Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 28 Episode 2 Review: The Complex Reality of Childhood Trauma

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 28, Episode 2, “Midway,” explores the repercussions of childhood trauma in a fascinating episode that keeps the squad on their toes.

It is a race against time as Benson and her team search for Leo Brooks, a traumatized nine-year-old who is also a victim of child sexual abuse. 

This case is particularly compelling because while the end goal is to find Leo, the squad uncovers a much bigger story that forces them to reconcile what real justice looks like involving two survivors of childhood trauma.

“Midway” focuses heavily on the two survivors: Leo, who is recovering from the trauma he endures at the hands of his uncle, and Mary, a young adult who disappeared when she was five, kidnapped by a man named Bob.

This narrative decision reduces the intense hostility between Benson and Carisi. However, it is probably for the best, as it gives them space to breathe and reevaluate how to repair their friendship in the future.

Renee Curry: Instead of saving him, you passed on the same trauma that you endured.

Captain Curry plays a significant role in this episode because Leo’s disappearance hits home for her as a mother. Even though Gabe is a teenager, Helene Brooks’ grief impacts Curry’s perception of the case as she is desperate to achieve justice for Leo’s family.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has not focused much on Curry’s relationship with motherhood yet, so it is a nice surprise to see how deeply personal cases can affect her.

The crux of this episode comes down to how abusers impact their victims in the long run, and how they might even pass on the cycle of abuse to someone else.

It brings up the question of what true justice looks like when there are two victims, Leo and Mary, and the real perpetrator, Bob, is dead.

This scenario has no easy answer. No matter what happens, someone will feel as if they get the short end of the stick, whether it is Mary, Helene, or a third person.

Ultimately, Bob is the most responsible party here. He kidnapped Mary when she was just five years old and brainwashed her to believe everyone in the world was dangerous except for him.

Bob’s indoctrination leaves such a lasting impact on Mary that it leads her to kidnap Leo, believing he must be his father’s victim because Mary sees an out-of-context argument.

It is not up to Mary to kidnap an innocent child, but this event might not have happened if Bob did not kidnap and brainwash her first.

Regardless, Mary still chooses to break the law, leading to Leo’s untimely death. Helene and Thomas lose their son forever because Mary kills him.

Nick Baxter: Sometimes when we have cases with no clear answers, we have to trust in the law to decide for us. Our system might not be perfect, but it’s all we have.

It is a difficult situation for anyone to be in, especially considering how Mary’s parents want her to come home and be their daughter Christine again. In contrast, Leo’s parents want the justice system to punish Mary for her crime.

Carisi is truly stuck on how best to deliver justice in this case. The initial deal that he offers Mary illustrates how far he has come as an assistant district attorney.

Of course, Carisi might remember how Benson approached their previous case. That would mean that, despite their serious argument, Carisi understands why Benson went behind his back, even though he felt betrayed.

It is important that Law & Order: Special Victims Unit revisits Benson and Carisi’s strained friendship and how it has evolved with each new case since their disagreement.

Olivia Benson: This brings us back to the original question: what does justice look like in this case?

Thankfully, Mary decides she wants to take Carisi’s deal, recognizing that she cannot take out her trauma on an innocent and helpless child. She takes accountability for her actions, but these complex cases do not always end with an important epiphany.

In fact, sometimes people who endure severe childhood trauma cannot save themselves, which is heartbreaking all over again and a harsh reminder that the true criminal here is the perpetrator of abuse. 

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Law & Order: Special Victims Unit airs at 9/8c on NBC.

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