Directed By: Jean De Segonzac
Written By: Lawrence Kaplow and Elizabeth Rinehart
Noah, Benson's adoptive son, has been kidnapped, and the squad must find him. Ultimately it turns out that his biological grandmother, Sheila, is behind the kidnapping, having merely pretended to respect Benson's relationship with Noah as a means of getting mother and son to let their guard down.
Tropes
- Because You Were Nice to Me: The patsy that Sheila uses to kidnap Noah believes her paper-thin story that kidnapping Noah is for the kid's own good because Sheila has spent a lot of time buttering him up and she's the only person who treats him with respect.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Sheila has had a long plot arc in which she grows closer to Benson and Noah, but it turns out she was just faking the respect she had for their relationship in order to kidnap Noah; getting Benson to let her guard down and getting Noah to trust her.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Sheila's henchman keeps sticking up for her even after the jig is up, but when Rollins moves to arrest his teenage daughter as a conspirator his resistance breaks.
- Honor Before Reason: Sheila's mook refuses to cooperate once busted, insisting that he's defending Noah from unfit mother Benson by doing so.
- Internal Homage: 13 seasons earlier, in "Birthright" (season 6 ep.1), Benson took the side of a kidnapper whose story was much like Sheila's. As in this episode the kidnapper, Michele, became obsessed with finding a substitute for her daughter who died tragically. She eventually found a child that she had a biological relationship to note being raised by someone else, and resolved to do anything necessary to snatch the child. This included hiring a mook and earning his unreasoned loyalty by convincing him the kidnapping was morally justified; it included pretending to drop an early threat to the custodial relationship in order to snatch the child later on; and it included an utter contempt by the kidnapper for the idea of a non-genetic custodial relationship - like Sheila, Michele cared only about the rights she thought her DNA entitled her to.
- It's All About Me: Sheila kidnaps Noah without the slightest concern for his wellbeing (even though Noah very much wants to see Benson); when Benson eventually confronts her on this Sheila dismissively comments that he'll adapt (to the loss of another custodial relationship). She makes it clear that the only thing that matters is her biological prerogative.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Rollins resorts to police brutality, not her usual M.O. by any means.
- Raised by Grandparents: The whole reason Sheila kidnapped Noah.
- Thicker Than Water: Sheila sees herself as Noah's only real family due to their biological connection.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: We don't learn of Sheila's fate in this episode.
- The Unfettered: Sheila will do anything in order to get Noah away from Benson, including faking a long-term relationship with the woman she loathes and resents, while stringing some hapless patsy along so as to be able to use him eventually to kidnap Noah.
