Is Law & Order: SVU Setting Up Carisi’s Exit? All The Clues Explained

Warning! SPOILERS ahead for Law & Order: SVU season 26, episode 9, “First Light.”Several incidents in Law & Order: SVU season 26, episode 9, “First Light,” suggest that Carisi (Peter Scanavino) might be leaving the procedural. Carisi was originally an SVU detective who came on board shortly after Stabler (Christopher Meloni) left at the beginning of season 13. However, he took night classes to become a lawyer and became one of Law & Order: SVU‘s best assistant district attorneys despite having only been in the position for a few years.

Carisi is also half of a popular couple now that he has married Rollins (Kelli Giddish). The pair is raising three children together, but Rollins’ frequent absences have taken an emotional toll on Carisi. He was already experiencing vicarious trauma from his time on both jobs when he was held hostage in one of Law & Order: SVU‘s best episodes, leading him to experience PTSD flashbacks in the middle of an important case during “First Light.”

How Carisi’s Hostage Trauma Can Lead Him To Leave Law & Order: SVU Season 26

His PTSD Could Leave Him Unable To Do The Job

Carisi keeps insisting that he is fine despite his trauma, but it is obvious he is not. He is unable to remain in the deli where the robbery took place for more than a minute and continually has flashbacks of the hostage situation, some of which are intrusive enough to interfere with him doing his job correctly. In “First Light,” Carisi is reluctant to go to court and experiences a flashback while a witness is being cross-examined that causes him to momentarily freeze — and to get a call from Baxter (Tony Goldwyn) questioning his ability to continue trying this case.

Although Carisi is able to recover after a pep talk from Benson, who tells him not to let the manipulative defendant take away everything he’s worked for, it’s possible he may not be able to continue long-term. If so, he would not be the first ADA to leave because of trauma. For context, Barba (Raul Esparza) resigned after an upsetting case involving a brain-dead baby, and Stone’s (Philip Winchester) exit was arguably more about his inability to live up to his late father’s image than he admitted.

Rollins’ Complicated Role In Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Could Contribute To Carisi’s Exit

Carisi’s Wife Is Only An Occasional Part Of The Series

Carisi’s marriage to Rollins is a significant part of his story, but she only appears now occasionally. The decision to rehire Kelli Giddish on only a part-time basis interferes with her and Carisi’s storyline, and it is difficult to explain Rollins’ absence in ways that don’t stretch credibility. Law & Order: SVU has gotten around this issue by giving Rollins a new job that requires frequent travel. This scenario often leaves Carisi home alone with the kids, which has led to a compelling storyline about him being overprotective of his pre-teen daughter, Jessie. However, this arc may not be viable long-term.

Law & Order: SVU could solve this problem by making Kelli Giddish a full-time member of the Law & Order: SVU cast. Since this did not happen in season 26, there are severe limits on Carisi’s personal storylines. The second-best way to handle the issue of Carisi being on-screen while Rollins is off-screen would be to change that. If Carisi is written out, he and Rollins can be together off-screen, thus relieving the writers of the burden of having to constantly explain where Rollins is.

What Has Been Said About Peter Scanavino’s Future In Law & Order: SVU

There Has Been No News About A Potential Departure

Before Law & Order: SVU season 26, episode 8 aired, there was widespread concern that Carisi would be killed during the hostage situation. Obviously, that did not happen, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that Carisi is safe from being written out now. Carisi’s PTSD would be a valid reason for him to leave the series, especially if he continues to refuse to admit he needs help.

There has been no news about Peter Scanavino leaving Law & Order: SVU, which makes it less likely that he is, although his exit could be kept under wraps for now to protect a surprise twist. However, in a Screen Rant interview with Kelli Giddish, the star spoke extensively about Rollins and Carisi’s relationship, suggesting that Carisi was still a big part of the long-running procedural.

Even if Carisi ultimately stays in Law & Order: SVU, the character may consider quitting. If his PTSD continues to interfere with his ability to try cases, he may conclude that he can’t do this anymore, only to change his mind. If he does decide to leave, Carisi will get one of the most powerful exit storylines in Law & Order: SVU history, considering how realistically his PTSD is being depicted.