If they continued that way, the dialog would make more sense.

But now that he knew that Rafael Barba saw Elliot as something of a rival, it didn’t have as much of an effect. Was he right to call Stabler out like that? Probably. But was there any reason to say it to Olivia, knowing how she felt about him? Not really.

“That defense of Barba also makes him look bad. Your other friend left and you forgave him? Why won’t you forgive me because my thing isn’t as bad. That’s a very naive and immature way to treat someone you’re purported to love,” Redditor Psychological_Cow956 said.

While some took this honesty outburst as a necessary reality check for Benson, to others it felt more like Barba trying as hard as she could to mansplain her own feelings to her, with an added emphasis on how he deserved forgiveness far more than Stabler, whom she granted it to. While the intent was pure, the execution felt manipulative.

Not to mention that this whole conflict wouldn’t have happened in the first place if Barba had just listened to her and not gone against her wishes.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and the story of Benson and Barba had to end… for now. To see how this story might play out in the current Law & Order: SVU season, tune in to the upcoming episodes on Thursdays on NBC.