Written By Julie Martin and Warren Leight
Directed By Michael Slovis
Rollin's past from back in Atlanta is brought to light after her former boss, Atlanta Deputy Chief Patton and his new detective, Reese Taymor (Dreama Walker), visit New York for a sex crimes conference. When Taymor is assaulted and fingers Patton as her assailant, an investigation is launched into the Atlanta police contingent and furthermore into Rollin's own experiences back in Atlanta.
Tropes:
- A Day in the Limelight: One for Rollins.
- Beware the Nice Ones: After enduring years of trauma from what happened to her in the Atlanta police department, Rollins finally snaps and knees one of the corrupt cops in the groin.
- Bi Euphemism: When defense lawyer Buchanan and Barba are debating a plea deal, Patton takes offense to going on the sex registry and snarks at Barba.Patton: I don't know about you or your little Spanish Dandy here, but I'm straight as an axe.
- Bilingual Bonus: In response to Patton’s thinly-veiled contempt, Barba tells him in unsubtitled Spanish that the next time they speak, it’ll be in court.
- Bittersweet Ending: To bolster Barba’s case against Patton, Rollins finally comes clean about what he did to her and offers to testify, even if it means going through the trauma again. While the judge refuses to let the jury hear the testimony, that inside information gives Barba enough of an edge in his cross examination that Patton has an anxiety attack on the stand.
- Blatant Lies: Fin follows Rollins to a bar after the accusations against Patton are revealed. Her insistence that she can’t help in the investigation and doesn’t have a bad history with Patton are obvious untruths.
- Break Them by Talking: While this is Barba’s go-to strategy, he gets extra points for doing it so well that Patton was convinced he was having a heart attack on the stand.
- Call-Back:
- Several people mention Rollins’ sister, whose troubles with the law were the reason Rollins was willing to (reluctantly) sleep with Patton in the first place.
- Amanda finally apologizes to Benson for her rude comments about Benson seeing a therapist.
- Dark and Troubled Past: While Rollins’ past with Deputy Chief Patton has been alluded to several times, this episode reveals that he forcibly raped her.
- Drowning My Sorrows: After she was raped, Reese Taymor tried to numb out the experience with a bottle of champagne.
- Face Your Fears: This episode is all about Rollins coming face to face with the trauma she has been running from since she left Atlanta.
- Faux Affably Evil: Deputy Chief Patton tries to maintain an air of southern charm that quickly crumbles.
- Has a Type: Patton seems to be into young blonde detectives.
- Walk and Talk: Barba attempts this with Rollins while they’re both out for a jog but he can’t keep up.Barba: [panting] Rollins, come on, don't make me hurt myself.
- "Not So Different" Remark: Rollins alludes to her own assault when convincing Taymor to testify against Patton.
- Not So Stoic: Rollins holds herself together remarkably well until she finally tells Barba everything that Patton did to her. When she’s finished telling her story, she is visibly shaken and on the verge of tears.
