History Recap / LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnitS3E3Stolen

* HateSink: Linda Cook, who is not shown to have any redeeming qualities.

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Linda's hospital roommate when she was pregnant with Brandon told her about Mark Sanford. Had Linda not known about Sanford, she might have left Tyler, then known as Stephen, to be raised by his grandparents after killing Jennifer, avoiding the whole custody battle.

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Linda's hospital roommate when she was pregnant with Brandon told her about Mark Sanford. Had Linda not known about Sanford, she might have left Tyler, then known as Stephen, to be raised by his grandparents after killing Jennifer, avoiding the whole custody battle.

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Linda's hospital roommate when she was pregnant with Brandon told her about Mark Sanford. Had Linda not known about Sanford, she might have left Tyler, then known as Stephen, to be raised by his grandparents, avoiding the whole custody battle.

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Linda's hospital roommate when she was pregnant with Brandon told her about Mark Sanford. Had Linda not known about Sanford, Tyler might

* GoodParents: Both the Blakes and Robert Cook are shown to be loving and affectionate parents. Robert makes it a point to tell the police and courts he never would've abandoned Tyler had he known he was the father.

* InnocentlyInsensitive: Robert Cook. He understandaly wants to make up for the first 12 years of Tyler's life, but doesn't seem to really consider how traumatic it might be to force him away from the parents who raised him.

** Despite finding out the truth about his past, Tyler still prefers to be called by the name his adopted parents gave him as that's the name he's used to. He isn't going to start going by a completely different name after 12 years just because it's what his birth family gave him.

* WhatTheHellHero: While Cragen was only doing his job, the Blakes are understandably upset with him due to the possibility that they'll lose custody of Tyler.

** While the Blakes are loving parents to Tyler, custody is ultimately granted to Robert as he is a fit guardian and Tyler was given up for adoption by his kidnapper using forged papers, which nullifies the Blakes adoption. However, Judge Serani recognizes the Blakes are good parents and urges Robert to keep them in Tyler's life.

** While the Blakes are loving parents to Tyler, custody is ultimately granted to Robert as Tyler was given up for adoption by his kidnapper using forged papers, which nullifies the Blakes adoption. However, Judge Serani recognizes the Blakes are good parents and urges Robert to keep them in Tyler's life.

* ItsAllAboutMe: When asked on the witness stand whether it would be in the best interests of the child for Tyler to be transferred to his custody, Robert brushes the question off and answers that he's [[EntitledToHaveYou entitled to have]] Tyler as Tyler is his "flesh and blood".

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Judge Serani is sympathetic to the Blakes and after granting Robert custody of Tyler, urges that he continue to act in Tyler's best interest by keeping them in his life, which it seems like he will do.

* ItsAllAboutMe: In a way, Robert and the Talmadges.

* GoodVersusGood: It is noted that all of the people fighting for custody of Stephen/Tyler (his adoptive parents, his biological father, and his biological grandparents) are technically good and decent people.

* BitterSweetEnding: Linda Cook is arrested for the murder of Jennifer Talmadge, and Sanford's scheme has been exposed, however Sanford himself gets off with no jail time. The mystery surrounding what happened to Stephen Talmadge/Tyler Blake is solved, but he is taken away from his adoptive parents and put with his biological father Robert Cook. However, the blow is softened with the implication Robert will allow the Blakes to continue to be a part of his son's life.

* BothSidesHaveAPoint: Legally, Robert is entitled to have his son returned to him as the only reason Tyler ended with the Blakes in the first place was because Linda impersonated Jennifer to give him to Sanford. At the same time, the Blakes were unaware they were adopting a kidnapped baby and by the time the episode takes place, they've been a family for 12 years.

* BothSidesHaveAPoint: Legally, Robert is entitled to have his son returned to him as the only reason Tyler ended with the Blakes in the first place was because Linda impersonated Jennifer to give him to Sanford, nullifying Tyler's adoption. At the same time, the Blakes were unaware they were adopting a kidnapped baby and by the time the episode takes place, they've been a family for 12 years.

* WhatTheHellHero: While Cragen was only doing his job, the Blakes are understandably upset with him due the possibility that they'll lose custody of Tyler.

** Herbert and Margaret can also come off as this as when they meet with Cragen after Tyler's found, they're more focused on why they haven't received custody of him than how Tyler is dealing with the possibility of being taken away from his adoptive parents.

* BothSidesHaveAPoint: Legally, Robert is entitled to have his son returned to him as the only reason Tyler ended with the Blakes in the first place was because Linda impersonated Jennifer to put him up for adoption. At the same time, the Blakes were unaware they were adopting a kidnapped baby and by the time the episode takes place, they've been a family for 12 years.

* GoodParents: Both the Blakes and Robert Cook are shown to be loving and affectionate parents. Robert even says he never would've abandoned Tyler had he known he was the father.

* WhatTheHellHero: The Blakes are understandably upset with Cragen due to facing the possibility of losing custody of their son.

* DisappearedDad: Robert was unintentionally this to Tyler during the first 12 years of his life. He makes it clear he never would have abandoned Tyler.

* GoodParents: Both the Blakes and Robert Cook are shown to be loving and affectionate parents. Robert even says he never would've abandoned Tyler.

* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Averted by Robert Cook, who insists on suing for custody of Stephen/Tyler even after being warned that doing so would traumatize him significantly. The ending does imply though he will keep the Blakes in Tyler's life.

* ArtifactAlias: Stephen Talmadge was raised under the name Tyler Blake. After being found, he insists on still going by Tyler, with the only time he's called Stephen afterwards being when he meets his grandparents. It helps that his adoptive parents were unaware they were adopting a kidnapped baby. While the revelation of his identity presumably makes Tyler's legal name Stephen Talmadge, he may choose to legally change his name to Tyler Blake when he's older.

* ArtifactAlias: Stephen Talmadge was raised under the name Tyler Blake. After being found, he insists on still going by Tyler, with the only time he's called Stephen afterwards being when he meets his grandparents. It helps that his adoptive parents were unaware they were adopting a kidnapped baby. While the revelation of his identity presumably makes Tyler's legal name Stephen Talmadge, he may choose to legally change his name to Tyler Blake when he is older.

* ArtifactAlias: Stephen Talmadge was raised under the name Tyler Blake. After being found, he insists on still going by Tyler, with the only time he's called Stephen afterwards being when he meets his grandparents. While the revelation of his identity presumably makes Tyler's legal name Stephen Talmadge, he may choose to legally change his name to Tyler Blake when he is older.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Cragen puts to rest a murder case and solves the mystery of what happened to Stephen/Tyler. At the same time, the revelation of Stephen/Tyler's identity has devastating consequences for him and his adoptive family. In all fairness to Cragen, there was a murder and missing person case to solve and Jennifer's parents derserved closure.

** While the Blakes are loving parents to Tyler, custody is ultimately granted to Robert as Tyler was given up for adoption by his kidnapper using forged papers, which nullifies the Blakes adoption.
* UnbalancedByRivalsKid: While unstated, it's possible the reason Linda took Stephen/Tyler after killing Jennifer was to avoid raising him alongside her own children.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Cragen puts to rest a murder case and solves the mystery of what happened to Stephen/Tyler. At the same time, the revelation of Stephen/Tyler's identity has devastating consequences for him and his adoptive family. In all fairness to Cragen, there was a murder and missing person case to solve and Jennifer's parents derserved closure.

** Despite finding out the truth about his past, Tyler still prefers to be called by the name his adopted parents gave him as that's the name he's used to. He isn't going to start going by a completely different name after 12 years just because it's what his family gave him.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Cragen puts to rest a murder case and solves the mystery of what happened to Stephen/Tyler. At the same time, the revelation of Stephen/Tyler's identity has devastating consequences for him and his adoptive family.

** Despite finding out the truth about his past, Tyler still prefers to be called by the name his adopted parents gave him as that's the name he's used to. He isn't going to start going by a completely different name after 12 years.

* BetterKnownByTheirAlias: Stephen Talmadge was given the name Tyler by the Blakes, and once he's found, everyone refers to him by that name. Jennifer's mother calls him Stephen when she and her husband reunite with Tyler, but he says he goes by the name his adopted parents gave him, with Mr. Talmadge then greeting him by that name.

** Despite finding out the truth about his past, Tyler still prefers to be called by the name his adopted parents gave him as that's the name he's used to.

* IHaveManyNames: The child the episode focuses on was born as Stephen Talmadge but was adopted as a baby and raised as Tyler Blake. Everyone afterwards proceeds to refer to him by his adopted name that he was raised under rather than the name his birth mother gave him. Despite this, the revelation of his identity presumably means that Stephen Talmadge is his legal name.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Judge Serani urges Robert after she grants him custody of Tyler that he continue to act in Tyler's best interest by keeping the Blakes in his life, which it seems like he will do.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: While the Blakes are loving parents to Tyler, custody is ultimately granted to Robert as Tyler was given up for adoption by his kidnapper using forged papers, which nullifies the Blakes adoption.
* ThickerThanWater: