Why elliot left law and order

She died in his arms. As such, IAB wanted to open an investigation on his him. It took six straws to break his desire to do the job and he is not seen in person again following the Season 12 finale. The departure shocked fans and, for some, changed the cast in a way that modified the tone of the show forever.

Elliot's boss, Captain Donald Cragen Dann Florek , then determines that Elliot cannot return to work until he completes a psychological evaluation, undergoes a review and takes anger management courses. Not wanting to comply, Elliot retires and leaves Olivia on her own. In the end, actor Christopher Meloni 's departure from the show came down to a contract dispute that arose as he reportedly tried to increase his salary for season 13 and beyond. We're all big boys and girls here. See you later.

Telling the stories I wanted to tell," Christopher revealed. But she [Mariska] and I, we stayed connected. Even still, Christopher acknowledges that the news was tough on Mariska, who told the publication that she was "devastated" when she learned what had happened behind the scenes.

Elliot's departure in season 12 left a sour taste in many fans' mouths, especially considering that the character had been on the series for 12 years. Despite justice being on the verge of being served, the episode ended on a horrifying note as the teenaged daughter of the murder victim entered the precinct and opened fire on the imprisoned men. After she accidentally shot recurring character and longtime detective ally Sister Peg, Stabler was forced to return fire on the teenage girl, killing her.

Going into Season 13, actor Christopher Meloni departed the show, and thus Stabler was written off in the season premiere, "Scorched Earth. An Internal Affairs investigation was opened due to Stabler's other shooting incidents.

Captain Cragen Dann Florek informed Benson that if Stabler did indeed return, he had to undergo psychological evaluations and counseling. The episode ended with the revelation that Stabler opted to retire instead of returning to work, emotionally devastating Benson. He had also been investigating international crimes, including terrorism and organized crime.