Did 'SVU' Just Officially Lay the Groundwork For Kelli Giddish's Return?

Benson and Rollins

Law & Order: SVU fans and Mariska Hargitay herself might be getting their wish. Kelli Giddish returned in this week's episode, titled "Prima Nocta," and any optimistic viewers might have seen every one of her scenes as a breadcrumb leading to her full-time return. Nothing has been announced yet, but Variety confirmed that Hargitay has been working hard behind the scenes to get Giddish back as Detective Amanda Rollins, and we should know after 25 seasons to never doubt the power of Captain Olivia Benson.

Related: Mariska Hargitay Reveals She's Fighting for Kelli Giddish to Return to 'Law & Order: SVU'

In the episode's opening scene, which took place at Rollins and Carisi's home, they revealed that Rollins is no longer a professor. It's her first day of unemployment, but it's fine because she was bored as a professor anyway. Benson later called her and invited her to lunch, which is where we learned that Rollins actually turned down tenure and quit. Just as Benson was asking what she quit for, a case came in that happened to be exactly the kind of case that Rollins is best at.

A bride had run away from the altar, locked herself in a room and said she'd only speak to SVU. She said she was raped the night before her wedding, and it turned out there were many other brides who had been through the same thing. Some mystery monster was raping women before their wedding night all over the city, and who better to profile a serial rapist than Amanda Rollins?

As she eventually tracked the guy down at a wholesale flower mart and then played bait (a little too eagerly) to catch him, it was clear she was craving something a lot more thrilling than teaching. Fin (Ice T) made sure she was re-qualified as a detective in the meantime, but no one seemed sure she should return to the SVU just yet.

Is Rollins coming back to SVU?

At the end of the episode, Benson brought Rollins a gift in the form of the taxidermied squirrel that used to sit on her desk. Rollins asked if Benson was saying she didn't want her back, and Benson said she didn't even have a desk for her.

Related: Mariska Hargitay Stuns in All-Black Look With Statement Chain Collar as She’s Honored at Event

"That's just my luck," Rollins said. "I'm finally available and you're not understaffed anymore."

"This is not about you fitting into the squadroom," Benson said. "This is about where you belong in your life. You were unemployed for one day."

"I couldn't handle the boredom," explained Rollins.

"Exactly," Benson said. "And I don't want SVU to be your safety net. How 'bout you take some time, figure out what makes you happy?"

They agreed that both of them had a little more work to do on themselves, and Rollins has more healing to do before she can figure out what really makes her happy. Perhaps she can do that by, say, September 2024, when the next season of Law & Order: SVU will likely premiere. If she doesn't come back, what was all of this even for? We've been teased enough!

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