Elliot Stabler

Elliot Stabler

41
    Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Photo Credit: Everett Collection

Character Analysis

(Avoiding Spoilers)

Grew up… in Bayside, Queens, with an abusive father and a mentally ill mother. Elliot was raised Catholic and attended Queens College. He joined the Marines, where he was a trained specialist in hand-to-hand combat.

Living… with his wife Kathy and their five children in a small house in Queens.  Elliot is very close with his family, but he can’t be home much due to his job, and this causes tension.

Profession… detective in the Special Victims Unit of the NYPD. Elliot’s partner is the equally dedicated Olivia Benson. The SVU deals with sexually based offenses, and thus handles some of the more heinous crimes and criminals in New York. Stabler is known to have a temper, especially when dealing with cases involving pedophilia. Still, he and his partner are a well-respected team within their unit.

Interests… his family, his faith, and his job. The former two often impact his judgment in the latter, and sometimes contribute to his temper issues while working cases.  

Relationship Status… married to Kathy. She tries to be supportive but often is frustrated by her husband’s long hours and devotion to both his work and his partner, Olivia. Though Kathy is sometimes suspicious of Stabler’s relationship with Olivia, the two women generally get along.   

Challenge… dealing with his personal demons. Stabler has a rocky relationship with psychologists, and so often refuses to speak with them when he probably should. As a result, he attempts to deal with issues alone – if not simply ignoring them. These issues include his difficult childhood but also those brought to the fore by the terrible crimes he witnesses at work. He’s a strong man, but his burdens can be a lot to bear. 

Personality… protective, temperamental, and paternal. Stabler often develops strong bonds with the child victims he interacts with, and he has been known to lose his temper with – and sometimes to physically assault – those who abuse children. As a father to his own children, he is strict, but tries to maintain a close relationship with them. Stabler is a man trying to do his best in a dangerous world.

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